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What People Are Saying About Inward Bound
- Full Version -
Since the conference ended, we have received dozens of letters, phone calls, and emails from students and educators reacting to their three-day experience.
Many of these quotes are shown below. Click here for a different version of this page with shorter excerpts from the quotes.
I believe Inward Bound succeeded in its mission to inspire rather than inform. No matter what faith or non-faith tradition we came from, it was impossible to leave the conference the same way we'd come in. My own experience was one of transcending boundaries and challenging perceptions. I came in shy and wary of others, and left feeling firmly rooted in love and respect for all the people present. I've been inspired to learn more about being a student chaplain on campus! Woohoo!!
Kela Wanyama,
Mt. Holyoke College
Perhaps one of the most fundamental aspects of the spiritual search involves the element of uncertainty. As we commit ourselves to the journey of awakening to our true selves, we encounter many internal places that cause us to wonder who we really are and what, if anything, comes next. Through the confusion and darkness that can characterize these moments, a strange spiritual alchemy occurs that has the potential to transform us both gradually and spontaneously, to shake us awake and present us with the freedom of simply being for which we long so passionately. I can only imagine that the leaders of the Inward Bound conference must have know this as they created the event, because the conference mirrored the experience of uncertainty to a degree at which even the great mystical poet Rumi would have been pleased.
From the start of our trip, when I was thrown into a packed car for a long drive with people I had never met, to the intimate groups of yet more strangers formed at the conference so we could share our deepest fears, longings and struggles, I was forced to ask myself amidst the inevitable insecurity and self-consciousness, "Who am I? Who is my deepest, most authentic self? Where is the piece of me that goes beyond the insecurity of being in a new place with new people, the piece that is always, always home?" Uncertainty is usually accompanied by internal conflict, and as I sought answers to these questions, I battled many prevalent forces, not the least of which is my ego, that presence ever-ready to shut me down and send me reeling through the darkness in primordial fear of vulnerability, of self-exposure, of the glorious "Crack!" of self-awakening. While Inward Bound in no way brought me to the end of my quest, it did indeed coax me closer to the edge.
There are several important moments I could highlight in this attempt to capture a glimpse of what Inward Bound meant to me. Our small group sharing, Father Francis's Sunday night service, and the comfort provided by meeting young people traveling the same wilderness roads as myself, would all be among them. But one moment in particular burns through me, because it goes beyond Inward Bound to a place that knows few words. Still, I will try to convey it.
On the second day of the conference, after a particularly intense small group session, I walked outside for a breath of fresh North Carolina air to find a small bird lying dead on the sidewalk. Death has always frightened me with its uncertainty and its seeming admonition to live mindfully, to live alive. As such, even picking up a dead cockroach on the kitchen floor typically scares me. But the bird was resting peacefully, and I felt compelled to move it to a more tender ground, to the earth that would eventually yield to its still warm body, take back the remains and create new growth from death. Slowly, I picked up the bird and held it in my bare hands, looking deeply--"from the heart" as we had all been advised to do. And as the cool wind quivered its tiny feathers, I found myself wondering, "Where did the life go?" Of the answer, I can only say this: There was no "myself" holding a "dead bird," and there was no fear.
Thank you SKS and Inward Bound. You couldn't have planned it better.
Sarah,
University of Florida
The most beautiful thing to me about IB was just getting to see so many people speaking so honestly and openly about their lives...I know in the group of people I was with for the entirety of the conference, there was an openness and authenticity that is rarely seen among strange...and what's more, among most people in their everyday lives. It seems that most people in everyday society spend most of their time in defensive modes of operation keeping others at a distance and inward bound was an open and safe place for people to open up not only to others but also to themselves.
Lauren Schlenger,
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Inward Bound was a mind opening and mind blowing experience for me. The eclectic mix of students who attended Inward Bound was a tremendous resource for those who listened openly to other spiritual views. Our group shared really quite intimate details and experiences—completely uninhibited...open...peaceful...passionate...contemplative. There was respect and appreciation of varying perspectives and a richness in trying to see the beauty in someone else's spiritual journey. I loved being a part of this symposium and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Michelle McDonald,
Michigan State University
I felt incredible closeness to the people from my discussion group. Our cups of trembling we talked about from our hearts were a part of real life, they were real and sometimes scary. It was the greatest experience during the conference. Spirituality was an intimacy and closeness we felt to other people while revealing our deepest fears and desires.
Ewa Krzaklewska,
Antioch College
So you're sleepwalking through your life, just walking along, la di dah, till you stumble nose-first into the Inevitable Something. The Inevitable Something might be a seemingly innocuous soundbyte of advice, it might be a poem, a war, a Symposium of minds in the mountains of North Carolina, it might be as severe as a heartbreaking personal tragedy or it might simply be the temperature of the air and the hue of the sun some random weekday morning. Either way you find yourself suddenly, unexpectedly changed. The temporary result can be varied and extreme, perhaps this time it will be a heightened sense of wonder, deep joy, the sudden discovery of an untaken road that still lies in your reach, or just as often, it might be loneliness and pain, existential isolation, even terror. You've suddenly outgrown your world. You're going to die someday. You are alone in your choices. You're questioning things you never thought to question, things that were heretofore invisible because they weren't just thoughts, they were the pre-conceptions behind the thoughts, the things that shaped the thoughts before you were even consciously thinking them. It's ironic that this struggle through loneliness, doubt and pain at last gives way to the deepest beauty, the most meaningful connections with people, with world, and with your inner self, a true sense of the poignance and pricelessness and irreplaceability of each interaction, each moment, each breath. It's ironic that this beauty is also forgettable, almost meant to be forgotten, inevitably revving up another Inevitable. Something to come smack you on the nose, right on time, to ensure that things keep moving. So there you are, awake in this precious instant. You're between worlds. You're looking around, feeling like a child, both scared and playful, in this very moment you have been reborn to the possibilities of your life. Already you feel yourself slipping back into the old ways, back into psychological captivity. You resolve to remain vulnerable to change, and strangely, this vulnerability feels more like strength. You review what you have learned. There seem to be rules to the game of life, rules that are true from every perspective, and yet one of the rules is that the rules shift. Everything is so beautifully confusing, so overwhelmingly huge, and yet so delicate. I can create my own luck. I've got to really live this time. What's the next best step? How do I honor what I have seen? How do I keep growing?
