About the Community
In 2009, following 9 fruitful years in Dundee (at St Clare’s House of Prayer) Barbara and Ruth finally found a new permanent home from which to deepen their desire to share with others something of God’s love and creativity – real food that nourishes heart and mind, body and soul.
For Barbara and Ruth, the desire to share more of the treasure that is the Christian mystical tradition kept them ‘on the journey’ as they struggled for 10 years to find a more suitable base from which to offer their various gifts.
A word about...
Barbara Buda (Spiritual Director and Life Coach)
Following a career in social work, Barbara trained as a Spiritual Director (in the Ignatian tradition) prior to co-founding St Clare’s House of Prayer in Dundee. She is currently a Core Team member of the Epiphany Group, a Scotland-wide network, which supports and provides ongoing training and supervision for those practicing as Spiritual Directors in the Ignatian tradition. Barbara has a long-standing interest in the arts, and is herself an artist. She is very committed to exploring the relationship between faith, life, culture and creativity. In 2009 she undertook certificated training in Life Coaching, building on her own wide experience of life's challenges and opportunities.
Ruth Schaebler (Spiritual Director and Body Awareness Practitioner)
Ruth was born and raised in Bavaria (Germany) and moved to Scotland in 1997. Her professional background was in social care work with families. Ruth is now an experienced spiritual director, having trained in Edinburgh via courses run by the Epiphany group. For nine years she lived and worked at the House of Prayer in Dundee. She is involved in retreat work, one to one spiritual direction sessions and days of reflection. For over 20 years Ruth has had a special interest in body awareness, in finding the quiet, life-giving place within. She has begun to use her gift and her training with individuals and small groups.
In moving location – no small matter and only possible thanks to the generous and ongoing help of family and friends - the community has effectively embarked on a new stage in its own journey. Though the community is small, and the times somewhat challenging, Barbara and Ruth are delighted to be able to offer new opportunities for periods of retreat and reflection as part of their programme of Pathways to Personal Renewal, sharing something of what feeds and inspires them on their own journey and pilgrimage.