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.Home Page I Spiritual Mentoring I What's Happening I Strawberry Tree I Professional Training
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| Who We Are |
Spiritual Directions is an interspiritual centre committed to:
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- Seeking the Sacred
- Building connections
- Being responsive
- Empowering people
- Affirming life
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We are grounded in a liberal Christian faith.
We believe in a God of Love who loves us, loves our world, and invites
us to live in justice and peace.
We believe the Sacred resonates through all of life and is present in different faiths and in individual spiritual experience.
Our goal in everything we do at Spiritual Directions is to help people live life more fully.
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 Director |
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Rev. John E. Griffith, BA, MDiv, has been on a life long spiritual journey that has taken him
into the study of philosophy, psychology, various spiritual traditions
and most deeply into the Christian faith.Working within the church he built bridges to other faith traditions, and
between the church and the community.
John has extensive experience in helping people grow spiritually and develop
more intimate connections with the Sacred. He is skilled in counselling,
spiritual mentoring, presenting workshops, leading small groups and retreats,
and has a passion for helping people find God in their daily lives. Spiritual
Directions encompasses many of John's gifts as it provides a place for
personal and spiritual growth in Calgary.
John is an ordained minister with thirty
years of continuous ministry in the
Moravian
Church and United Church of Canada.
In 1999
he left congregational ministry to
develop
Spiritual Directions, a spiritual development and healing centre separate from denominational
connections.
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| Administrative Assistant |
Gloria Goldman is the person who helps keep things running smoothly in the office, and
whose artistic talents produce lovely brochures and newsletters as well
as an attractive office environment. In Gloria's "other life"
she has been a member of the Sadlers Wells Royal Ballet Company, and is
an artist and avid gardener. She also plays the harp, sings in a church
choir and volunteers in several capacities. In her "spare time"
(hard to imagine when that might be) she pampers her husband, children
and grandchildren.
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Leadership Team
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Our leadership team is comprised of qualified
professionals who are committed to sharing
their faith experiences, learning from those
with different spiritual perspectives and respecting each person's unique spiritual
journey.
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Melanie Abela, BA, MA in Art Therapy, Diploma. in Spiritual Direction, has worked in
the healing arts for 25 years. She established art therapy programs at
Charter Rivers Psychiatric Hospital and Thoms Rehabilitation Hospital,
taught psychology at Midland Technical College, and has facilitated many
workshops for emotionally, physically and mentally disabled groups. She
also developed a successful practice in the medical community as a medical
therapist and spiritual counsellor. Most recently, Melanie has a private
practice in Spiritual Direction in Vancouver and Qualicum Beach, B.C.,
and is the president of the ARC Institute and founder of the ARC Spiritual
Formation program.
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Pietro Abela has been a school teacher and a professional musician. During a two year
intensive training in nutrition begun in 1986 he discovered an aptitude
for hands-on healing work. This lead him to study with teachers throughout
North America, notably Barbara Brennan, Rosalyn Bruyere and Ron Kurtz.
He also studied complementary modalities such as acupressure, NLP, kinesiology
and body-mind counselling. Studies into emotional reorganization and its
connections to physical well being led to the development of ARC's powerful
self-healing methods and the creation of the ARC program in 1994. Pietro
maintains private practices in Canada and The United States and travels
internationally with his wife Melanie giving presentations, workshops and
classes for the ARC Institute.
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Diane Allen, MSW, RSW is an experienced counsellor who has worked in the field of healing and change for many years. She is a student in the Eco-psychology program at Naropa University and continues to explore her own nature connection and and enjoys sharing that with others.
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Connie Alcock, M., MFT, REAT (Registered Expressive Arts Therapist) has an extensive
background in the arts, which includes improvisation, clown theatre, music,
dance and the visual arts. She has worked with children and teens in a
variety of settings such as recreation, mental health and education for
over 22 years.
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Verna Besselink, CHTP, EMSCT, has 20 years experience working with Community Recreation, specializing in
Program Planning and Implementation with all age groups. She was introduced to Energy work nine years ago, is a graduate of Healing
Touch Pathways, a certified Healing Touch International Practitioner,
and runs an active mobile practice out of her home. Verna joined Dr. Mary Jo's team in Feb. 2005 and is studying her work in Energy Medicine --Transform Your Life Through Energy Medicine (TYLEM).
