Deep Calls to Deep
Susan S. Phillips, Ph.D
March 18-23, 2012
Serra Retreat Center, Malibu, CA
Several times Jesus paid attention to hard-working fishermen who were discouraged and frustrated by their failed efforts to catch fish. He encouraged them to keep trying, to cast their nets on the other side of the boat (John 20), and to push out into deep water and keep trying (Luke 5). This is an invitation for us, too. We can become discouraged and frustrated in our efforts to notice grace in our lives. It sometimes feels as though all our time-polished, heartfelt spiritual practices just come up empty. How can we "cast our nets" in a place other than where we've been expecting to find grace? How do we push out "into deep water?" Working in the liminal realms of imagination and intuition may engender hope that will help us "fish" for the experience of the Holy One, even when we're discouraged, even in the depths, even in the darkness before the dawn.
About our Speaker
Susan S. Phillips, Ph.D. is a spiritual director and professor of Christian spirituality. Since 1994, she has been the executive director of New College Berkeley, a G.T.U. affiliate, where she crafts spiritual formation programs for those who seek to live lives enlivened by Christian faith. Susan has long been interested in how our lives are shaped by the practices we engage in and the company we keep. The privilege of accompanying people in spiritual direction has granted her treasured glimpses into how we open our hearts to the holy (or don't) and how the Holy One unceasingly reaches toward us. This experience is the subject of her recent book Candlelight: Illuminating the Art of Spiritual Direction. Visit Susan's website for more information.