Cam Plummer,
University of Florida
The funny thing about this is that Inward Bound was an extremely profound experience for me and I think it is currently having a tremendous impact on my life. I am making what I consider to be positive changes in my life. I feel like my priorities have shifted considerably in a deliberate direction, a direction that I personally want to head.
Lee,
North Carolina State University
When I heard about this spirituality conference in Raleigh, North Carolina being led "by students, for students" I thought..."kewl, I'll get to travel, meet new people, and discover new religions and sections of spirituality I'd never explored before...and it's led by students, that means it won't be boring!" Little did I know this conference was going to be life changing, ground shaking, mind quaking and a little bit, okay a lot bit, personal.
I say personal because, as the conference is titled "INWARD bound", it was designed to help us move "inward" to our souls to find, pinpoint, and challenge the fears within us. To discover what pulls us back from reaching our fullest potential as human beings...As August Turak so eloquently stated "we need to seek the truth like our hair was on fire." We need to act on our awareness that this is our life and it is ending one minute at a time.
Kristen Sweeney,
Ithaca College
Initially, I thought that Inward Bound, as great an event it was, was not a life-changing experience for me as it was for others. I've attended other conferences, retreats, and class sessions where we've discussed deep issues similar to the ones addressed in the conference that explored, challenged, and affirmed my own identity; my values, beliefs, fears, passions, etc. I've told people that the best thing that I got out of the conference was that I gained a new level of articulation: of being able to express what I believe, think, and feel in a much better way than ever before. I come to think of it now, as small of a change I think this may be in my life, it in itself is a life changing experience because it has forever affected the way in which I engage in dialogue with other people. Even the smallest change can be a life altering experience, and Inward Bound has been that small drop of change that has rippled through my entire, present life in a positive way.
John Mascardo,
Gonzaga University
I found Inward Bound to be an empowering experience. I enjoyed the Cup of Trembling article, it made me think about what is holding me back from having the best life possible. For me it is my lack of self-discipline and my negative self-image. The small group that I was in was very open and honest. The people made me feel accepted for who I am. This in turn made me feel that I could accept myself, and begin to make changes in my life.
I have made a challenge for myself, to exercise every day for at least 20 mins, and so far have been successful with it. I have tried to challenge myself in the past but haven't been able to follow through with it. I really think that Inward Bound has helped me to be more committed to myself, it gave me the belief that I can do something to make myself feel better, and that I am worth it.
Thanx,
Sarah Ives,
North Carolina State University
The amazing part about the conference was that it wasn't a place to have questions answered. We all came because we are seeking answers, seeking truth, yet that was not what we found at Inward Bound. We found the miraculous gift of a place to have the Discussion. We found community among strangers because we were allowed to be honest. The dark issues that we so often wrestle with alone were the topics of constant conversation. Dinner table conversation even. No one pretended to care about the weather. I reveled in the freedom of being able to sit down next to someone I'd never met and say "Hi, I'm Jessica. Tell me about god." Somehow, god is present in the beautiful chaos that happens when people from all walks of life come together to be in communion, a communion founded on the intensity of genuine exploration and struggle with what it means to be.
Jessica Long,
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
When coming to the conference I did not know what to expect. I had ideas on what the conference was about, but I really had no decisive idea about what I may get out of the experience. I mean, what college student actually sits down to ponder the meaning of life? What I didn't know was that I was in store was three days of the most intense self-reflection I have ever had.
While at Inward Bound, my reflection took place on a number of different levels. For me, I began to think more globally—what I could do for others. On a more personal level I began to realize that I have a lot of growing to do. The conference reaffirmed that although I am currently living the best life possible, I still have to bridge the gap between who I currently am and who I want to become. On a peer level, I began to realize that many people within my small group had very similar "cups of trembling". Many had fears of success while others were living their life through others. The common denominator for the entire conference was that unless you are truly happy with yourself and your life, you are not living your life to its full potential.
Overall this intense reflection allowed me to listen to myself. Instead of telling myself who I want to become, I began listening to myself. And what I heard overjoyed me...The conference has reaffirmed what type of person I want to become and how I want to get there. Although I do NOT have everything in live figured out, I am more happy knowing that I am on the right track…Thank you Inward Bound.
Jon Farnsworth,
Gustavus Adolphus College
...I've always been afraid to trust and love people because I thought that they would take my spiritual life away, persuade me that it is worthless or crazy. I didn't express my fears to my group in those terms, but I recited to them a poem I've recently written about my spiritual life and about how scared I am of losing it. Instead of the blank stares or cold curiosity that I suppose I expected to see when I'd finished, the eyes of my fellow Warrior Poets [my affinity group] revealed sympathy and understanding. It was a new and joyous feeling for me to know that I had touched other people, and to be touched in turn by their stories.
Erika,
Duke University
At the conference, I felt like something was being re-awakened within me. I was thinking on a 'bigger scale' and questioning every aspect of my life. It became obvious to me that in order for another human being to truly understand me I had to speak from personal experience. I realized that an experience can't be transmitted to others by intellectual abstraction. The skillful way in which our facilitator set up this "space" for us to feel comfortable and safe enough to be truly open and honest allowed the spontaneous "speaking from the heart" to occur. THIS was truly amazing. This was part of the process or experience that cannot be abstractly intellectualized and then truly understood. I can say that this experience has given me a glimpse of what everyday life can be like if only we all strived to establish safer places in our own lives. I have spent countless minutes since the conference trying to come up with ways that I can "keep up the momentum" of my own personal experience. I have started meditating more often, started writing daily in a journal, and I have felt like I am more honest and open with friends and co-workers. I have felt less fear and more confidence to make decisions, take steps, and accomplish goals.
