Meet Paulette Pipe

Meditation leader & teacher, Professional Sacred Space Holder (a.k.a.“Keeper of the Flame”), Retreat Facilitator, Podcast host, and Ordained Unity Minister

An ice-breaker I use in retreats and workshops is called, ‘If You Knew Me, You Would Know’, where participants share three things about themselves that someone who knew them would know.

So in the spirit of that introduction, but not limited to three things, here are some details that "if you knew me you would know": (My formal bio is attached below).

I am a meditation leader and teacher, professional sacred space holder, retreat facilitator, podcast host, and ordained minister.
For almost ten years, I hosted Touching the Stillness, a lively and popular meditation and prayer practices radio program on the Unity Online Radio Network. I now produce the show independently and current episodes of Touching the Stillness podcasts are available here, or wherever you subscribe to your favourite podcasts.
I draw from a variety of mindfulness and meditation practices to help usher me into stillness. Some of my favourites include the practice of Silence, yoga, mudra meditation, journaling, drumming, and spending quality time in nature-- especially being by the ocean.
Sacred dance is another one of my absolute favourite ways to touch the stillness, and I created a meditation program called Dance Your Own Dance which uses various genres of sacred lyrical, upbeat, and popular music to move participants into a deep experience of stillness.
I design and facilitate retreats, teach workshops, and make keynote presentations at third-party events, sharing my gift and passion for meditation practices with others in the United States and abroad.
I am a professional Sacred Space Holder (a.k.a “Keeper of the Flame.” For nine years (2012-2021) I served as Keeper of the Flame, for the Board of Trustees of Unity Worldwide Ministries (an Association for Unity spiritual centers and credentialed leaders) silently holding sacred space during its deliberations, discussions, and decision-making process.
I also serve as Keeper of the Flame for other organisations including the Evolutionary Leaders’ Network, which I’ve been a member of since 2018; and The Holomovment.
I am the 2023 Recipient of the Unity Worldwide Ministries Myrtle Fillmore Award, in recognition of my prayer and meditation contributions to the Unity Movement—and beyond.

A bit about my background

I previously served as the manager of Unity Events and Retreats at Unity Village, creating new retreats and workshops and providing excellent guest services for visiting retreat presenters and retreat participants. During that time I also established the Touching the Stillness Silent Retreat, which became an extremely popular annual event, that Touching the Stillness Ministries now hosts each year.
I was formerly the Spiritual Director of the UK Unity headquarters, where I managed its Silent Unity prayer ministry; headed its national Spiritual Education Program; organized and facilitated retreats around the U.K. and performed other typical ministerial duties.
My career, before answering the call to ministry, was as a professional fund-raising manager (Development Officer) for several medium-sized national UK charities, including Motability (a charity for disabled drivers), the Down’s Syndrome Association, and the Women’s Institute (WI) where I was also merchandising manager of its trading arm, WI Enterprises.
Before that, I was a qualified business and trade magazine journalist, who once got nominated for a prestigious industry award, the name of which eludes me now!
I hold a BA in Ministerial Studies; a Certificate in Fundamentals of Counselling and Psychotherapy.
I was Born and raised in London, England, and now live in Lee’s Summit, MO in the United States.

Things I love which revive my spirit

I dedicate at least one day a month to engaging in Silence which includes a media & electronics ‘fast’. I began this Sacred Sabbath practice back in 2000 and have maintained it ever since.
I love, love, love to dance – but nothing choreographed, otherwise, I appear uncoordinated and as skittish as a doe!
I resonate with the sound of the drumbeat in inexplicable ways and love drumming on my djembe African drum as a way to unwind.
I love to sing out loud but, in consideration of others, do most of my warbling in the shower!
I love being by the water, particularly by the ocean, a lake, or a waterfall.
I absolutely love good quality dark chocolate, almost as much as I love quality champagne and prosecco; and I don’t have to wait for a special occasion to delve into that chocolate box or pop a cork!
The journalist in me loves to tell stories, while the Piscean in me loves to daydream…

A few key things on my bucket list I'd like to do...

Travel extensively through Hawaii, Thailand, New Zealand, and Australia; and visit the Greek Islands (which were on my doorstep when I lived in the UK!).
Hang out with Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey. I’m also partial to upscale Afternoon Tea so perhaps the three of us could just meet up for tea, posh sandwiches, and signature warm scones with jam and clotted cream;
Take flight in a hot air balloon complete with Champagne and quality chocolates;
Walk the labyrinth by candlelight at Chartres Cathedral, in Chartres, France.

The Formal Bio.

REV. PAULETTE PIPE—meditation leader & teacher, professional sacred space holder (a.k.a.“Keeper of the Flame”), retreat facilitator, podcast host, and ordained Unity minister.

With a distinctive, mesmerizing voice, and a reputation for leading powerful heartfelt meditations, Paulette masterfully creates deep and enriching sacred experiences; drawing from a range of traditional and unexpected spiritual practices.

She is probably best known as the host of “Touching the Stillness”, her lively meditation and mindfulness podcast—with its unique brand of tranquillizing meditations, powerful affirmative prayer, and themed positive music. She is also a teacher on the Insight Timer App.

Formerly Spiritual Director of the UK Unity headquarters, and then manager of the Retreats department at Unity Village, MO, today Paulette heads Touching the Stillness Ministries—a vibrant, thriving non-profit organization created back in 2009. It’s through this platform that she’s able to provide resources designed to make meditation and mindfulness both practical and accessible for daily application.

Paulette is a sought-after meditation facilitator, who has presented and led meditations for events such as the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) conference, The Parliament of World Religions, Stand Up for Humanity,

In her role as a professional sacred space holder, or "Keeper of the Flame”, Paulette serves organizations by creating and holding sacred spaces in which they can conduct business; and holds prayer vigils for individuals to support their intentions.

She served in this role for Unity Worldwide Ministries Board of Trustees for nine years (2012-2021). As a non-voting board member, she attended all monthly and weeklong board meetings, opened and closed meetings with meditation and centering practices, was on hand to offer prayer at her discretion, and silently maintained sacred space as the board conducted its business and engaged in its deliberations and decision-making processes. As Keeper of the Flame, she was also the official liturgist for the Unity Worldwide Ministries Annual General Business (AGM) meeting.

She is a member of the Evolutionary Leaders Circle, a project of the Source of Synergy Foundation, and The Holomovement. She currently serves as “Keeper of the Flame” for both organizations whose members include diverse renowned spiritual, scientific, thought, and activist leaders.

Paulette is the 2023 Recipient of the Unity Worldwide Ministries Myrtle Fillmore Award, in recognition of her prayer and meditation contributions to the Unity Movement—and beyond.

Born and raised in the UK, Paulette currently resides in Lees Summit, MO.