Interfaith in Sydney
Services with Stephanie Dowrick

at Pitt Street Uniting Church
264 Pitt Street, Sydney 2000 (near Park Street)

Next Interfaith service, Sunday 21 September 2008, 3pm

Interfaith can go beyond respectful dialogue.  We offer an inclusive spiritual experience that draws on the finest teachings from East and West and emphasises their relevance to mindful joyful contemporary living.

"The radiance that is neither East nor West comes from a single moon."  Rumi

Stephanie Dowrick is an ordained Interfaith Minister who sees her ministry as reaching out to all, regardless of their faith background, through teachings, scriptures and inspirations that speak directly to our minds and hearts, honouring the sacred and creating positive, practical changes in our lives.

On-line bookshop. Choose from more than one million books, including Stephanie Dowrick's complete range.

Australia-wide postage $6.95 for an unlimited number of books.

You can choose from more than a million books sourced through this on-line bookshop.  This includes all of Stephanie’s books as well as a range of books that Stephanie personally recommends. Her current recommendations include Ann Patchett's Bel Canto - a totally engaging novel that demonstrates the power of music while introducing the reader to a most wonderful range of people; John O'Donohue's infinitely poetic Anam Cara; Elizabeth Gilbert's worldwide besteller, Eat, Pray, Love; Thich Nhat Hanh's subtle and inclusive Living Buddha, Living Christ,  and Jack Kornfield's new book on Buddhist psychology, The Wise Heart. Paul's Wilson's practical, inspiring book on meditation, The Quiet, is also always high on the list. And there is a new, excellent book on the brain: The Brain that Changes Itself. ALL books from this website are sold at a small discount.

The Universal Heart Network  is the key way that Stephanie keeps in touch with readers, lets you know about events, publications and news, and sends her thoughts and good wishes on a regular basis.  Emails - without attachments - are usually sent about once each month.

Through the Network, you can be among the first to hear when Stephanie announces a retreat, talk or workshop. - many of which are only made known in this way.  She also sends out reflections on events, or from her monthly interfaith services.

Simultaneously we can cultivate self-love, love for others and love for life itself.  Energy and vision arise from this great trinity of experience.
The Universal Heart

One year.  Two books.

In 2007 Stephanie Dowrick published two books.  Creative Journal Writing: The Art & Heart of Reflection is written for beginners and also for experienced journal writers who want fresh inspiration. and a greater sense of creativity in their writing.  It includes some wonderful stories from journal-writing members of the Universal Heart Network and Stephanie has described the book as "a joy to write" - not always the case!  Just out is a small, but powerful book, The Almost-Perfect Marriage.  Stephanie was asked why the book isn't called “The Almost-Prefect Relationship” and how she chose the book’s very striking format.

Creative Journal Writing:
The Art & Heart of Reflection

ISBN 9781741751376

The Almost-Perfect Marriage
One-Minute Relationship Skills

ISBN 9781741751352

Wisdom – especially when we feel anything but wise

I feel so happy when I read the following words from the French writer, Marcel Proust: "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes but in seeing with new eyes." Wisdom is a way of seeing: a way of seeing ourselves, others and life itself.  It may even be a way of living - even and especially for those of us who on a daily basis feel anything but wise.

We are gathered here today [at one of the Interfaith services offered by Stephanie Dowrick at Pitt Street Uniting Church, Sydney] to celebrate wisdom and my first thought is: Are we really wise enough to do so?  Wherever we look we can see only too clearly the ways in which we have not been wise. We can see where we have hurt other people or ourselves, where we have made frightful decisions or gone in unhelpful and definitely unwise directions. We can also see where our attention has been repeatedly drawn to things that hurt us or things that truly don’t matter.  Without even trying, we can feel overwhelmed by what we regard as our limited and limiting habits, even when we are apparently doing our best. 

Ambassador for great projects! Stephanie Dowrick is proud to be an ambassador for three exceptional groups. 

The International Women's Development Agency is a non-government organisation which undertakes practical, co-operative projects in partnership with women from around the world for women and their families suffering poverty and oppression.  This is a small organisation doing invaluable work among the world's most vulnerable and needy - and, crucially, raising awareness of why gender issues remain crucial for safety and justice. http://www.iwda.org.au

Breast Cancer Network of Australia - http://www.bcna.org.au - offers information and direct practical support  to breast cancer sufferers and their families and lobbies brilliantly on behalf of those with breast cancer. (In the photo Stephanie is with Lyn Swinburne, founder and CEO of BCNA.) Regular free workshops are offered nationally.

Petrea King's Quest for Life Centre is where countless thousands of people have continued to find comfort, insight and peace in the face of life-changing illness, grief or trauma.  Petrea herself is a living example of unfailing hope and support.   http://www.questforlife.com.au 

New edition of Choosing Happiness: Life & Soul Essentials

Published October 2006
ISBN: 9781741750409 

No. 1 Australian best-seller

“This book may be [Stephanie’s] most accessible and useful so far, because it’s about changing the way we relate to other people so we can be happier.  Most importantly, it’s about changing the way we relate to ourselves.”  Canberra Times

Sales information: http://www.allenandunwin.com

Stephanie Dowrick talks with Bill Idol

Audio Download - provided in mp3 format - this file is 25MB and runs for 54 minutes

Click here for the file

In this wide-ranging interview, Bill Idol talks with Stephanie Dowrick about her life and work.  Bill recorded this interview after the 2006 Easter Retreat for his regular radio program in Vermont, USA. It is now available for easy free audio download.

To contact Bill with your comments on the interview: wridol@ThirdAgeCentre.com