Mike Tomlinson,
North Carolina State University
A tremendous experience—Inward Bound. Even when I was first invited on a road trip to North Carolina with 9 of the most open minded, loving, and spiritual people I know, I only imagined a fraction of how incredible it turned out to be. The conversations in the car ride initiated an entire 3 days of spiritual conversation from the moment I awoke until the moment I went to sleep. So much love in the air. So much constant appreciation for how incredible life is and how lucky we all are. So many inspiring experiences were shared and explored (from so many pasts, presents, and futures). So much of everyone noticing our surroundings. So much mindfulness. So many intellectual minds to bounce ideas off of. So much affection. So many viewpoints. So much heartfulness. So much generosity. So much genuine listening to each other. So much acceptance of others' opinions that contradict one's own beliefs. So much creativity. So much dancing. Such amazing music. So many hugs. So many acclaimed and respected speakers and writers. Such delicious and healthy food they provided us with. So much laughter. So many tears. So much comfort. So much introspection. So much Gratitude. So much reaching out. So much compassion. So much hard work. So many acts of loving kindness. So many inpiring quotes that I got to take home with me. So much soul searching. So much friendship. So many priceless memories. Such love. Such an important experience. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making it part of me.
Emily,
University of Florida
As soon as Inward Bound began, I was impressed by the speakers who had come to share their time and their incredible life experiences with us. By the end of the conference, I had discovered that almost more inspirational were the other students from across the country, all asking the same questions as I was: Who am I? What is this all about? How do I make my life make sense? What do I believe? Where am I going? It let me know that I can still be a spiritual person without needing to attach myself to a specific religion or group. So many of us share common beliefs, we just label them differently. While reinforcing my need to find my own, individual spiritual path, the conference provided a unique opportunity to connect with an amazing group of people on their own searches. At times I felt the rooms fill with energy, whether through silence during meditation, honesty and support in discussions, or music during the services.
For a long time I had been scared to look inside myself because I was scared of this big question mark dangling there. I will never forget talking to Noah, my group leader, and having everything change in one intense moment; suddenly I knew it was going to be okay. I don't know how it happened, and it didn't make me understand everything, but somehow I accepted the questions without the fear.
Since then I've spent a lot of time processing and making connections to my everyday life. I've gained a lot of confidence, in interactions with people as well as in doing things I never would have done before. And every time since the conference that I've started to forget what I learned, something happens to remind me and I get recharged. I think it was Augie who commented on the tendency to be spiritual for a specific time and then forget about it when you go on with the rest of your life, but so far I don't think I could do that if I wanted to. I know I still have a lot of issues ahead of me to deal with, but I see so many ways in which what I learned at Inward Bound is part of the rest of my life. The conference spurred both an awakening and a peace in me, and I expect to remember it in 20 years as an experience that shaped who I am and who I would become.
Laura Hirst,
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Inward Bound had a profound effect on the way I conduct my life. I am no longer able to look at the world in the same way that I did before. Those around me have noticed the change, I think. I no longer look at things as just events, but as beautiful parts of a whole picture that God is painting with my life. I spend a lot of time reflecting on how everything I do ties in to my exploration of myself and my search for God. I try as hard as I can to live deliberately, trying not to let a moment pass that I do not connect with and engage in consciously seeking God and definition for myself. I try to live at the edge as much as possible, looking for God in the most unlikely places I can think of. At the same time, I look for God and answers to my personal questions in the mundane and ordinary parts of my life.
Inward Bound forced my to consciously recognize that I should not seek to be comfortable and even to seek out situations that make me uncomfortable, for it is in those times when the greatest amount of growth and change and development occurs. By seeking out uncomfortable situations, I have discovered that I am able to view situations through multiple lenses, allowing me to see events and concepts from multiple angles. Then I am able to decide which angle resonates most in me and gives me the clearest picture of myself and of God.
I am actively searching for a daily practice which will ground me in my spirituality and allow me to form a habit that will keep me from losing what I have struggled so hard to attain. That practice will be a place to return to after trips to the edge and will be a constant reminder of what I have gained. I thought I had a good idea of what such a practice would be, but as I got deeper into it, I realized that there was no resonance and that continuing would not further my spiritual path.
It is exciting to be on the spiritual path and I have realized that in reality everyone is on the path with me. Many people don't realize that they are on the path and everyone is in a different place, but we are all searching and finding to different degrees. We search for the same things and therefore are bonded together as the human race. It is exciting to realize this and it is exciting to be actively seeking and growing and changing and coming to a greater understanding of what it is to be human, who I am, and who/what God is to me. The path will take me the rest of my life, but that's ok. There is nowhere else I would rather be.
Larry Whitney,
Ithaca College
I started taking time each morning for a reflection session, just journaling and reading a book Mark lent me... An interesting exercise. I haven't been able to clear my mind, though. After the first few days, my brain started racing and it became more a matter of routine than a real meditation time. But it's still there. I am still taking that time.
I've also developed the somewhat disturbing habit of looking into people's eyes to try to perceive a hint of the wisdom, the spirit, that I saw in (for example) Father Kline's and Fleet Maull's. It, too, is an interesting exercise. I wonder if I am really seeing something, or just making it up.
I'm still corresponding with one of the girls in my group. But again, that connection is still there. Of course, I think about "spiritual stuff" often. I am slowly developing a vocabulary to talk about it. That's a long and involved process.
The most important thing that came out of the conference, for me, was the drive to look for these things. Although it had been a part of my life before, now it's really constant. Every interaction has significance, every decision is decisive.
Going inward is not the easiest thing, especially when your outward self is doing so much. But keeping it in mind even in the busiest times is doable, and if I've realized anything, it's that.
Karen Wolfgang
Princeton University
Inward Bound opened my heart and mind to the value of engaging students in serious transformative reflection, and ably demonstrated the profound impact of such work.
Jonathan Reams,
Professor, Gonzaga University
This conference has been life-changing. I feel it will play a major role in the evolution of human consciousness.
Alex Danilowicz
North Carolina State University
I had an amazing experience with all of you...and I am thankful for the butterfly flapping its wings and not allowing my parents to afford sending me home over fall break, thereby pushing me to go on the inward bound retreat.
