LOWER LIGHTS SCHOOL OF WISDOM
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Mission Statement
The mission of Lower Lights is to provide high quality, transformative education to the public that rises above traditional denominational boundaries and identities. Lower Lights seeks to hold an integrating framework that deeply honors the wisdom of the world's traditions while not limiting its scope to a single approach or tradition. Lower Lights intends to bring healing to the secular/religious divide, helping individuals and communities see and appreciate the universal values and truths.
About This Cause
In response to this creative challenge and critical moment of our times, we have formed the Lower Lights School of Wisdom, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The mission of Lower Lights is to provide high quality, transformative learning that bridges traditional denominational boundaries and identities. For virtually all of human history, the world’s religions have been vehicles for human growth, the propagation of values, and narratives of higher meaning. Lower Lights seeks to hold an integrating framework that deeply honors the wisdom of the world’s traditions while not limiting its scope to a single approach or tradition. In other words, our efforts are intended to be complementary to and never competitive with the profound gifts of any faith tradition. By approaching human growth and transformation in this way, Lower Lights intends to bring healing to the secular/religious divide, helping individuals and communities see and appreciate the universal values and truths that animate all human traditions. OUR OBJECTIVES • To create a supportive space where people of all traditions can live their questions of ultimate concern. • To provide developmentally appropriate practices for growth and flourishing and which are complementary to every belief system. • To integrate: To leave nothing good, true, and beautiful behind as we continue to grow individually and collectively. • To put contemplation in service. We recognize the heart of a contemplative practice is a continual cycle of bringing our highest awareness into passionate engagement in the world. • To heal the divisions in our local community and partner communities. Salt Lake City was founded on a religious vision, and yet there have never been so many people living in Salt Lake who are unaffiliated (or disaffiliated) with the Mormon Church. We have become a microcosm of the religious/secular divide in the modern world. Our intention is to help reveal the common humanity we share beneath the surface of our worldviews and beliefs. • To serve. We believe that human beings are capable of genius and brilliance, without exception. Core to our mission is to provide training and support that helps people awaken to the deeper possibilities of their lives and offer their unique gifts to the community and world. Our Approach What, specifically, do we do at this school? How do we facilitate learning that responds to people’s unique developmental needs? We draw from two primary approaches that are both informed by the world’s great wisdom traditions as well as supported by the most current scientific research: Contemplative practice (e.g. meditation, mindfulness, centering prayer) Mindfulness is a powerful tool in helping to restore connection to ourselves, others, and higher meaning. The scientific research on this practice is proliferating. The benefits include improved physical health, emotional well-being, and spiritual discernment. Another distinctive advantage to the mindful approach is that it has broad appeal to both believing and secular crowds. For the Millennial generation, it is proving to be a vital bridge to reconnect with the spiritual life. Adult development Positive Adult Development is a new field of research/practice that provides powerful support to adults who are committed to ongoing growth. It is highly credible in the field of developmental psychology and is evidence-based. Intriguingly, the current research suggests that there is no upper limit to how far human beings can progress or what they can become. Lower Lights is in a position to do pioneering work in the area of what the Harvard Divinity School has called “religious innovation.” Drawing on insights from the field of adult development, we have provided support for people to continue in their journey of spiritual growth, whether they choose to do that within a religious context or not. For those who do choose to remain connected with a specific tradition, we envision a future where religious institutions throughout the world are able to create optimal growth environments for their members based on principles of adult development.