Ruthie Baigent
PENWITH, CORNWALL
The biodynamic system was developed by Gerda Boyesen (1922-2005). Gerda devoted her life to its research and development. Inspiration for the approach had its origins in the work of Wilhelm Reich and in the working practices of the Norwegian physiotherapy departments of the 1960s, in particular the inspired work of Lillemor Johnson.
The greatest benefit of Biodynamic Massage is in self-knowledge and getting in touch with ourselves and our own natural healing and transformation.
Spiritual Direction, also known as spiritual accompaniment, is time spent together with each other and God. It is often said that, in Spiritual Direction, there are three people present in the room, the director, the directee, and the Holy Spirit.
“supports the accompanied to discover and discern in growing freedom, how to live out the consequences of their personal relationship with the Divine in their daily life”
— Barry and Connolly, The Practice of Spiritual Direction, 1982
I am a mother, and following the early years of parenthood, I re-trained to be a Biodynamic Massage Therapist, qualifying in 2012. My practice evolved to become more spiritual and less private-practice based complementary therapy, and I took on four years of training to become a Spiritual Director, from 2018. I wanted to integrate the spiritual direction work into my therapeutic practice, and vice versa.
I had a conversion to Christianity which started in my early 30s and am a committed Christian. I attend a diverse and inclusive church based in the UK and the States, the Orthodox Catholic Church of America (OCCA).
Maintaining the thread of my early academic career, I continue to pursue essay writing, and my attention now focuses on Christianity (especially Carmelite spirituality and John of the Cross), therapy (especially Biodynamic Therapy and IFS), and the work of Deleuze and Guattari, with an anti-fascist, anti-abuse perspective.
My writing is published in The Way, and Synergy Journals.
Clergy and ‘vocation’, LGBTQ+, racial/ethnic minority, neurodiversity, familial, spiritual and church abuse, and trauma.