Jacob,
Guilford College
What surprised me at the conference that I was inspired by all the services—by the Catholic, the Jewish, and the Buddhist service. All three of these services, which at the surface may seem to be contradictory, rang true in a genuine way. None of these speakers (I'm referring here to Father Francis Kline, Niles Goldstein and Fleet Maul) seemed to imply they had all the answers, or that we should believe what they believed, but all came here with compassion, with an honest hope to inspire and share their own wisdom. I was inspired by all of these services to share this wonderful feeling of peace and goodwill I had inside, one that was beyond religion, beyond words...I felt like the guy from the American Beauty clip who felt as if his heart would burst—and I wanted to share it with everyone I saw, everyone I knew, if only I could find the words, the means to do so...Another thing about the conference that struck me was the intimacy and honesty produced within my small group. When we all got together and declared ourselves the Magic Bean Buyers, we realized so many of our beliefs weren't that alike after all. We could hardly agree on anything at first, let alone make a mission statement...but something began to happen—as we peeled down layer by layer the beliefs we did have trying to find some common ground, we were able to get to the deeper issues underlying some of these beliefs. Later on in our group sessions when talking about our fears and hopes, and getting down further into what they meant, we realized that a lot of us, when we really got down to it, had so much in common. These shared feelings were not about such things as whether or not we believed in God (because that word meant something different to all of us), or what we believed happened to us after we died, nothing like that, but underneath all our armor, our games, our beliefs and disbeliefs, that we were all people searching for the same things...
And in hearing a lot of the others talk at the closing of the conference about their own group experience, many of you seemed to have the same experience of rapport with your groups... which means, to me, that this was not just because of the specific people in your group that were able to get along really well, but this is something universal...that people, under their beleifs, under all their bullshit and games are—well, people. And maybe that that kind of openness can be gained continually throughout our lives, if we "go first." A lot of us poured our hearts out and were totally our (true) selves, as the speakers and the facilitators did as well, with the risk that we may offend someone who doesn't want to hear what we have to say, or be rejected by those who don't agree with us, or look like a fool in front of everyone for being ourselves with no masks, no protection...and the conference created (in my own experience) a safe place to do so, which is why it was miraculously seen over and over again in the various small groups. But what about in my everyday life? What about the friends that I hang out with and pass the time with bantering on about meaningless things (and feel no real connection with), or the chance stranger that I find myself being drawn to and having some strange spontaneous connection to? Wouldn't it be worth it, to put myself out on the line, and take all the risks that the Inward Bound conference itself took, if there were only the chance that I may create that spark (that moment of beauty, truth), or be inspired, or inspire someone else?
Courtney Wright,
North Carolina State University
Many, many thanks to everyone who put SO MUCH EFFORT into organizing the Inward Bound event! We all learned a great deal, through both the positive and negative aspects. More importantly, all of us have grown tremendously from the experiential opportunity you help provide for us. I want to thank you profoundly for all the amazing energy you have put into making this growth possible. I look forward to inviting you to some event either at Connecticut College or elsewhere which I undoubtedly will be organizing in the future....I really liked what Claudia and Jim did with the faculty track. The interviews were especially wonderful. They set a different tone with the degree of intimacy that one could get to.
Patrice Brodeur,
Educator, Connecticut College
I never received the information in the mail about the conference, so I really had no idea what it was about. Well, I happen to come from a very conservative Nazarene church, and I've been to some conferences like Women of Faith, and so I thought it was going to be one of those "Yay God" kind of things.
The group from my college came in late, and it was the time when the groups were making their mission statements. We just got thrown into a smaller group, whose mission statement was already done. You can imagine my shock as I looked around at the diversity of the people in the room around me and as I heard the mission statements. I thought to myself, "Self, you are in big trouble! Maybe you should go back to your hotel room and hide!" But I didn't!
During the course of the weekend, I actually drew very close to my group. When I first introduced myself, I said, "Hi, I'm Bonnie, and I'm very closed-minded and quite happy with where I am in my faith and I don't intend to change." My group consisted of several agnostics, an atheist, a woman who was raised a practicing pagan, as well as a Jewish man who had sought out his own path.
As the time wore on with my group, and as I listened to their stories and noted how similar our cups of trembling were, and how that indicated to me that we were all actually quite similar as human beings, I began to see them as friends, neighbors, and people I care for, rather than "that pagan girl" or "those weird agnostics".
I also started to look at my faith and ask myself if it was really what I believed, or if it was just what I had always been taught to believe and just didn't know anything else. It was a time for me to examine my own spirituality and find out just how comfortable I really was. I shared these feelings with the group, and they all identified with questioning whether their ideas about spirituality were right or not.
It was then that I realized that maybe there is no one right way. This was a totally new concept to me, since I was raised to believe that the only right way was through Jesus Christ. But the more I thought about it, the more comfortable I became with not only the people in my group, but my own spirituality as well.
Before I left the conference, I hugged Amelia, my new pagan friend, and thanked her for what she had brought to the group and how much it had helped me.
So today I'm proud to say, "Hi, I'm Bonnie, and I'm open-minded."
Bonnie Early,
Michigan State University
I want to thank you all for the splendid and exciting experience ("meeting" or "conference" just doesn't quite get to the heart of it) we shared last week. I know that I got a lot out of it, and so did the two Ithaca College students whose heads and hearts are still buzzing from it all.
John Hochheimer, Ithaca College
When preparing to attend the Inward Bound Conference, there wasn't much of a concrete idea of what would come out of it. One thought was that many people of like mind would be met, and perhaps relationships built on substance would result from the three day conference. This definitely happened. In fact, now, more than 2 weeks after the conference, emails from friends met at Inward Bound are still coming in!
In addition to the wonderful friends made, there was the deeply comforting and stimulating sense that "we work not alone." Seeing over 200 college students from all over the country who were actively seeking how to infuse more spirituality into their lives was quite a rewarding experience. One of the most impacting observations while at Inward Bound was the discovery that many, many students attending the conference were involved in some sort of Service project in the school or town that they came from. So many in fact, that connections began to be made. Could it be that Service and Spirituality were intertwined with each other? This thought bounced around for a while and then came the realization that the entire Inward Bound Conference was a selfless act of Service by the members of the Self Knowledge Symposium. They had spent 2 years putting together this conference, and the only reward they could have expected from their efforts was to see STRANGERS leave the conference with more of a sense of their life purpose than when they came. From the perspective of this one individual, their hard work resulted in success. Before coming to the conference, selfless Service was definitely a high priority in my life. That commitment is renewed and strengthened tenfold now. Witnessing the awesome results of concerted efforts towards helping our fellow human beings has been inspiration that won't fade away.
