Curriculum

Each intensive focuses on a theme within spiritual direction and includes related contemplative spiritual practices. Students meet in peer groups to learn skills and the practical art of spiritual direction. Students complete learning activities and assignments on the Canvas platform in preparation for each intensive.

  • Theology of Spiritual Direction - February (Year A)
    • Theme: Discernment and Ignatian Spirituality
    • Practices: Silence, Ignatian Examen, Ignatian Prayer of Imagination with scripture
    • Skills: Self-awareness/examination, paying attention, developing a contemplative stance

    Instruction sessions:

    • What is spiritual direction? Developing a working definition and understanding of spiritual direction
    • Ignatian theology and spirituality - Understanding the foundation of spiritual direction in the theology and practice of Ignatius of Loyola and the Jesuits
    • Discernment - Understanding the theology and importance of discernment for spiritual direction
    • Practices of Ignatian spirituality for spiritual direction - Practicing the Ignatian Examen for discernment
    • Group spiritual direction - Learn and practice spiritual direction in your peer group in a space of mutuality and companionship
  • Practices and Expressions (Diversity) of Spiritual Direction - August (Year A)
    • Theme: Contemplative Practices and Diverse Expressions of Spiritual Direction
    • Practices: Centering prayer, mindfulness
    • Skills: Listening, responding, empathy

    Instruction sessions:

    • Spiritual practices and Prayer - An introduction to a variety of spiritual practices for spiritual direction
    • Spiritual Direction, