"What we love we shall grow to resemble." ~Bernard of Clairvaux
The Pacific Center for Spiritual Formation was founded in 1984 in the San Francisco Bay Area by a group of clergy and lay leaders of diverse spiritual backgrounds who shared the experience of being trained as spiritual directors at The Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in Washington, DC.
In the summer of 1984, Francis Geddes, Carol Saysette, John Stansbury, Bill Moremen, Joanna Macy, and Rich Byrne gathered every Wednesday morning at the First Congregational Church in Berkeley to share contemplative prayer together.
Through prayer and contemplation, they felt called to offer wider opportunities for contemplative practice and spiritual deepening throughout the Bay Area. Susan Murphy and Joyce Harris led a practice group for many years, originally in person at a church in Los Altos and then on Zoom.
As others were invited to the staff and board of Pacific Center, the location and variety of program offerings grew. In addition to local contemplative practice groups, Pacific Center for Spiritual Formation has offered opportunities to explore new contemplative practices (referred to as “Taster Days”) and retreats. Over the past several years, our offerings have been both on Zoom and in-person, at Bay Area seminaries and retreat centers.
Over the years, Pacific Center sponsored retreats and lectures from many spiritual leaders, including the late Marcus Borg, the late Huston Smith, the late Gerald May, and Tilden Edwards. We have also provided a platform for current authors and contemplative leaders, such as Rev. Dr. Daniel London (“The Cloud of Unknowing, Distilled”).
Today, Pacific Center continues to offer regular opportunities for contemplative prayer, retreats, and spiritual guidance to those seeking a deeper connection to the Holy.