Will this new lifestyle provide answers to life's deepest secrets? Who knows. But what a wonderful and rewarding way to go about that ever present search.
Gabriel Salley,
University for Human Goodness
Inward Bound was an occasion for me to ask myself some hard questions. I saw that every moment is a chance to let myself down, or to refuse to let myself down—and I saw that there's a huge community of seekers on the path with me.
Scott Wager,
North Carolina State University
Inward Bound was definitely a good experience. It has made me realize if nothing else, that community is a pivotal element in a meaningful life. People have many views on religion and spirituality. It is an area of life we all examine even if our conclusion is spirituality is a meaningless word. To come together and share in the genuine exploration of spirituality and meaning in our lives is a powerful thing that I believe my generation yearns for. To sit with people and see we all have our longings, and issues we must face; transforms spirituality from an inward sensation to a common yet unique experience that I always find so wonderful to see.
Andrew Batcher,
Antioch College
Students have often said that our [group] should be a place where everyone is comfortable. As the SKS demonstrated so well, in order to have a strong community with safety and growth, exactly the opposite is true. Most of us were very uncomfortable during the retreat, discussing our fears, and listening to the fears of others. Most of us were very uncomfortable hearing the diverse opinions and beliefs that others held, especially when they seemed to contradict our own. But that discomfort kept us constantly moving forward and growing, transcending our old selves and leaving the retreat new people. Not only that, it caused the group to bond together, acknowledging each other's discomfort and sharing in that common anxiety that accompanies the type of discomfort we experienced. [By working through that discomfort together, we were able to come to a place that was MUCH more intimate and genuine. And that never would have happened if there had not been that struggle.]
Larry Whitney,
Ithaca College
I came to Inward Bound having no real specific expectations. I assumed it would be a "really intense" experience on some level—and that was certainly true—but I didn't know how it would intense or what it would be intense about it. For me, I found that the intensity came from the relationships. In delving deeper into who I really am, sharing that with others and finding truly kindred spirits—people that I previously had only dreamed could exist let alone would be right there. The connections I developed, regardless of whether or not I maintain them now (sadly, this was a national conference and so many of those connections live very far away), showed me what my life could be: full of meaningful, profound relationships that give me real substance rather than just a shallow experience of life.
Chris Rogus,
North Carolina State University
What made Inward Bound most significant for me were moments of inspiration. A weakness of mine is that I tend to separate spirituality from the here and now and place it in another realm which makes interaction with the spiritual very difficult. In reality, spirituality is in fact here, every second, every day, and Inward Bound helped me to realize and recognize that. Another important realization was this: Although my views on spirituality are constantly changing, even in the definitive sense, I am not alone in my struggle for truth. I once read that "the journey is always the only arrival." Very true.
Audrey Weiss,
University of North Carolina, Wilmington
Inward Bound was the most contemporary spiritual experience of a gathering of wonderful students of every religious point of view. It allowed the expression of both spirit and personal integrity in the way of spiritual and religious participation of every student. IB represents the attempt at a new design, allowing students to express freely the spiritual essence, which is within themselves.
I think the integrity with which this whole program and the whole design of gathering was unquestionably sound. It was done with integrity, with feeling, with compassion, with all of those things that make for a secure and sound spiritual setting—for a student to engage in self discovery in a protected beautiful fashion.
Buz Bogage
Rabbi, Depaw University
Inward Bound was an experiment that proved that there are many young people searching for Meaning and Purpose. A saying that we use here at the UfHG is, "we work not alone". Seems that Inward Bound helped folks to see this. One of the University's "missions" is to stimulate and facilitate the expression of human goodness, and foster its recognition as an innate human quality in everyone. This was experienced at the Inward Bound conference and we thank you for the opportunity to participate in such an 'event.'
It was and continues to be a forum for future "World Servers." From the beginning keynote address to the signing of a personal contract on day three, we were encouraged to utilize what was being learned at the conference in our daily lives. At the University for the Study of Human Goodness we like to call it putting theory into practice. Mr. Turak spoke of "going first" in his keynote address; it was evident that members of SKS not only agreed with this philosophy but they were doing it! Was inspired by the level of commitment and the cohesiveness amongst the entire SKS group.
Margaret Pusser
University for Human Goodness
There are two events which stand out in my mind when I think of Inward Bound. The most amazing thing that I experienced at Inward Bound was when all (300+?) of the Inward Bounder's stood in a circle and chanted, "Namo". It sounded ethereal, like a chorus of angels—but it wasn't. It was simply a group of humans experiencing divinity together.
Typically, I am not much of a crier. However, the keynote speaker's initial presentation brought me to tears (the presentation included clips from movies such as Fight Club and American Beauty, as well as a personal experience why the keynote was dedicated to helping other people find their own truths). The speech meant a lot to me because I felt like I had been broken open—but in a good way. I felt like I was ready to mercilessly work with myself about the ways in which I have been holding up my own progress.
It has been my experience that people who are seeking something often feel a sense of isolation. Inward Bound is a beautiful thing, if for no other reason, that it provides seekers with a much needed sense of community. I think Inward Bound produced such a strong reaction in people because truth is powerful. Sometimes we love it and sometimes we hate it, but it exists, whether or not we choose to acknowledge its existence. Nothing that is great exists without controversy.
Kellie Graham,
Middlesex Community College
The first day of IB. It was so frickin' tight. I realized the biggest risk in my life is that I will realize that 5, 10, however many years down the road that I have wasted my life by not staying on a path of spirituality. The beginning was so good. There was this video from Fight Club. It kicked ass! And this clip from Apocalypse Now! At the end there was this monastery thing and I realized that I needed to spend this summer doing something spiritual. I am grateful for the great people I meet. Especially, people like Karen Wolfgang, brilliant people like her who give me so much hope because they are committed to make the world a better place and they have so much energy and heart and it seems like there is nothing they can't do.
I learned suffering contains meaning. When one suffers there is inevitably meaning, but where do I find the meaning?
