Specialization Programme in The Art and Practice of Spiritual Direction.
What is Spiritual Direction?
Spiritual Direction is concerned with facilitating a person's growth and intimacy with the Divine, which leads to a proper relationship with all of creation. Spiritual Direction is a ministry in which the Spirit Director, helps another person, become aware of God, or the source of creation, in its self-communication and guides believers in living out the gift of that relationship. Providing guidance, therefore, requires understanding of the philosophy and psychology of spiritual practices and its transpersonal dynamics. This programme will develop mature ministers to effectively function in the art and science of spiritual mentoring through the supervised practice of Spiritual Direction.
Although much of the foundational knowledge and practices of the training are rooted in Christianity and Religious Science, the programme takes an Interfaith New Thought approach, and welcomes people from diverse faiths and Religious traditions. The courses also incorporate knowledge and practical tools gained from Transpersonal and Depth Psychology, and practical metaphysics to guide personal reflection and research to be completed. The specialization Incubation programme prepares students to integrate Universal principles of Spirituality and self-development, to serve as a bridge between academic, religion, and practical living, leading to a broader and more expansive understanding of consciousness and human transformation. Through scholarly exploration and research, the student will learn how to integrate compassionate service in a broad ecumenical, interpersonal, and cross-cultural understanding of faith in the way we live and express the Divine in the World.More about the Programme.
The programme is a stringent one year course unit (full time equivalent), but is available as a self-paced interactive two-year part time study, presented as blended online-learning and distance-education through a modular course system, and do include required attendance of practical retreats and workshops. The programme is presented at post graduate level and aims to provide the ministry professional with an advanced understanding of affording Divine Guidance and Directing the Spiritual Formation of believers, within the ministry context as specialist professional vocation.
The
programme includes ongoing online engagement through Spiritual-Coaching for
Personal Spiritual Direction and Formation, with an intensive on Personal
Development and the Practice of Spiritual Disciplines and Exercises that can be
implemented in their own practices. The developmental programme also
incorporate research theory and a project that will prepare the participant for
further formal academic training. The programme has a prerequisite of Counseling or Life-Coaching formal training hours, which will be offered as
additional modules to meet the required practical components.
Format and Costs.
The
programme is presented at R 5,220 per Module with additional academic mentoring
fee of R 1920 /month, and one practical retreat at R 8 500, plus accommodation.
(Final prices for workshops and retreats to be announced, pending on venue
availability and size of group). This programme is accredited towards a
post-graduate academic qualifications. For more details, please inquire.
The Five Core Modules:
The content of the theoretical, practical, and interactive sessions includes the following components.
- Philosophy of Spirituality & Spiritual Direction.
- Psychology of Religion.
- Spiritual Formation and Approach to Spiritual Education.
- Introduction to Contemporary Approaches to Spirituality.
- Introduction and Theory on Research Proposals.
The Practical Retreat:
The Practical Retreat is part of the Core requirement and include individual Spiritual Directing sessions, and supervisory practical sessions covering the following areas of focus:
- Counseling Basics and Coaching Essentials, and
- The Process of Spirit Directing with
Practical Sessions
- Supervision of Spiritual Direction and Guidelines for Ethical Conduct.