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Len Brunin is a wildlife artist, specializing in pointilism prints, painting on skulls,
carving and drum making. Len loves wildlife and wild places. His art captures
the free spirit of all he portrays. He is a strong advocate of wildlife
and habitat conservation, and he hopes that through his art he can encourage
others to value the life messages that nature has to teach us.
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Lorraine Carpino, B.Ed, M.H.H., C.H.S., H.T.P., is teacher, herbalist and holistic healer.
She holds a Certified Herb Specialist designation from Nature's Sunshine
Products and a Master of Holistic Healing certificate from the Tree of
Light Institute in Roosevelt, Utah. Lorraine has created a protocol for
MEA -Muscle Energy Analysis by collecting ideas and processes in muscle
response testing/kinesiology from Steven Horne (president of the American
Herbalist Guild), Terry Bell (a healer in Manitoba), Joan Emery and June
Cobb (herbalists in Calgary). MEA can be used to monitor nutritional and
emotional balance. Lorraine enjoys sharing these ideas and techniques with
others so they can achieve a better sense of their own health and help
their bodies become strong enough to heal themselves.
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June
Churchill, MSW, MRE, an active United Church member, leads workshops, courses and retreats in
creative worship, contemporary prayer, creation-centered spirituality, Celtic
spirituality, meditation and experiential spirituality, and a variety of
personal growth areas. She has studied extensively in the areas of ritual, prayer, meditation
and feminist spirituality from both non Christian and liberal Christian
perspectives, and is grounded in the interfaith and interspirituality movements. She is a founding and contributing member of several women's spirituality and ritual groups in Calgary. June brings a refreshing, practical and creative approach to the varied
domains of spiritual growth.
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Audrya Corbett, BFA in sculpture from the Alberta College of Art and Design. Audria grew up in a native community and learned to be connected to our
natural environment. She has been creating mandalas and labyrinths for
the past five years, and has recently been teaching didgeridoo workshops in Calgary. She plays various instruments including the drum, zither and didgeridoo,
an ancient instrument/tool, which rebalances the vibration in one's body
and stimulates healing.
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Sloane Dugan, PhD, Diplomat Candidate at the C.G. Jung Institute in Zurich
For four decades Sloane's activities have focussed on refining an action
research process with persons, teams, organizations and communities in
North America, Asia and Europe, which enables them to create a vision of
a quality life for themselves, marshal resources to pursue this vision,
and develop attitudes and skills to move toward their vision. Increasingly
Sloane's interests have shifted to studying how personal transformation
can positively impact relationships, organizations and the world at large.
www.haskayne.ucalgary.ca/
faculty/dir/faculty/SloaneDugan/view
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Dakota Eagle Woman is of Ojibway descent, originally from southern Ontario. She has been
in Alberta since the early 1970s and was adopted by the Cree and Blackfoot
where she has added her knowledge. She had been mentored by some world
reknowned elders and is honoured to share her teachings. She was associated
with the Canadian Indigenous Women's Resource Institute for 8 years and
is qualified in several different types of healing modalities.
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Jan Fennell, BA, AIIC. CIP Certified Insurance Professional, CHIP Certified Healing Touch Practitioner,
is skilled in ear candling, reflexology, iridology and energy treatments.
Jan's treatments include a combination of the three energy modalities:
Healing Touch, Reiki and Therapeutic Touch. She has used the Tarot since her early teens and has studied it throughout
the years. She sees the Tarot as a tool for self-understanding which
releases the power of possibility, not as a predictor of the future.
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Brenda Gibbs, BSc-PT, Integrative Practitioner, is a trained physio-therapist and wellness
consultant. Through training and personal experience she has developed
expertise in the areas of Post-partum Depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder
and grief.
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Wes Gietz, Master's degrees in biochemistry and public administration, has studied
and practiced natural skills and beliefs for over 40 years. He has been
taught by Tom Brown Jr. and native teachers the skills of survival and
living, awareness and philosophy, as well as the ceremonies of daily life
and the ceremonies and responsibilities of the sweat lodge. He has taught
workshops and participated in gatherings since 1993. He also practices
and teaches Emotional Freedom Technique, a technique for healing emotional
disturbances, phobias, addictions and a variety of physical problems. www.windwalker.ca
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Sylvia Polay Griffith, BA, MEd, Registered Psychologist, employs a holistic healing perspective
in her therapeutic work with people. She shares her expertise in marital
and family therapy as well as various individual concerns such as anger,
depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, grief, past and current abuse, learning
difficulties and trauma resolution. She is pleased to be able to achieve
quicker progress and deeper healing through supplementing traditional therapy
with various energy techniques.
