Welcome! I am delighted that you have landed on our website and hope that we can connect in a meaningful way.

Since Belly of the Whale Ministries began in 2014, it has been a joy and a privilege to walk alongside those who seek a renewed sense of spiritual vitality in daily life through spiritual direction and creative spiritual renewal retreats.

I have always loved listening more than speaking, which may be why I find the prayerful practice of deep listening as I companion others on their spiritual journey to be one of life’s greatest blessings. I know that meeting with my own spiritual director helps me keep my eyes and ears open for God’s presence in my life. I pray it does the same for my directees as well.

I have recently expanded the offerings of Belly of the Whale ministries to include many diverse opportunities for spiritual rest and renewal. Every year I hold a 3 day/3 night Silent Jonah Retreat (at the Jesuit Retreat Center in Cleveland) and a 10 day Pilgrimage in the Belly of the Whale & Beyond Retreat (in collaboration with Flores del Camino Retreat Centre in Spain). Click here to learn about our full schedule of upcoming retreats (including Holy Whale Watching and Advent Mandala Coloring).

I am delighted to share that my new book, Praying with Jonah: Practices for Imperfect Pilgrims, was released by Upper Room Books on July 1, 2026! As you may have guessed, Jonah holds a special place in my heart. He has been my steady spiritual companion for over 30 years - through lows and highs, confusion and clarity, running and returning to God's call. In fact, I spend so much time with Jonah that my husband jokingly refers to him as "the other man!"

Over the years, I have come to see how this reluctant, imperfect, and yet surprisingly relatable prophet can help us nurture a life of faith that is both deeply contemplative and courageously active; teaching us how to be still enough to know and bold enough to go wherever God is calling.

I have also published two books on the creative prayer practice of contemplative coloring: Praying with Mandalas:  A Colorful, Contemplative Practice (winner of a 2018 Living Now Book Award) and Mandalas, Candles and Prayer:  A Simply Centered Advent. It has been an honor to share workshops on contemplative coloring across the US and beyond through Spiritual Director’s International, the Wild Goose Festival, Weird Church Camp, a school in Liberia, a local women’s prison and many other beloved, diverse communities.

One of the most meaningful aspects of my ministry has been the privilege of participating in the weekly women’s spirituality group at the North East Reintegration Center in Cleveland for the past decade. This is holy ground where I have felt and witnessed the transformative presence of God.

In terms of the “education/credentialing” piece of my story, I was ordained an Elder by The United Methodist Church in 1997 and ecclesiastically endorsed for the specialized ministry of spiritual direction in 2014.  I hold graduate certificates in Spiritual Direction (Ignatian Spirituality Institute of John Carroll University), Diversity Management (Cleveland State University), and Ecumenical Studies (World Council of Churches).  I earned a B.A from Swarthmore College (1989) and M.Div. from the Methodist Theological School of Ohio (1995).

Perhaps it is more meaningful; however, to share a bit of the “personal” piece of my story. I was born and raised in Oregon (still an Oregonian at heart!), have been blessed to live & travel widely (including 2 years as a peace corps volunteer in Benin, West Africa) and now call Cleveland, Ohio my home base. I cherish spending time with family and friends, getting dirt under my fingernails in the garden, kayaking, throwing pottery on the wheel, singing loudly, taking long walks, and seriously seeking the world’s best wood-fired pizza (recommendations welcome!).

Overall, I feel deeply blessed to meet folks wherever they are on their journey of faith and partner with them toward a deeper, more meaningful and revitalized spiritual life.  I look forward to sharing this journey together with you.

Your fellow imperfect pilgrim, Sharon

Rev. Sharon Seyfarth Garner, Founding Director, Belly of the Whale Spiritual Direction & Retreat Ministries

About Our Name.

"Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the whale."  Jonah 2:1

Just as Jonah encountered God in the

"belly of the whale,"

we also long for

a safe space

to encounter God -

space where we can

express our spiritual longings,

ask the challenging questions,

and nurture a genuine relationship with God.

Spiritual Direction and Spiritual Formation Retreats

provide just this sort of safe space

- amidst our often stormy and busy lives -

to nurture a deeper and more meaningful relationship with God.