Retreat Leaders – Divine Messengers
July 22nd, 2009 FindtheDivineRetreat Leaders – Divine Messengers
More and more people today are seeking both places and messages of solace during these hectic times. Retreat centers and spirituality oriented conference centers are providing respite and hope for those that are looking for both places to rediscover their God and to hear sanguine messages of trust and love from those leading events and workshops. Both the spiritual ambiance of the retreat facilities and the divine expertise of staff and retreat speakers and leaders add to one’s “retreat experience”. In this article the people that one meets while attending a retreat, a conference or a spiritual workshop will be featured. They are the ones that generate spiritual synergism to make a retreatant’s experience one of love, rest, adventure, hope and transformation.
Most spiritual retreat and conference centers not only provide a place to be alone in prayerful union with their God, but programs designed to motivate, educate, escape and reintroduce spiritual concepts including prayer, discernment and music. These events are led by retreat leaders that are dynamic experts in their subject matter and help attract retreatants to visit the center. Some programs are designed for small workshops, while others are directed towards larger conference groups. My focus in this article will be on those events that are spiritual in nature, like those listed on www.seekaretreat. These events encompass many subjects including prayer, meditation, wellness, health, silence, religious, art, nature, personal transformation, women’s retreats, men’s retreats, yoga, dreams, saints, metaphysical, mysticism and the contemplative journey. All faith traditions are represented in these events.
Many of today’s retreats are transformative in focus; connecting with both yourself and the Divine to transform your physical, mental and spiritual faculties. Dr. Kevin J. Fleming, President/CEO of Grey Matters International is a former neuropsychologist, Spiritual Director and Life/Executive Coach that leads retreats that are designed to awaken the truest of spiritualities underneath our decision making, our relationships, and ultimately our life’s goals. Dr. Fleming introduces “practical wisdom” about the brain’s inner workings around faith. He also reveals truth of transformation and growth, which is what everyone is seeking on a retreat: to feel different, to spark a change, to relieve a pain and to align spirituality and the brain so hope actually bears fruit. Dr. Fleming also integrates solid spiritual rigor with humorous and deep insights that create a transformative experience full of “practical wisdom” typically not experienced in retreats. (http://www.seekaretreat.com/leaders/virtual.html). To learn more about these retreats, email Dr. Fleming at kevin@greymattersintl.com.
There are many other retreat leaders that hold spiritually transformative retreats. A few listed on SeekaRetreat include:
- Connie Miller – Souldrama: Awaken Your Higher Purpose! - http://souldrama.com
- Gary Zukav and Linda Francis – Path to Authentic Power – www.seatofthesoul.com
- Michelle Burns – Design your Destiny – www.designyourdestiny.com
- Malana Ashlie – Tools for Transformation – www.wisdompathway.com
Retreats that are oriented towards prayer are also very popular. Prayer methods including vocal, meditative and contemplative are presented by a wide array of retreat leaders. Patrick Cleary-Burns is a retreat leader and spiritual director that specializes in discernment retreats using Ignatian meditation as a focus. Patrick teaches that discernment is a gift of wisdom that has been passed down by the holy women and men who came before us. Practicing discernment helps us to open our hearts to watch and listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. ( www.patclearyburns.net ) More retreat leaders that use prayer as a focus include:
- Ann Dean – Contemplative Prayer – http://www.seekaretreat.com/leaders/md.html
- Living Hope Ministries – Christian Prayer – http://www.living-hope-ministries.com/
- Rev. Jack Walters - Feelings, Spirituality and the Wholeness – http://www.iamcounselingandretreatcenter.com/
- Pierrette R. Stukes - Spirituality and Psychology – http://www.seekaretreat.com/leaders/nc.html
Retreats that are oriented towards healing and wellness are being conducted in many retreat centers. Topics might include Return to Wholeness, Yoga, Healing and Wellness. A few of the retreat leaders that conduct these retreats and workshops include:
- Sarah McLean – Mind, Body and Soul – http://www.sedonameditation.com
- Lily Mazurek – The Mandala – http://www.themandalamessage.com/
- Annie Benefield-Lawrence– Retreat and Heal – http://www.retreatandheal.com/
- Roger Ford – Spiritual Healing – http://www.nfsh.org.uk/
- Michael J Tamura – Healer – http://www.michaeltamura.com/
- Center for Well Being – Mind, Body and Soul - http://www.thecenterforwellbeing.com/
- Mirella Parry – Yoga Retreats – http://www.yogaretreatadventures.com/
There are retreats that include the experience of nature as a spiritual reminder of the Divine. There also are retreats that are for women that are looking to grow and return to wholeness. Some of these retreats are:
- Jana Fleming– Woman’s Journey to Wholeness – http://www.awomansjourneytowholeness.com/
- Victoria FittsMilgrim – Powerful Retreats for Women - http://www.truelifecoach.net/
- Gregory Drambour – Spiritual Journeys - http://www.sedona-spiritual-vacations.com/
- Tobias Lars – Spiritual Healing – http://www.spiritravel.com/
- Michelle Burns – Women’s Retreats – http://www.designyourdestiny.com/
- Costa Rica Retreats – Transforming Life – http://www.retreatscostarica.com/
Retreat leaders are experts in there area of expertise and can add a special touch to a retreat. There are many overlapping topics for spiritual retreats and workshops that include: Meditation, Silent, The Saints, Metaphysical, Adventure, Enneagram, Pilgrimages, Near Death Experiences, Nature and many more. A few more retreat leaders include:
- Roxanne Howe-Murphy – Enneagram – http://lifewisecoaching.com/
- Dr. Raymond Moody – Near Death Experience Retreats - http://www.lifeafterlife.com/
- Elle Collier Re – Spiritual Meditation – http://inei-re.org/index.htm
- Cardell W Smith – Quantum Life Changes – http://www.thehawaiianretreats.com/
- Lisa Whitlow, M.A., D. Min. – Soul Tending – http://www.soultend.com/
- Dr. Kathryn Royer – Inner Harmony – http://www.innerharmonycenter.org/index.html
- Ellen Peterson – Personal Growth – http://www.ellenpeterson.com/index.html
- Cathy Cawley – Spiritual Retreats – http://www.seekaretreat.com/leaders/va.html
- Lynne Larson – Dream Retreats – http://www.thejoyofdreaming.com
- Liz Mitton Ryan – Life Changing Workshops – http://www.lizmittenryan.com/info
Retreat leader training is made available by a few of our clients. If you are interested in learning more about becoming a retreat leader, visit these web sites:
- The Shalem Institute – Contemplative Retreat Leaders – http://www.shalem.org/
- Helene Van Manen – Retreat Coaches - http://www.retreatcoaches.com/
- Nancy Ferguson – The Retreat Leader’s Manual - http://www.bluetreeresources.org/index.php
Feedback – Retreat Leaders need feedback from those that attend retreats. You are invited to visit this page and make your suggestions. The Results will be published on SeekaRetreat.com.
Submit your comments – http://www.seekaretreat.com/retreatsurvey.html
Search Links – To locate retreat leaders and spiritual advisors and directors, visit these pages:
- Find Retreat Leaders – http://www.shalem.org/
- Find Spiritual Directors – http://www.retreatcoaches.com/