Again in Could, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the SDI Have interaction Convention attendees and hosts alike celebrated, explored, and expanded the world of non secular course.
It was a privilege to have the ability to go in individual and current my workshop on “Passing the Torch: The Apprentice Mannequin of Religious Route Coaching.” On this workshop, I inspired individuals (as I encourage you, maybe) to contemplate providing apprenticeships to individuals who may profit by studying out of your space of experience. For instance, perhaps your non secular custom is new to non secular course as it’s practiced in the present day but you have been educated to do non secular steerage. Maybe you possibly can mentor others in your custom in a nuanced and tradition-appropriate approach of companioning one other alongside the non secular path.
However let’s speak concerning the convention! To start with, downtown Santa Fe is an superior place to have a convention! It was fantastic to see tons of of individuals from the non secular steerage group collect in individual and on-line (about 800 folks) for keynotes, workshops and free time collectively. Oprah’s Tremendous Soul Sunday producers would have been happy with the SDI coordinating council’s slate of keynote audio system — and the workshops lined a lot floor, nobody might attend all of them. So I took a while to go over my notes and rewatch movies of the displays I missed. With a lot to cowl, I encourage you to verify the www.sdicompanions.org web site in just a few weeks or subscribe to their information updates at https://www.sdicompanions.org/media/subscribe/ to catch every thing at your individual tempo.
Right here’s what I seen:
- A lot of the keynote audio system talked about somatic (physique centered) consciousness and workshop leaders who I noticed. There have been a number of respiratory and inside listening “breaks” we have been invited to take. Rev. Shannon Michael Pater‘s workshop on turning into a trauma-sensitive-spiritual-director led the way in which on this body-focused consciousness. He’s somebody to contact in case you are focused on apprenticing with him for specialised coaching.
- Religious administrators have been inspired to embrace the function of “witness” each with our shoppers and on the earth. The mantra “we witness” was utilized in varied contexts. We witness the injustice on the earth; the ability dynamics; the overemphasis on productiveness that oppresses the working individual; the fantastic thing about the Divine. We’re urged to be extra vocal about what we witness.
- 70% of the non secular administrators/companions/guides who’re members of SDI now establish as “spiritually impartial” or “interspiritual.” The convention content material mirrored that. What began out as a company of largely contemplative Christians within the early 90’s is now a world gathering of guides from a mess of traditions and who work in a mess of how.
- Many non secular administrators are combining modalities resembling teaching, enneagram, creativity, somatic consciousness and artwork with the abilities of non secular course. I met an fascinating Animal Chaplain who has a coaching program for that type of chaplaincy.
- A humorous factor occurred the primary day (humorous to me at the least). After an extended morning of keynote speeches there was a espresso break. I counted at the least 12 suspected introverts sitting quietly by themselves out within the sunny courtyard getting away from the group and processing all that had been introduced. Sure, I used to be one in every of them!
My presentation on the Apprentice Mannequin of Religious Route coaching was a private spotlight. About half the attendees have been on-line and the opposite half within the room with me. Solely two folks I met on the convention had apprentice-style coaching, so it was undoubtedly a novel idea for individuals who attended the workshop. I used to be capable of share how significant it’s to me to work individually with potential non secular administrators. As I discussed earlier than, I really feel referred to as to encourage different non secular administrators to tackle apprentices, particularly administrators who can supply persevering with schooling in specialised areas.
I consider that one-on-one or tiny cohort coaching is the wave of the longer term, particularly for persevering with schooling in non secular course. It’s versatile for all concerned, it may be customized and might be finished reside through on-line conferencing with out anybody needing to journey anyplace. It suits in an individual’s every day life.
Simply one thing to consider.
The Phoenix Heart for Religious Route has graduated 26 apprentices since we started this system in late 2019. A lot of them have specialties that give them area of interest markets to pursue. If you realize somebody who wants a non secular director with any one of many following specialties let me know and I can present particulars. My graduates embody folks with experience in:
- Trauma knowledgeable non secular course
- Feminist spirituality
- Habit restoration
- Enneagram
- Multi-faith, interspiritual and spiritually impartial issues
- LGBTQIA+ points
- Mission work
- Clergy, church leaders and denominational leaders
- Quaker spirituality
- Power sickness sensitivity
- Evangelical and former evangelical points
- BIPOC points
- Social Justice and spirituality convergence
- Mysticism and psi experiences
- A mix of non secular course and life teaching
- Problems with concern to folks within the navy
- Working with seminary college students and other people in discernment round ordained ministry
Be at liberty to contact me through e mail for contact info.
Teresa Blythe is a Phoenix based mostly non secular director, creator and coach of apprentice non secular administrators. To study extra about non secular course, take a look at her ebook Religious Route 101. For a primer on non secular practices, have a look at her first ebook, 50 Methods to Pray. Her web site www.teresablythe.internet incorporates loads of details about the artwork and observe of non secular course.