MAKING OUR WAY
as spiritual Directors
A New 12-Week Online Course with
Lucy Abbott Tucker
“Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” I might translate this is the realization that I am never a perfect spiritual director and supervision is a tool that keeps me responsible to my own growth as a spiritual director.”
— Lucy Abbott Tucker, November 2021
We are pleased to offer to the SDI Community a new 12-week online course from Lucy Abbott Tucker, SDI co-founder and worldwide expert on spiritual direction supervision. In this course, Lucy will explore with participants new content and topics related to the experiences of spiritual direction and how we learn and grow from them.
Since our online Supervision course in January 2022, which over 400 of you participated in, we’ve heard repeatedly from people wondering when SDI would again offer the opportunity to gather as spiritual directors and companions under Lucy’s tutelage and care.
If you’ve taken one of her supervision courses, you know that Lucy is dedicated to helping spiritual directors and companions deepen in their work. Now, we offer the opportunity to walk with Lucy in this intimate online learning setting, realizing a deepening mutuality, accountability, and kinship with others who live seriously into their calling to cultivate deep listening and spiritual presence.
Whether you’ve had many experiences learning from Lucy or this is your first time taking an SDI course, we welcome you. If you are a longtime spiritual director, this is an opportunity to continue to learn and grow in your calling. If you are just starting your journey as a spiritual companion, you will find practical advice and deep wisdom to soak in. And if you are curious about what it means to live a life of deep listening and contemplation, we also welcome you to this sacred community – where all of us are continually opening to new inspiration, new insight, new beginnings, and new friends.
This is a chance to join one of SDI’s living wisdom teachers and dive deeper into a subject at the heart of our calling. All are welcome.
What to Expect
- 12 Weekly Zoom sessions with Lucy Abbott Tucker - Master Supervision Instructor and Mentor
- Access to our Online Learning Platform, with videos, print resources, and other content
- New tools to cultivate online community with your peers
- Participate Live or at your own pace - all sessions recorded
Schedule
Twelve live weekly 2-hour courses, Tuesdays, 9am-11am Pacific (11am-1pm Central, noon-2pm Eastern) beginning in October 2022. Exact dates and outline below.
Students can participate live or watch at their convenience later.
Course Outline
October 4 – The Spiritual Journey: Desire, Resistance, and Occasionally Stubbornness!
As we grow in age and grace and wisdom, so too does our understanding of what spirituality looks like and means to us.
October 11 – Ideals and Reality
What are the ideals we hold as spiritual directors, particularly in regard of our self-expectations. What is the reality that can intrude on our ideals?
October 18 – Light and Darkness in the Spiritual Journey
These are common images that are used when we talk about the spiritual journey. What are the gifts and challenges in each arena.
October 25 – Focusing
This is a process that invites us to attend to our “body knowing” about an issue. Using two classes the process will be explained, modeled, and practiced by the participants.
November 1 – Focusing Continued
November 8 – Dreams
Individuals frequently share their dreams in direction conversations. We will look at some simple approaches to working with the dreams of directees.
November 15 – Active Imagination
Another way that individuals talk about life experiences is through the imagination. Once again, we will look at some processes to help a director be attentive to the images of directees.
November 22 – Reconciling Differences
In life we have often placed things at different ends of a spectrum, e.g. theology and science, prayer and discipline, life and the spiritual journey. Perhaps we need to reconcile these distinctions and view life from a more wholistic persective.
November 29 – Being with People who Have Experienced Trauma
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention about 61% of the adult population has identified some adverse experiences in their life. We must be aware that some of the individuals who approach us for spiritual direction have or are suffering from trauma. How can I be present to and responsible while being with these directees.
December 6 – Lessons from a Dying Directee
having had the privilege of being with a directee until her death she taught me much about life and the spiritual journey. Hopefully, these learnings will enrich the practice of many directors.
December 13 – Who are your Teachers and Mentors?
As directors we must continue to grow as individuals and in our practice of the ministry. What are some of your learning activities?
December 20 – Letting the New Cosmology “Stretch” our Theology
Using the wisdom of Brian Swimme we will consider some new language to talk about the world.
Credits
24 CEU credits available.
Faculty
Lucy Abbott Tucker
Lucy Abbott Tucker has been a member of SDI since its inception. She began her ministry of spiritual direction at the Institute for Spiritual Leadership, Chicago. She worked there preparing women and men for the ministry for 32 years. Since 2015 she has been doing freelance work in spiritual direction and supervision. She believes spiritual direction has the power to help heal our world and values the opportunity to support spiritual directors in this work.
Jane (verified owner) –
A wonderful course for any spiritual director or any human being wanting to tighten up their craft of human relationships.
Mary (verified owner) –
Absolutely enlightening and blessing for me! Thank you, Lucy &SDI!