Nic Grueff,
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
The Self Knowledge Symposium provided a learning experience in two dimensions: first, we learned about spirituality and consciousness on an individual and personal level, and secondly, something big happened on the universal level.
We are all traveling our unique path on our spiritual journey. Meeting several hundred other teenagers in the midst of their travels was priceless. It provided us the opportunity to realize that maybe we are not really so different after all. Most people probably have problems and challenges that are similar to ours, but due to lack of communication, we think we are so alone. This is where the second dimension of the experience became evident to me. This was the first student ran symposium concerning consciousness. Wow. The first one is always the toughest, thus realistically many others will follow. Imagine the impact of that on the collective consciousness of our society. Spirituality remains mysterious and distant to the majority of the population as long as it resides in the monasteries, Far East, yoga etc. If we are able to bring it to public universities, imagine how people's attitude will change. In my opinion, SKS provided another angle from which the spread of consciousness on a collective scale continues to grow stronger. I was proud and fortunate to be part of it.
I want to thank everyone who were enabling us students to become a part of SKS, and I hope we will someday be able to do the same for next generation.
Peace and Love and Light and all the good stuff in the worlds...
Olli,
University of Florida
This conference has been a beautiful thing...It has given me a chance to think about how I am going to make my life count. I do not want to die knowing that I never really loved and I never really lived.
Shelley Rogers,
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
I can do that, but I can tell you how much Inward Bound has changed my life. I guess I will start by being honest, after the first day I wanted to leave...I got sick throughout the first day and everything was telling me to leave, but I forced myself to sit through the activities. It was weird because the minute I left I felt better. I am taking a psychology class called perception and we had been talking about the situation we have to be in mentally and physically to accept a shift in perception. I kept these things in mind while I was attending the conference. Any time I saw my body tensing up or crossing my arms or legs I uncrossed them. I think that it all came together for me on the second day in our small groups. My group leader was Fleet and I really feel like he was what affected my life so much. He really pushed me to look at myself and go inward (no pun intended), but I had to look at myself as a reflection on others rather than acting in my own skin. I can't really explain it, but he did wake me up to that person I have always been, but had been putting aside for so long. He helped me to realize that I had been starving myself from getting what I need out of relationships and that I need to stop. Since then I have and since I left on that Tuesday morning, my perception has changed dramatically, it is hard to explain how, it really wasn't that spiritual, but more like peeling back the layers of myself and standing naked in a mirror with all of my flaws and perfections and loving each of them because they are ME...From Inward Bound I was able to find in myself what I really want to do...I really am still having a hard time explaining my experience to others, so with time and enough gazes in my mirror, I'm sure a plan will be reflected.
Katia Falcey,
Goucher College
Inward Bound was an experience like no other for me, a rabbi, author, and lecturer who has been at this kind of work for some time. I have rarely before encountered such a unique setting, especially for students: an environment that was safe yet challenging, inclusive yet with a spiritual viewpoint. I felt free to explore and dialogue with individuals from many different faiths (and non-faiths), yet secure, even encouraged to discuss my own tradition in an unencumbered way. I feel like I gained far more from the participants than I could ever offer them, and I've been on my spiritual journey for years and years!
Rabbi Niles Elliot Goldstein
Speaker
You come into something like Inward Bound with so many questions. I can't say any of them were really answered for me, but I realized that they really are not meant to be. Instead, those questions continue to grow, as you do. They lead you forward, and that's the important thing.
Emily Kofoed,
Gustavus Adolphus College
You did a great job. Thank you. I met wonderful people!
Caroline Garrett,
Lees-McRae College
I went to Inward Bound hoping that I would find other people with similar spiritual interests, and hopefully have some good conversations. I had no idea just how intense it can be when people come together in an effort to honestly examine their lives and share their spiritual struggles. While vulnerability can be a very scary thing, there seems to be some kind of "greater presence," that is only available when people come together, and that is both humbling and inspiring. For me, Inward Bound helped me realize yet again that I am simply one small part of something much, much greater than myself, and that only a commitment to honesty and authenticity will allow me to remember that day to day.
Brad Rolen,
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Here we are on the last day, and although I'm sure the organizers would want us to believe that we're far from done, as far as I've been able to tell we've reached a climax and plateau. So I'm going to go ahead and write this letter. I could complain about a lot of little things that I personally didn't care for at this conference, but I know from talking to others that my voice alone would not represent the rest of the group on those issues. There is just one thing I would like to bring to your attention.
I've been involved in retreats, workshops, "reverse mission" trips, etc. The one thing that the organizers of those experiences have nearly always done wrong (in my opinion) is that they fail to curb their enthusiasm for their event, which has the potential to alienate and exclude those participants who are not experiencing a deep sense of profundity in the event. The opening media presentation, besides seeming like a frustrating attempt to use technology for technology's sake, said (basically) that this experience was going to be life-changing, eye-opening, blah...
I do want to thank you for creating an atmosphere in which personal sharing was easy, and I want to make sure you know how important Fleet Maull was to my experience here. He was straightforward, genuine, and gave a speech that will stick with me for a while. Thanks Fleet.
And of course, as I am sure you've realized, I am just one person, and it could be that I was just not in the place to receive this conference. But I would appreciate it if you would keep my words in mind for those who come to this conference from a mental, spiritual, and emotional place similar to my one.
Sam Sirchio,
Warren Wilson College
Inward Bound succeeded in getting me to reevaluate my place in the world in a way that I never had before. For the first time ever I really examined what it was that I wanted to be getting out of my life, what it was that I believed in, and where it was that I wanted to be going. I had always focused on what I believed I should be doing and where I should be going, based on the values I had extracted from society—what society defines as success. And it turns out that it was never what I really wanted...I recognized that only my excuses were keeping me from doing what would truly make me happy—such as seeing the world and studying art. Since Inward Bound I have made a conscious effort to look at how I spend every day, and make sure I am incorporating what I have claimed to be truly important to me. The conference and the people who attended it forced me to look inside myself, and, as uncomfortable as it was at times, I am eternally grateful to all those who challenged me in this way. I may have eventually came to these same realizations even if I had not been there, but I don't even want to think about how much more time I would have wasted not really living the life I dream about.