Note: Registered Psychologist's fees are covered under most health insurance
plans.
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Dakota Robert Hawk grew up on a hog farm near Red Deer. Always part of his experience on
the farm, horses are grounding, healing, silent listeners and teachers
for Dakota. He is certified waith EGALA - Level I, and has taken John Lyons
Training in Horse Relationships - Level I. He belongs to the Alberta Equine
Federation, EGALA, American Quarter Horse Association and American Paint
Horse Association. Dakota is accompanied in his equine work by three beautiful
Paints: Butterfly, Rasa and Zephyr. He is also an accocomplished ceremonial
leader, official fire keeper for sweat lodges and creator of sacred ritual
objencts.
Dakota has been a masage therapist for 25 years and is trained in Healing
Touch - Level I for animals and Healing Touch - Level II for humans.
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Lisa Hurst-Archer is a long time storyteller and leader of the Dances of Universal Peace, and has shared these gifts throughout Canada, the U.S. and Australia. She believes that learning through experience is a powerful way to know oneself. If we can free ourselves from limiting judgements we can learn to 'hear' the inner vibrations created by our own movement and sound. If we can acknowledge that our critical mind has a right to its opinion and then get on with being present to ourselves, perhaps we can "sing like we don't need the money, love like we'll never get hurt, dance like there's nobody watching...." (Garnet Rogers)
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Norline Johnson, BSc, has over 20 years experience as a consultant, counsellor and spiritual
mentor. She has presented numerous workshops, courses and retreats for
schools, churches and other institutions. Her in-depth knowledge of 12
step programs (eg.. AA., Alanon, etc.) makes her an excellent guide for
those healing from addictions. Norline was a member of the Retreat Team
at Mount St. Francis Retreat House, Cochrane, AB, for many years, and is
presently working with Project Rachel, an ecumenical ministry of reconciliation
and healing for women and men who have had a past abortion experience.
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Tom Laird (B.A, B.Arch.) is a certified Enneagram teacher who has studied with David
Walsh and Carol Ann Gotch. He has offered Enneagram workshops throughout
Calgary and Alberta at the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society, Environment
Canada, Calgary Regional Health Authority, the University of Calgary and
many other institutuions and agencies. Tom was also the founder of a successful
architectural firm. www.innerworks.ca.
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Straja Linder King, BFA, MA (Art Therapy), Registered Art Therapist-Board Certified., has
inspired people of all ages to explore new paths to well being. She has
extensive experience providing workshops in the creative aging process,
life transitions, and personal and spiritual growth, with specializations
in palliative care and grief counselling. She is also a practicing artist
who embraces the wonders of creativity, and is a member of AATA and CATA
For more information about Straja and Art Therapy click here
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Emily Matweow is a medical intuitive and heart chakra dominant empath who was born clairvoyent,
clairsentient and clair-knowing. She is also a trained Reiki Master, Cranio-sacral
Therapist, Spiritual Response Therapist and Theta Healer. She is adept
at etheric healing, psychic surgery, clearing allergies, chakra clearing
and balancing and clearing past life traumas.www.emily.org
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Margot McKinnon, M.A., a high school teacher and founder of Spark the Spirit Productions, Inc.,
researches spiritually gifted children. She has traveled to the hill tribes of Thailand, the temples in China,
and the monasteries in Tibet to understand the nature of spirit.
She has her Masters Degree in Education Leadership and believes in advocating
for the spiritually intelligent and gifted, be it in the classroom or the
work place.
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Pat Moran, BScOT, BEd, is a graduate of the Marion Woodman Leadership Training Program.
For the past 20 years she has avidly followed Dr. Woodman's work, and since
2002 has been priveledged to work with Marion and her associates at BodySoul
intensives. The fall of 2007 Pat completed the three year leadership training
program. Her own personal work has involved exploring the meaning of chronic
illness and living with it consciously.
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Marsha Read, BEd, CHTP/I, EMSCT, Orff. Specialist, is a teacher and musician who has
explored music and women's spirituality for many years. She designs events
for all ages which include speech, singing, instruments, movement, storytelling
and community building. She is proficient in leading chanting, drumming,
adult choirs, and instrumental groups. As a musicologist, she invites you
to find your voice and explore the rhythm of your life. As a Certified Healing Touch practitioner/instructor and Energy Medicine
Self Care teacher she balances her private practice with teaching Energy
Medicine Self Care and Healing Touch.
