Sparks in the Darkness: How to Let the Darkest Times Draw You Into the Deepest

Sparks in the Darkness: How to Let the Darkest Times Draw You Into the Deepest Spiritual Truths

Friday January 31st - Sunday February

Many of the most inspiring and transformative teachings in Christian history have come from mystics living in the darkest times. These remarkable figures have shown us how to become sparks in the darkness, illuminating the path for others by embodying deep spiritual truths. Their lives and wisdom remind us that even in seasons of uncertainty, grief, and struggle, profound transformation is possible—for ourselves and the world.

Step into this lineage of mystical wisdom in a live, interactive weekend retreat. Guided by Dr. Lucille Isadora Tures, explore how the teachings of ancient Christian mystics can illuminate your own challenges and help you transform them into sacred opportunities for growth and renewal.
Through contemplative practices, rich discussions, and small group dialogue, you’ll encounter three distinct groups of mystics, each embodying a profound spiritual truth.

Together, we will delve into:

• How seeing the sacred potential in people and systems can unlock transformative possibilities.
• The courage and vision needed to embrace unfolding truth and deepen understanding of reality.
• The mysterious power of aligning with the eternal over the fleeting, even in the face of great sacrifice.

What You’ll Experience:

• Four inspiring talks
• Guided meditations inspired by the lives of mystics to connect with their timeless wisdom.
• Engaging discussions that link ancient insights to the challenges of modern life.
• Small group activities designed to help you integrate these teachings into actionable practices.

Meet Your Teachers
Dr. Lucille Isadora Tures is an author, spiritual director of the Theama Institute, and a seasoned leader of Christian mystical spiritual communities with over 25 years of experience. With a doctorate in psychology, she specializes in making deep and complex mystical teachings both digestible and practical for modern seekers.
Dr. Tures is joined by an incredible team of adept teachers, including Constance Wilson, Christi Doucet, and Daniel Knight, who will guide participants through transformative meditations and exercises throughout the retreat. Together, they create a supportive and inspiring space for spiritual growth and renewal.

This retreat is entirely live on Zoom, offering an intimate space to explore, reflect, and connect. Whether you are seeking deeper spiritual truth, personal renewal, or tools to transform the world, this retreat invites you into a journey of light hidden within the darkness.

Session 1: Sparks in the Darkness – An Overview
Dark times—especially those that shake our collective foundation as a society—have the power to reorient us, drawing our attention to what truly matters. In this opening session, we’ll explore the transformative potential of these periods of widespread uncertainty and upheaval. Such times can pull us into the reactive grip of survival mode, leaving us paralyzed, panicked, cruel and cowardly or they can call us into the depths of our soul. When we embrace fear and uncertainty with courage and openness, we uncover a collective reservoir of strength, beauty, and wisdom within ourselves and our communities. This session sets the foundation for our retreat, offering insight into how the darkest times can become profound invitations into spiritual truth and societal transformation.

This session explores three profound spiritual truths revealed in dark times and how embracing their power can transform both our inner world and the world around us.

Session 2: Saints, Rebels, and Martyrs – Archetypes of Spiritual Action in the Face of Injustice

In times of societal darkness, the call to action becomes undeniable. This session explores three archetypes of spiritual response to injustice: Saints, Rebels, and Martyrs. We begin with the path of the Mystical Saint, an archetype that transforms oppressive systems by calling forth their highest potential. Saints engage with the destructive forces in the world through a lens of deep mystical love, challenging these systems to return to their moral core and healing them from within.

This session offers a profound exploration of how the path of the mystical Saint’s calls each of us to transformative, love-driven action.

Session 3: The Rebels
While the path of the Saint works to catalyze change by awakening the deep potential and true heart within a broken system, the path of the Rebel takes a different approach. Rebels name the sickness outright and offer bold, radical new ways of envisioning what could be. This archetype embodies both a love for the core goodness that may still reside within the system and a fearless willingness to call out its flaws.

In this session, we will explore how to channel the transformative energy of the Rebel to become agents of meaningful change in the face of injustice and oppression.

Session 4: The Martyrs
In this session, we will delve into the archetype of the Mystical Martyr. Unlike the Saint and Rebel, who work within or seek to reform broken systems, the Martyr rejects these systems entirely. This archetype embodies fearless resistance, refusing to participate in destructive dynamics while offering themselves fully to the work of transformation. The Martyr’s power lies in their unwavering faith and willingness to sacrifice personal comfort, safety, or even life itself for the sake of profound change. Together, we will explore how this archetype inspires us to stand firm in our values and commit deeply to the service of humanity.

Learn More at https://www.theamainst.org/winter-2025-retreat

$100 off coupon for first time retreat participants!