Walker Traylor,
North Carolina State University
Education transforms from the inside out...Thanks so much to the sponsors for bringing together hundreds of people who live their lives through their hearts. My heart has been touched by the group and by individuals—and it wouldn't have been possible without you.
Chandi Lauzon,
Antioch College
The experience of Inward Bound provided me with insight into the deepest part of myself....the genuine, authentic space inside. I realized through reflection and interaction with my group that I was living for the perceptions and expectations of other people. I allowed the assumed pressures of friends, family, and school to control my interactions with the world. The pressure became so great that the smallest things started to stress me out, and I would come across as high-strung and anxious. As soon as I let go of the worry of external expectation the anxiety began to dissipate. Because of Inward Bound, I am working extremely hard to make decisions that are best for me, regardless how others will perceive my choice. I was able to come together with a group of open, honest, caring people and share the most intimate details of my life. If it weren't for them, I probably wouldn't have the motivation to let go of all the small stresses and find the beauty that I now see. By no means is it simple or easy, but I try everyday to find beauty in all my interactions with all the world's inhabitants, because I never know when I'll see them again, in this life or after.
Nicole Collins,
North Carolina State University
Inward Bound was three days of sanity. Most of life rushes by as we strive for abstract goals we don't really want, or at least don't know why we want them—for success, goals, happiness, anything. We talk about the weather, our jobs and classes, politics and our dog's nervous habit. It's crazy, but we spend most of our time building insulation between us and those very things that we seek. I do. But for three days I let that go. Those things I seek are there already! It takes courage to lower your padding and let the intensity of life in, but fortunately courage is contagious. For three days, there was nothing to strive for.
Ross Pringle,
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
It is a truly rare occurrence to find a group like SKS who is willing to give all of themselves to what they believe in—who are fully uncompromising in their commitment to express their integrity, passion, and love of truth. The discussions I shared with the students there, who in many cases are just waking up to their passion for truth, were as sublime, if not more so, than interactions I have had with some of the greatest spiritual scholars and teachers of our time. I was filled to the brim and the nectar keeps flowing.
Mariana Caplan,
speaker
To me, Inward Bound was mostly about the people. I didn't come with any expectation and had no idea how powerful it was going to be. I was mostly affected by the people. The energy was moving. I have never felt an atmosphere like that before. To be surrounded by hundreds of other people like me who cared about spirituality and life. Not a lot of people are necessarily willing to look at such things in a intimate way. While the programming and speakers were great, what I will remember most is the energy between so many people. So much passion. I loved it!! Thank you!!!
Heidi Kessler,
Guilford College
Inward Bound exceeded all of my expectations. The exercises for me wrenched me, violently but comfortably, from the regular drift of endless exhausting repetition to a place where things were as they are, life was perfect. Not good, not bad, just perfect. Finding myself exposed, naked, I was able to discover parts of myself that always were, finding treasures of myself hidden under the dusts of conditioning and consciousness. Even beyond my own personal benefit, the greatest thing about the conference was the wellness of the group. Most everyone involved seemed to be similarly transformed, a great group of diverse young adults came together in the name of spirituality and gained it not from their teachers but within themselves, and by the end, most were crying internally and externally from a sense of beauty and joy.
Andrea Oland,
Duke University
I believe that it was a startling experience for many—what I mean by startling is that it invoked much wonder on many sort of intangible, faith based issues that many people have never had to or never wanted to explain. Plus, the conference took its own course despite its agenda. I would speculate that even people in non-traditional education might sometimes have a problem when the curriculum veers off into the unknown—but, that's what it did, and that's great. It was really interesting for me because my group—The Egals—was composed of all Christian but one Quaker and two other people including myself who believe in a sort of all encompassing higher power. It was interesting because I come from a born-again Christian background and I was faced with all the faith questions that have been imbedded in me since I can remember being able to think for myself. It was seriously challenging having to levy between those two worlds because I realized as I was at home the day after the conference that I was a lot more confused about what I believed than I had previously imagined I would be. This is good though because every day since I've had to reflect on what it is that I believe. For instance, I told my group that I do not believe in God as the man in the sky, and then that first day home I found myself praying to that man in the sky realizing that all along, though my beliefs extended far beyond what the Christian faith had to offer me, I still held onto the image of God as a vehicle for my prayer. It sounds simple, but it was a shocking discovery on my part.
Sarah Clement,
University of Massachussettes, Lowell
It was a truly amazing and unique experience for me and for the other students whom I got to know. It's so rare for college students to have a chance to actually look deeper and think about how their lives connect with the greater world and the divine. I know that I will treasure this experience always.
Maggie Stoddard,
Mount Holyoke College
This conference gave me the opportunity to be in a community of like minded people. It was wonderful for me because I had the amazing opportunity to connect with people who were on a spiritual path but weren't from the same tradition as mine. It's so rare that you get to hear someone from a different tradition speaking the same truth.
I also loved the morning and evening services. Each different flavor of the services allowed me to be able to relate from different frames of spirituality.
Payton Tontz, PHD candidate, California Institute of Integral Studies
I drove up there not really knowing anyone, but I came back with friends I know more about and that know more about me, than the friends I have had for years. That was truly one of the best experiences I had attending Inward Bound. I arrived with no expectations and left with more than my mind ever thought possible. I just recently mailed a package to Ambryn and Bethany in Minnesota, two friends I met that weekend. In three days I made two friends that I know I will keep in touch with for years. The weekend made me realize not just how much more listening I need to do but how much more talking I need to do with people who will listen. To listen to myself speak to a room full of strangers about extremely personal issues was a line I never saw myself crossing. It almost felt as though I had an outer body experience. As I watched myself, I saw Nancy say things I never even knew, and I have been living with her for 19 years plus. I just kept talking and talking and people just kept listening and listening. It was one incredible weekend that will linger in my thoughts as the years flow by because I learned things you can't read from books, but only experience first hand.
Nancy,
University of Florida
For all of us who attended, Inward Bound was an engaging, positive experience....Two of our students had Father Kline as a small group leader and had a marvelous experience...Congratulations to both of you on a successful event.
