Spiritual Direction: Mystery
Spiritual Direction: Mystery and Spiritual Direction: Wisdom are the next level of our supervised program for those who want to become spiritual directors or to make spiritual guidance a part of their ministry.
Wisdom and Mystery are offered in alternating years. You can take one or both parts in any order.
Who can sign up for Spiritual Direction: Mystery?
Spiritual Direction: Foundations is a prerequisite for taking Spiritual Direction: Mystery. A spiritual direction training program similar to Foundations may be substituted for the prerequisite with approval from the instructor.
What will I learn in Spiritual Direction: Mystery?
The Mystery seminar focuses primarily (although not exclusively) on the ineffable presence and activity of God as experienced in the lives of directees. Topics may include:
- God’s salvation in darkness
- Desert and apophatic spiritualities
- Working with rather than against sexuality
- Recognizing and collaborating with the Holy Spirit
- Sabbath as a context for living with God in time
- Reframing and recontextualizing contexts
- Identifying healthy and unhealthy spiritualities
- Using ritual actions
- Honing visual perception
- Learning the language of the body
- Helping directees move from loneliness to solitude
- Working with people in brief, short-term ways
Will I come to campus or work from home?
The Mystery seminar requires a total of eight days of class plus reading, supervision, and several short assignments. The seminar is offered in person and online. Students may choose which format they prefer.
What kind of work will we be doing?
You鈥檒l immerse yourself in both the theory and practice of spiritual guidance through:
- Interactive classroom presentations
- Mentoring and supervision from instructor
- Group prayer
- Practical, directed reading and writing assignments
- Regular meetings with directees of your own
What will be expected of me as a participant?
- Attend all sessions and keep up with all assignments.
- Offer regular spiritual direction to at least two people during the year, preferably three.
- Receive regular spiritual direction from your own director.
- Present three cases for supervision.
- Choose a spiritual practice that you want to maintain for the duration of the seminar.聽
Will I receive academic credit?
You won’t receive academic credit, but 3.2 CEUs (Continuing Education Units) are available for completing this seminar.
Schedule
Spiritual Direction: Mystery meets for eight days over the course of one academic year, beginning in October and ending in May.
Contact
Email us or call 574.296.6269.