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Wilma Rubens, B.Sc., with intuition, humor and compassion, will guide you into an exploration
of your empowering inner world. She is a published writer, a Conflict Resolution Facilitator and a skilled
teacher. She began as a high school science teacher, moved into Conflict
Resolution, Spirituality and Life Skills. She writes to make sense of her
diverse life experience. She was born in Scotland, has lived all over the
world and currently resides in Canmore. There she practises Ashtanga Yoga.
She adores the Rocky Mountains. She has two grown children and a husband
who have been known to test her Conflict Resolution skills. She sometimes
says her biggest achievement is to have thrived in 17 Canadian winters.
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Margot Van Sluytman (www.margotvansluytman.com/biography.htm) is a Canadian Pioneer in the fields of mentoring and teaching poetry
and writing as both art and healing. She is an Award Winning Writing and Healing Facilitator whose courses,
workshops, and talks have been presented in Canada and the United States.
Margot's has published eleven books of poetry and her writing has been
published internationally in magazines, anthologies, and literary e-Zines.
She is an active Member of the National Association for Poetry Therapy
and has edited and published a book by the membership Called Layers of Possibility: Healing Poetry from NAPT Members. She has also created a six segment TV show entitled: "Dance With
Your Words: Poetry is Art and Healing," which currently airs in Ontario,
Canada. She uses her extensive skills with language to teach
others to write and express their voice. Her personal mantra, think by
feeling, has been a starting point for novice, seasoned writers, students,
and other individuals who partake of the journey of using words for healing
and personal development.
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Betsy Young, MSW, MA in Spirituality and Liturgy, is a graduate of the Pacific Jubilee
Program in Spiritual Direction, Vancouver School of Theology. She has over
25 years of clinical social work experience, most recently in the field
of addiction recovery. She is skilled in leading meditative workshops and
retreats, and has a passion for exploring the inner spiritual depths of
human life.
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| Guest Leaders/Facilitators: |
Mary Jo Bulbrook, PhD, RN, CEMP/S/I, CHTP/I, is medical intuitive and the creator of the Transform Your Life Through Energy Medicine program which is based on her distinguished 20 year career as a university professor in the US, Canada and Australia, as well as her expertise as a specialist in psychiatric mental health nursing. In 1989 Dr. Bulbrook was honoured with the Canadian Holistic Nurse of the Year Award. She is currently president of Energy Medicine Partnerships International, a non-profit organization that supports and promotes the teaching and practice
of holistic care throughout the world.
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Tapas Fleming, licensed acupuncturist, completed her training in 1987 at Emperor's College of Traditional Oriental Medicine in Santa Monica, California, and continued her advanced studies in the People's Republic of China. She initially specialized in addictions treatment and later added a specialization in allergy work, using Dr. Devi Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination technique. In 1993 she developed the Tapas Acupressure Technique, and now teaches workshops internationally.
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Beth Hedva, PhD, is a therapist, workshop leader, inspirational speaker and author of Journey From Betrayal to Trust and Betrayal, Trust and Forgiveness. She has blended ancient wisdom stories and myths with modern psychology
to create healing experiences for many people.
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David Johnson of the UK is currently studying in a masters program in an Eco-Psychology at Naropa University. Following 3 years of travel, he returned to the UK and lived in Buddhist community for 6 years. He now lives in ecological house which he helped design.
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Cecilie Kwiat is a meditation teacher skilled in crafting practices to meet the needs
of those in emotional or spiritual crisis. She provides inventive guidance
at meditation centres in Canada, United States, Australia and New Zealand.
A Canadian, she was attracted to Buddhism by a teacher who invited her
to focus on non-clinging compassionate awareness by developing kindness,
skill-in-means, and a respect for the here and now.
Cecilie has followed the Buddhist path since the mid 1960's and is a senior student of the Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche. She has also received teaching from, and studied with, many others respected teachers in various schools of Buddha Dharma. She lived in Japan and Thailand where she immersed herself in meditation and study. As she feels privileged to have met with and received instruction from so many precious teachers, Cecilie is honoured to share generously the many gifts that have been showered upon her. (To learn more search the web under "Cecilie Kwiat".)
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Bonnie Lawrence is one of the most compelling and diverse professional flutists in Canada.