William Hamilton
Dean of Religious Life, Depauw University
From beginning to end Inward Bound was an experience that was unlike any other in my life. It was wonderful to take just three days out of my busy life just to strictly think about my life, how I'm living and what I need to change in
Michael McGrew,
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
My most powerful moment during Inward Bound was during the group discovery time. Everyone in the group discussed their personal "Cup of Trembling" which primarily was the single force in each life that was holding back the growth. A young lady in my group was on the verge of discovering hers. At one moment she came to the realization of what was holding her back and understood why she was being such a perfectionist. It hit me that what we were doing in the group was serious. No matter how much I wanted to hide from what I feared and what I was terrified to do, without coming to the realization that it was a part of me and it had to be dealt with, I would not grow. It is said that my path or the path for spirituality is through selflessness. Throughout the entire Inward Bound experience, that is when I felt the most selfless.
During the everyday mix-up of life, distractions shield what is important. I never felt like I knew what it was to be alive or what the purpose was. Inward Bound didn't open my eyes to the meaning or purpose of why I am here, but it surrounded me with people who also wanted to know why and had their personal questions. It brought together people from all over the country that shared one common interest. Being provided with that atmosphere in which I could question and get feedback on what I asked allowed for such a powerful experience.
The events that directly followed Inward Bound were most powerful for me. Spirituality isn't about telling me how to get to a goal that I have had for the year. It has made me take into consideration many of the things I was doing prior to Inward Bound. I reexamined the way I was living; I try now to catch myself when I make excuses, I have purged my life of the things that take up my time and replaced them with more productive activities. Inward Bound sent people, or at least myself, home with a sense that I have now begun a journey that will continue for the rest of my life. I had the inspiration and I felt like I could have done just about anything.
G.W. Barrett,
North Carolina State University
Inward Bound was definitely an experience I will never forget. While I did feel there was manipulation on the part of the main leaders of the conference, the individual group I was in did not respond to the manipulations. We formed a connection that was above and beyond the IB request. The moment that stays in my mind was the closing ceremony that the group I was in had: We stood in two lines, one with eyes closed, and the other line went and hugged everyone, without being seen. It was such a touching moment, and the most emotional moment for me, knowing that I have these friends.
Laura Kemmerer,
Warren Wilson College
I think what I expected the conference to do was give me a broader perspective on which to base my own experience on. I came into it feeling fairly secure about my values, and where I stood on my identity, and really what I found was that the conference made me really think about, even if I was secure in my identity, and felt that I was playing an active role in my life, that there was still room for improvement, that there were still many areas in my mind and life to explore and discover. I left feeling like life was still new and fresh, and I still feel that way.
Surprisingly, it's funny; I think had I come into the conference a year ago, when I was at my former college, I would have left depressed and feeling like there wasn't a whole lot that I could do. I am glad that this conference occurred while I was attending Antioch, for I feel that my school actively fosters personal responsibility, political & self awareness, and commitment to the community, or at least presents those issues as options for students to really latch on to, if they choose to do so. And I feel that the conference did the same, or at least offered what I might say is a catalytic, rather than a transformative experience, in the sense that if you were receptive to letting it change you, it would.
Amanda,
Antioch College
I think the best thing about Inward Bound was the fact that it emphatically proved that the current generation of collegiates is interested in exploring spirituality, whether that be through organized religion or self-introspection or anything in between. Inward Bound provided a climate where people of all beliefs could come together and really concentrate on learning something about themselves.
The resources we were exposed to at the symposium, including speakers, literature, and the central tenets of knowing yourself and constantly acting on what you find gave everyone who attended the opportunity to continue what they learned at Inward Bound. Personally, I thought the most interesting part of the conference, aside from the unique perspective I was given regarding the operations of the weekend from an administrative standpoint, was the way many of the activities were designed to put individuals into situations with which they were not entirely familiar or comfortable. I think one of the best ways to test "spirituality" is to have people do something that they can't predict, and then have them think about what their reaction means about them as a person. I was also surprised by the engagement of most of the attendees, because I've generally found that my generation is intensely disenchanted. So I would definitely label the conference a success.
R.J. Proie,
Allegheny College
Inward Bound, to me, was a wonderful experience where people could get together to learn and draw strength from one another. It let me know that there are other people like me who are searching for something, and that although the path can be lonely, I will never be alone.
Jessica Bennett,
University of Pittsburgh
I've been thinking about this the last several days. It's tough to talk about. I mean, it makes sense that everyone was vague on what to expect because it's just difficult to understand what it was all about!
I, personally, got a TON out of it. From talking to students who were just COOL people to realizing the power of groups and trust and being vulnerable. The conference itself served as an impetus for powerful discussion among students and educators! What I ended up doing was going to the Educator part for the Common Fire workshop and then to one of the student groups. I got a little taste of both, you could say.
The Common Fire workshop, I think, might be just as effective with less time and in small groups instead of pairs. That may conflict, however, with the goal, which is to give people a chance to really flesh out what makes them do what they are doing.
The small group was incredible. I was mesmerized by what took place. People opened up and helped each other see things about themselves. I was honored to be a part of such a sacred circle.
In general, like I said, I got so much out of it—and saw others who did, too. Maybe you all could center future conferences around a specific theme (e.g. Keeping your spiritual fire lit, using your spirituality to guide your life, translating spirituality into action, The Desire to Serve, What is Spirituality?, etc.) That might provide more of the focus people were looking for. I also heard people say they wanted to hear not just ABOUT the various religions, but how the people from various religions USE their religions in their lives—as a way to live. Obviously, there were people who were offended by something or another, but that's to be expected.
I have mixed emotions about the Values exercise. I thought it was a good way to form groups (in theory), but a lot of the values on the cards did not adequately convey what the students' values were. Maybe you could give people a list, and they could rate their values 1-10 or 1-20 and then look for matching 1-5 or something...?
My other favorite part was hearing the individual speakers' stories. The students got a lot out of that, or so several of them said.
I don't know much about what happened near the end of the educator track, but it sounds like some people didn't get it. That's unfortunate. I know for a fact it changed some people's lives!
JJ Maass,
University of Georgia
Want to hear more of what people are saying?
Media coverage of Inward Bound
Survey results from Inward Bound participants
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