Come and Play!

Greetings dear friends,

In a week and a half I will be heading to the Emerald Island from the Emerald City and will be out of email and blogging touch for a bit.  More blogging to come this week though.  In the meantime I wanted to post another invitation for you to consider joining Betsey and myself for what promises to be a wonderful time.  I have had lots of folks express interest, and it would be helpful for us to have you register before August for us to be able to confirm with the retreat center.  Registration requires a $100 deposit. I realize November seems so very far away in these early summer days, but these things do have to get scheduled and planned far in advance.

Let me know if you have any questions about the program or if you need some encouragement!  We have taught it for two years in a monthly format and have received great feedback from our participants.  We have had spiritual directors, chaplains, counselors, teachers, and those interested in their own creative and spiritual growth participate.  If you are longing for a time of retreat in the beautiful Northwest engaging the arts, creativity, and spirituality please join us!

Awakening the Creative Spirit:

Experiential Education for Spiritual Directors in the Arts & Imagination

with Betsey Beckman, MM and Christine Valters Paintner, PhD

November 11-17, 2007
St. Andrews Retreat Center
Union (Hood Canal), WA

A week-long experiential intensive exploring tools for integrating the arts and imagination into spiritual direction ministry.

No previous art experience necessary!

Our encounters with the holy are rooted in symbol and speak the language of dreams. Spiritual direction tends to these encounters and can be richly enhanced by tools that invite listening to and engaging the inner symbolic life.  

The intention of Awakening the Creative Spirit is for participants to develop skills and comfort in working with the arts and imagination to deepen the work of spiritual direction. During the course of this residential week, our head, hands and hearts will grow in familiarity with the journey of creativity as a pilgrimage to the divine.  Besides immersion in the arts, the program includes didactic input and discussion as well as practice applying the arts in established spiritual direction settings. 

Also appropriate for counselors and chaplains who want to integrate the arts in group or individual applications.

Cost is $1350 which includes room, meals, teaching, all art supplies, and handouts.

For more information & details, visit: www.AbbeyoftheArts.com/Teaching

-Christine Valters Paintner @ Abbey of the Arts