As principal flutist/soloist with the Cuban National Symphony and the Valley
Symphony Orchestra of Columbia, she became a passionate lover of Latin
music and an authentic Sails flutist. She has studied traditional flute
styles from Native American, Celtic, Cuban and South Indian flute masters.
Her love of jazz and popular music led her to further studies in jazz improvisation
and composition at the Banff Centre and Grant MacEwan College. Bonnie's
compositions are featured on a new compact disc entitled The Winds of Kananaskis. Her story was showcased on a CBC Newsworld
feature in spring 2002.
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Manfred Lukas, BEd, was trained in Core Shamanism through the Harner institute, founded
by Michael Harner, a well known anthropologist and widely published author.
Manfred has been using and teaching native healing practices for about
20 years. He leads workshops in shamanic journeying about twice a year,
and sees people for individual journey sessions twice weekly.
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Madeline Rugh, PhD, MA., BFA, is a registered Art Therapist and holds a Specialist in
Aging Certificate. She has worked for twenty years as a consultant, program
developer and researcher, attending to the needs of disabled children and
adults. Her current work focuses on expanding art therapy educational programs
to include ecological principles, and assisting health care staff in hospitals,
nursing homes and hospice to enhance their stress management styles and
creativity. She designs programs as well as physical spaces for health and wellness
through a unique synthesis of art, nature and spirituality. She has written numerous grants and received
multiple research awards, most notably the Research Scholarship Service Award from the National Institute of Aging.
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Lana Skauge has been a professional actor/singer and drama educator for the past 25
years and is a member of both stage (C.A.E.A.) and film (A.C.T.R.A.) associations.
She has produced 15 one-woman shows, and written commissioned works for
dance companies, colleges, churches, and other community agencies. She
has toured throughout Canada and Great Britain and had her work produced
nationally through CBC. She continues to teach as well as write, direct
and produce her own plays.
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Doreen Spence believes that with unconditional love, passion and persistence one person
can make a difference. She has spent a lifetime making that difference.
She is a healer, author, presenter, advocate, creator, speaker, educator and
mentor. Born of Cree ancestry in Northern Alberta, Doreen works tirelessly
in the field of human rights, protecting fundamental freedoms for indigenous
people. She travels extensively to present at numerous conferences around
the world, including Canada, Europe, the United States and New Zealand,
sharing her message of healing, tolerance, human rights and the wisdom
of First Nations traditional teachings.
She is currently the Canadian representative to the United Nations Working
Group of Indigenous Populations, advocating on behalf of indigenous peoples
worldwide. Her expertise in building bridges between groups led the Slovakian
government to request her assistance with regard to their relationships
with the Roma people. Doreen has been honoured numerous times for her work,
including being a Nobel Peace Prize nominee for the 1000 Women of Peace Project in 2005 and receiving, along with his holiness, the Dalai Lama, an International
Award at the New Zealand Spiritual Elders Conference in 1992.
Locally, Doreen was the founder and president of the Plains Cultural Survival
School Society and has been a Senator at the University of Calgary. She
also founded the Canadian Indigenous Women's Resource Institute. She has
most recently been travelling worldwide in her role on the Peace and Reconciliation
Committee.
Doreen strives to bring understanding between all nations and has opened hearts and minds around the world with her teachings, persistence, wisdom and unconditional love. For more information about Doreen see world people's blog.
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Standing Bear (Jerry White) is an experienced healer in both Native American and White
traditions. Standing Bear was chosen for training in the ways of "Spirit
Medicine" at the age of 8, and has studied and taught in many cultures.
Jerry White is also a Certified Healing Touch practitioner and instructor.
He has appeared on television and in newspaper interviews and is currently
featured in a newly released Healing Touch book, White Shadow.
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All of us here at Spiritual Directions feel blessed and honoured to be
a part of the wider community embracing spirituality in Calgary.
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| Thanks to: |
Sylvia Polay Griffith for maintaining this web site.
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Jock McTavish for his mentoring as we learned how to maintain our web site.
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| Spiritual Directions' home page I Site Map I What's Happening |
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Spiritual Directions operates under the auspices of
The Community Opportunity Foundation of Alberta. |
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| June 16, 2008 11:37:05 AM |
Spiritual Directions, 1407 - 10 Street S.W., Calgary, Alberta, T2R 1E7
Phone: 403-210-2802..E- mail: teaching@spiritualdirections.com..www.spiritualdirections.com
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