As a sacred fire burns, two holy leaders from Canada will share insights gleaned from their lives as resilient survivors and indigenous leaders at the Voices of Wisdom gathering near Weaverville Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 17-18.
Zabuton cushions made in WNC help prison inmates practice mindfulness
To help prison inmates along the path of personal change, a local woman-owned business supplies meditation mats to create a space for contemplation and rest inside the prison walls. Carolina Morning Designs, located in the Toe River Valley south of Burnsville, has modified its products to meet correctional facility requirements.
Power to the people: Best of WNC 2018 voting begins
With a far out feeling, voting has begun for the beloved annual Best of WNC awards. Only you can decide who’ll be feelin’ it in the new summer of love, when winners are announced this August. You have until 11:59 p.m. on the night of Saturday, April 28 to complete your ballot and make sure your voice is heard. […]
WNC faith communities, law enforcement collaborate on security
For faith leaders wondering what they can do to improve security, law enforcement agencies across Western North Carolina offer assessments and training to help places of worship ensure the safety of those who gather under their roofs.
Billy Graham dies at age 99
Longtime Montreat resident the Rev. Billy Graham died on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 7:46 a.m.
Local churches guide the next generation
A strong spiritual rudder can help young people navigate life’s problems long after they’ve sailed into adulthood, youth ministers say. In Asheville, some churches have changed the way their programs target young people, giving them not only a place to worship, but also a place to find community and learn life skills.
WNC residents find inspiration in pilgrimage
Ashevilleans have a history of seeking, and many local residents have taken that search to spiritual pilgrimages along the Caminos of Europe. Now, Asheville has its own 16-mile Camino, a path that can take people walk without paying airfare.
Kwanzaa brings light to the season
This time of year, religion almost seems to corner the market on celebrations of peace and unity, but Kwanzaa offers the opportunity to attune the spirit through a cultural holiday. Many think of Kwanzaa as entirely motivated by a particular religion, but it’s a modern concept honoring seven traditional principles of the Swahili-speaking regions of Africa, and […]
Local shamanic group taps into the sacred power of music
Three local musicians share an interest in helping people in the community explore the healing power of sound and music in workshops and retreats.
Soul portrait artists Racquel and Bobby Wilkins share their intuitive imagery
“People can think of it as a visual psychic reading, but I can’t guarantee what the messages will be,” artist Racquel Wilkins explains. “Art is for beauty and upliftment. … The soul portraits aim to take people to a higher level where they can see that we’re all connected.”
The changing faces of faith
While Asheville thrives on a diverse spiritual life, shifting demographics and evolving notions of religion’s role in daily life have many historic congregations reconsidering the part they play in local culture — and how best to address a changing community’s concerns.
Sacred music retreat welcomes musicians and nonmusicians alike Dec. 8-10
Local professionals within the Western North Carolina healing arts and music circuits — Jeff Schmitt, River Guerguerian and Caroline Padgett — will join together to hold an immersive sacred music-making retreat. The three-day event takes place Friday-Sunday, Dec. 8-10, at Laughing Waters Retreat Center in Gerton. “About a year ago, I started a conversation with the three […]
Passage to the past: Inside the bowels of the Asheville Masonic Temple
Xpress joins paranormal investigator Joshua P. Warren and company as they delve into mysterious rumors of secret tunnels hidden beneath the Asheville Masonic Temple.
End-of-life activist Stephen Jenkinson to speak at Masonic Temple Nov. 6
Are you prepared to die wise? According to speaker, activist and death educator Stephen Jenkinson, it is our life’s work to learn how to do so. In collaboration with Third Messenger, an Asheville organization dedicated to facilitating conversation about death and dying, and in conjunction with the release of his latest book, Die Wise: A […]
Nazareth First Missionary Baptist Church celebrates 150th year
As Nazareth First Missionary Baptist Church celebrates its 150th anniversary, longtime pastor Rev. Charles E. Mosley, Sr. reflects on changes in the historically African-American East End neighborhood where the church is located.
Cherokee conference celebrates power of place
ASHEVILLE, N.C.— In a field on the outskirts of Cherokee stands a nondescript mound about 6 feet high, covered in grass and flanked by woods and mountains. Though it appears to be little more than a rise in the land, it is a sacred site for the native people of the Carolina mountains: Kituwah, the […]
Rooted in the Mountains conference will integrate Western and Cherokee ideas
“Rooted in the Mountains,” a conference that explores the intersection of Western and native traditions that’s now in its eighth year, will take place at Western Carolina University on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 28-29, and includes a trip to the sacred site of Kituwah, the Cherokee “mother town.”
Faces in the crowd: WNC crowdfunding initiatives
Each week, Xpress highlights notable WNC crowdsourcing initiatives that may inspire readers to become new faces in the crowd. This week features the first album by local band Hustle Souls, a new location for Urban Dharma, and Poetry Cabaret’s reflections on performing at Capital Fringe Festival.
Rally against Senate health care bill brings hundreds to street in Asheville and fires up base
Just three days before Monday’s rally in Asheville’s Pack Square Park to oppose the U.S. Senate’s version of a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Lindsay Furst, a local teacher and activist, went to a coffee shop with her fellow organizers who shared her lack of sleep, she told the crowd in front of […]
Where the public sidewalk ends: reactions to Gideons handing out Bibles outside high school graduations
While many don’t seem to object to the Gideons’ handing out Bibles to graduating high school seniors outside the U.S. Cellular Center in downtown Asheville, others say the practice is incompatible with policies that strive to keep education and religion separate.
Asheville yoga and meditation instructors offer guidance for the new year
Writing your resolutions can be tough, and keeping them can even tougher. Asheville wellness practitioners offer their resolutions and intentions as a way to inspire community members and remind them of the local support, education and opportunities to stay healthy and motivated throughout the year.