{"product_id":"spiritual-nexus-discovery-in-americas-heartland-paperback","title":"Spiritual Nexus: Discovery in America's Heartland - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eWilliam Allen Baltz\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSeeking relief from Chicago's hectic pace, William Baltz purchased a small lake house in the serene countryside of southwest Michigan. His neighbor-an artist in the process of beautifying the sanctuary of a large Catholic parish-related to him that five nearby spiritual centers proved critical to his complete recovery from a serious illness. Intrigued, William set out to learn about these places for himself. Nestled in a tranquil area of wild-flower fields, lakes and woods not far from his cottage, he discovered that these retreat centers-which form what many call a spiritual nexus-quietly attract people from around the country and all walks of life who seek self-discovery, rest and healing. In order of their founding they are: St. Gregory's Abbey, a Benedictine monastery; Apple Farm Community, established by Helen Luke and three other women inspired by the teachings of psychologist Carl Jung; the Hermitage, founded by a man whose life-long dream was to build a place in the country where people could rest, pray and enjoy nature in silence; GilChrist, a contemplative retreat that welcomes all faiths and beliefs; and the EarthSong Peace Chamber, inspired by Native-American mystic Jospeh Rael. How did these beautiful, peaceful and comfortable retreats-all within a two-mile radius of each other-come to be on the outskirts of a small Midwestern town? Who runs and stays at them, and why? What began as an investigation by a writer on the trail of another story turned into a personal journey of enlightenment. Join William Allen Baltz as he explores the Spiritual Nexus of Three Rivers, Michigan, and meet the warm, friendly and fascinating people who make it a truly special place. Watch his story on the PBS television program Religion \u0026amp; Ethics NewsWeekly.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eWilliam Allen Baltz began his career writing for the St.Petersburg Times in Florida. Since then he has written a variety of articles, essays and stories for numerous publications including the New York Times, Chicago Sun-Times, Daily Herald, the Spaniel Journal and Trout magazine. Please visit williambaltz.com to read a selection of his stories.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 78\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.2 x 11 x 8.5 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e November 09, 2016\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42114957279367,"sku":"9781539733492","price":27.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0601\/2623\/2711\/files\/4db14ed804f6e686a88db58ae994e810.webp?v=1746507517","url":"https:\/\/booksby.splitshops.com\/products\/spiritual-nexus-discovery-in-americas-heartland-paperback","provider":"Books by splitShops","version":"1.0","type":"link"}