PROJECT

Fredric and Mary Ann Brussat have been following and tending to the spiritual landscape of American culture for nearly 30 years. Their Web site boasts more than 19,000 pages of content, including book and movie reviews, 21- and 40-day e-courses, and online practice circles.

In today’s world, people are pressed for time and hungry for spiritual community. The Brussats’ e-courses tap into a desire for spiritual education and demonstrate how committing a small amount of time daily to read an e-mail, apply a spiritual practice, and learn from one another can have an ongoing effect.

E-course participants report

• increased energy and inner peace
• increased emotional resiliency
• an expanded perspective of spiritual and religious concepts
• expanded sensitivity about others
• a greater feeling of belonging and interconnectedness

A highly accessed section of the site introduces visitors to 37 spiritual practices common to the wisdom traditions.

Homepages for each practice includes

• a description
• a practice of the day
• a spiritual exercise
• a daily cue, reminder, vow, blessing
• a prayer/mantra
• an imagery exercise
• links to books, children’s books, quotes, films, and teaching stories

With this project Fetzer is gaining a better understanding of practices that support individual transformation and the emergence of community.