Dear Friends,
School is well underway at SDI and we have a variety of convenient online courses, webinars, and recordings for you to choose from! SDI programming is taught by spiritual directors and companions from the community who are passionate about our calling and committed to sharing their wisdom.
This Fall our community is excited to bring you some of the most moving and creative series!
Keith Kristich’s series Opening to God’s Living Presence: The Interspiritual Invitation of Centering Prayer.
Keith Kristich is a highly respected and popularly commissioned Presenter of Centering Prayer through Contemplative Outreach. He trained with the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in leading contemplative prayer groups and retreats, and is a certified teacher of meditation and the Enneagram. Keith is the founder of Closer Than Breath.
This 4-part webinar series is designed to deepen spiritual practice, allowing for connection with the Divine within through the unifying power of Centering Prayer. Gain insights and tools to help bridge divides and remind those you guide of our shared humanity and divine Source.
If you missed the free session with him, watch the recording here.
A powerful and experiential series Contemplative Creativity: Artistic Explorations in Spiritual Companionship.
This brand new 4-part series from SDI explores how the creative arts can serve as powerful tools in spiritual companionship. This highly experiential series will introduce you to four artist/spiritual companions who will guide participants in creative activities, share stories on how art serves the creative journey, and offer creative tools that you can adapt and add to your own companioning toolkit in support of others (or yourself!). This series will introduce you to four different creative art modalities that you will get to try out, potentially add to your toolkit, and bring into your own practice in support of others’ spiritual journeys. Watch the intro video here
Dr. Roslyn’s course Seeking in the Company of Others: The Wisdom of Group Spiritual Direction.
Are you passionate about deepening your spiritual journey and helping others do the same?
Join us for an enriching 8-session course from esteemed SDI author Roslyn G. Weiner, designed to guide you in creating and facilitating spiritual direction groups.
Over three months, engage in eight dynamic meetings, each lasting an hour and a half, conveniently held on Zoom. You’ll receive a variety of presentations, hands-on experiences, and practical opportunities to lead small groups using break-out rooms. Upon completion, there will be an option to join a supervisory group for ongoing support.
Kō Sam Tullman’s series Disease and Dis-Ease on the Spiritual Path.
Kō Sam Tullman is a long-time meditator with a professional background in neuroscience and public health. He has been living with Type 1 Diabetes since age 8. He is the co-founder of a meditation community for those living with T1D and their loved ones called DiabetesSangha and presents on meditation and mindfulness in the context of T1D nationally.
Disease and Dis-Ease on the Spiritual Path is an innovative new webinar series offering practical guidance on how to be a wise companion to ourselves and those we companion during illness—acute or chronic. In 4 sessions, we’ll explore the interplay between spiritual insights and the neurobiological underpinnings of suffering. Each session features grounding practices, engaging discussions anchored in wisdom traditions and science, compelling stories, and contemplative exercises. Together, we’ll remember how to walk with life’s challenges, uncovering the profound lessons that illness can teach us. Watch the intro video here.
A new and insightful series Seeking Spiritual Freedom: Walking with Spiritual Independents.
Join us for Seeking Spiritual Freedom: Walking with Spiritual Independents, an insightful four-part webinar series designed for spiritual directors and companions. This series dives into the complexities of those loosely categorized as spiritually independent, spiritual but not religious, or spiritually “none”—a growing body of practitioners. We will learn to navigate, alongside those we companion, the intricacies and nuances of being on this path, which can manifest in diverse and surprising ways. Let’s learn to better serve this growing cohort of spiritual wayfarers seeking our help. Watch the intro video here.
Come celebrating October 31st with us
The Transforming Power of Celtic Spirituality For Spiritual Directors and Companions
Hosted by Mid-Atlantic Community Leader Rev. Dr. Robert Driver-Bishop, Dr. Hafýzoðlu, and Michael Goldberg.
Join us for this 3-hr online retreat on Oct 31st, as we celebrate the “Celtic New Year” by nurturing the body, heart, mind, and soul. Discover how modern science and ancient spirituality can provide meaningful insights for spiritual directors and companions and those we serve, and even help heal broken relationships at home and in the world. Together, we will explore how Celtic wisdom can bring peace and prosperity to our lives and the world, offering a gateway to fostering global peace and understanding across different faith traditions.
Join us in Tending Our Hearts Together
In light of some of our shared and complex feelings like overwhelm, worry, anger, fear, and excitement about the U.S. election, we invite you to gather together online with guidance and structure from spiritual director and Nonviolent Communication (NVC) trainer, Pam Winthrop Lauer.
Through the use NVC principles, brief guided meditation, group participation exercises, and themed break-out rooms, we will deepen connection; allowing us to move through our difficult emotions into mutual support and compassion. Building from the idea that our most judgmental and fearful thoughts point directly to what matters most. We will then apply the principle that this understanding, in turn, opens a doorway to empathy and self-compassion.
Colette Lafia & Jenée Johnson bring us
Spiritual Journaling as a Practice of Deep Renewal
As spiritual companions, we desire to be present for others and offer our wholehearted listening. Yet, sometimes the river runs dry. Spiritual journaling can be a powerful way to allow the “waters” of our souls to refill. Through the act of honest, intentional writing, we can invite the Spirit to renew, replenishing us, so that our waters once again overflow and we can serve others from a place of abundance and joy.
Join us as we learn to cultivate greater self-compassion, take time to pause and practice deep listening with ourselves, and cultivate joy and connection.
We’re excited to be on this learning journey with you.
Mondays
Contemplative Creativity: October 7, 14, 21, 28
Seeking Spiritual Freedom: November 4, 11, 18, 25
Wednesdays
Keith Kristich: October 2, 9, 16, 23
Seeking in the Company of Others: October 23, 30 November 6, 13, 20 December 4, 11, 18
Spiritual Journaling as a Practice of Deep Renewal: December 4 & 11
Tending Our Hearts Together: October 30 (Part 1)
Thursdays
Celtic Spirituality: October 31
Disease and Dis-ease: October 17, 24, 31 November 7
Tending Our Hearts Together: November 14 (Part 2)
October Events / November Events / December Events
In kindness and care,
The SDI Team
