Awakening the Creative Spirit: Experiential Education for Spiritual Directors in the Expressive Arts
with Betsey Beckman, MM and Christine Valters Paintner, PhD
Each program is limited to 10 participants.
- May 13-18, 2012* on the Hood Canal
*This retreat is now FULL – please email Christine@AbbeyoftheArts.com to be added to the waiting list*
This live intensive is a part of the Soul Care Institute offerings, however anyone working in the field of soul care may apply to register at any time.
$1575 program fee / $375 nonrefundable deposit to hold your place / $1200 balance due 6 weeks prior to the start date (by April 1, 2012)
Program fee covers all instruction, art supplies, room, and meals. You are responsible for travel to the retreat center.
A five-day experiential intensive exploring tools for integrating the arts and imagination into spiritual direction and other healing ministries.
Our encounters with the holy are rooted in symbol and image and speak the language of dreams. Spiritual direction tends to these encounters and can be deeply enhanced by tools that invite listening to and engaging the inner symbolic life. The focus of this program is on developing the skills of working with the arts and imagination to deepen the work of spiritual direction.
Together we will explore how the healing power of such tools as guided imagery, body awareness, dream work, ritual, poetry, journal writing, visual art, movement, song, and storytelling enrich our own spiritual lives and our work in spiritual direction by giving us access to another language with which to encounter the divine presence within. Participants will develop comfort and skills in using these tools. The program consists of didactic input and time for discussion and reflection on how we see using the arts concretely in our work as spiritual directors.
Also appropriate for counselors, chaplains, teachers, pastors, and others in soul care ministries who want to integrate the arts into their work.
Absolutely no previous art experience necessary — only a willingness to awaken the creative spirit within!
*This educational event provides 33 hours of continuing education that can be applied to the educational hours required by the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc.
Registration
If you are flying into SeaTac airport we will assist you in connecting with other participants to share an airport shuttle. The cost is about $40-$50 each way depending on the total number riding. Please schedule your flight arrival by 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 13 and departure no earlier than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, May 18.
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*This retreat is now FULL – please email Christine@AbbeyoftheArts.com to be added to the waiting list*
To apply for a space in the program please send an email to Christine@AbbeyoftheArts.com which includes:
- Your name, mailing address, email, phone number (we require a brief phone conversation prior to admittance to the program), and the email addresses of at least one person who can speak to your ability to do intensive inner work in a supportive setting.
- Please indicate which program you are applying for – May 13-18, 2012 in the Northwest.
- Describe your background and training in spiritual direction and/or soul care ministry.
- Describe any background you have in the arts.
- What is your spiritual tradition and/or faith community?
- What are your primary spiritual practices?
- What are your hopes and expectations for this program?
- Do you have any physical limitations, food allergies, or other needs we should be aware of?
- Are you willing to have your contact information provided on a list for the whole group?
- Are you flying into Seattle-Tacoma airport and would you like to be connected with other participants to share in an airport shuttle to travel together to the workshop location or will you be driving directly?
- Do you agree to the Soul Care Institute Policies?
Once accepted, we require a $375 nonrefundable deposit to hold your place in the program. You may either pay by credit card through Paypal or Google Checkouts (we will send you a link) or you can mail a check to Abbey of the Arts, PO Box 23160, Seattle, WA 98102.
The balance of $1200 will be due by April 1, 2012 - we cannot offer refunds of the program costs after the balance due date.
Click here for Program FAQs and Objectives>>
Your guides for the journey
Betsey Beckman, MM, is nationally acclaimed as a spirited dancer, storyteller, teacher of SpiritPlay and dancing Spiritual Director. With her extensive repertory of sacred storydances, she is regularly featured as artist/presenter at national conventions as well as local churches. She earned her Masters in Ministry degree from Seattle University, her certificate in Movement Therapy from the Institute for Transformational Movement, and is a certified InterPlay leader. As dancer, choreographer, author, mother, wife, teacher and spiritual director, she is passionate about living life fully and fostering creativity in all those with whom she shares life and ministry. Betsey’s publications include books, recordings, and The Dancing Word series of DVDs on embodied prayer. She offers the gift of playful improvisation whenever possible!
Find out more about her work at her website: The Dancing Word.
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Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, REACE earned her doctorate in Christian spirituality, professional status as a Registered Expressive Arts Consultant and Educator (REACE) from the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association, and certificates in spiritual direction and supervision. She is an adjunct faculty at the School of Theology and Ministry, Seattle University, art editor for Presence: An International Journal of Spiritual Direction, and facilitates arts-centered Soul Care Supervision Groups.
She is the author of The Artist’s Rule: Nurturing Your Creative Soul with Monastic Wisdom (forthcoming Ave Maria Press, 2011), Lectio Divina: Transforming Words and Images Into Heart-Centered Prayer (forthcoming SkylightPaths, 2011), Water, Wind, Earth, and Fire: The Christian Practice of Praying with the Elements (Ave Maria Press) and co-author of Lectio Divina: Contemplative Awakening and Awareness (Paulist Press).