Events
"A circle of trust is a group of people who know how to sit quietly...with each other and wait for the shy soul to show up....In such a space, we are freed to hear our own truth, touch what brings us joy, become self critical about our faults, and take risky steps toward change - knowing that we will be accepted no matter what the outcome." - Parker Palmer
Becoming Elder, Iowa City Senior Center, November 21, 2025
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Iowa City Senior Center, 28 S. Linn St., Iowa City, IA. (First-time attendees are invited to attend a brief orientation to the Courage & Renewal® approach at 12:45.) Elderhood involves much more than the accumulation of lived years. Elderhood evolves when those lived years contribute to a special wisdom and vision that are shared with the community and society. In many ways, elderhood is the pinnacle of developing one’s wholeness as a person. Coming into this wholeness is a lifelong process, and it continues in elderhood. This monthly discussion series follows the Courage and Renewal® approach as we explore what it means to “become elder” and how we might bring our life wisdom and unique gifts to others. We base our discussions on short readings by various authors, though no preparation is needed. Come to one session, some sessions, or all of them! Free. Iowa City Senior Center members register here. (If you're not an Iowa City Senior Center member, please contact Thomas Dean at wildsoulthomas@outlook.com.)
Becoming Elder, Iowa City Senior Center, December 19, 2025
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Iowa City Senior Center, 28 S. Linn St., Iowa City, IA. (First-time attendees are invited to attend a brief orientation to the Courage & Renewal® approach at 12:45.) Elderhood involves much more than the accumulation of lived years. Elderhood evolves when those lived years contribute to a special wisdom and vision that are shared with the community and society. In many ways, elderhood is the pinnacle of developing one’s wholeness as a person. Coming into this wholeness is a lifelong process, and it continues in elderhood. This monthly discussion series follows the Courage and Renewal® approach as we explore what it means to “become elder” and how we might bring our life wisdom and unique gifts to others. We base our discussions on short readings by various authors, though no preparation is needed. Come to one session, some sessions, or all of them! Free. Iowa City Senior Center members register here. (If you're not an Iowa City Senior Center member, please contact Thomas Dean at wildsoulthomas@outlook.com.)
Circle of Trust®: Winter Rest, Prairiewoods, January 10, 2026
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Prairiewoods Franciscan Ecospirituality Center, 120 E. Boyson Rd., Hiawatha, IA. During this day-long Circle of Trust® retreat, we will co-create trustworthy space to listen to the wisdom of our personal inner teacher in community with others through the Courage & Renewal® approach developed by Parker Palmer and the Center for Courage & Renewal. Through Circles of Trust, we renew our courageous spirit as we align our inner and outer selves—our “soul” and “role”—and journey toward personal and societal wholeness. This is part of a series of quarterly Circle of Trust gatherings, each having a seasonal theme and inviting a variety of full-group, small-group, and individual experiences, including time to enjoy the beautiful natural grounds of Prairiewoods. We will connect with our inner teachers and build community through poems, stories, songs, artworks, and activities drawn from diverse cultures and wisdom traditions, offering opportunities for individual reflection, trustworthy sharing, and deep listening. Anyone is welcome to attend one, some, or all of these one-day retreats. $50 registration (includes lunch). Register here.
Tallgrass Conversations: In Search of the Prairie Spirit, four-week online class, co-taught with Cindy Crosby
University of Iowa Senior College
Thursdays 10:00 am - noon, April 16, 23, 30, May 7, 2026
More information coming soon!
Becoming the Elder Tree: Purpose in the Second Half of Life (full Circle of Trust® retreat)
Prairiewoods, August 14-16, 2026
Friday 6:30 p.m. to Sunday 1:00 p.m. Prairiewoods Franciscan Ecospirituality Center, 120 E. Boyson Rd., Hiawatha, IA. Co-facilitated by Thomas Dean and fellow Courage & Renewal® facilitator Chris Johnson. This full-weekend Circle of Trust® retreat invites you to envision a second half of life that calls forth your truest self and unique purpose, and to explore what it means to be an “elder” in the deepest sense: when our lived years contribute to a special wisdom, vision, and wholeness that are shared for the benefit of the community and society. Coming into this wholeness and living an undivided life is a lifelong process, and it continues into elderhood.
In addition to experiencing, reflecting on, and discussing cultural expressions (such as poems, stories, music, and art) that invite us to consider what it means to be an elder and how we might cultivate purpose in the second half of life, we will explore the development of elderhood through our interdependent relationships with the more-than-human world, from nature outside our window all the way up to the greater universe story. Inspired by ecologist Suzanne Simard’s revelations about how forests are communities that are cooperative, collaborative, communicative, and reciprocal, we will consider how we can be the elder trees that nurture, support, and pass wisdom to others for the health and well-being of the entire community. In doing so, we will explore how engaging in “conversations” with nature can lead to an enriched second half of life, and we will invite participants to encounter the beautiful prairie and woods of our gathering place for contemplation, relationship, and inspiration. Prairiewoods’ revered 300-year-old Grandmother Oak will be our touchstone for the weekend.
This retreat welcomes participants of all ages and at any stage of life. Registration coming soon!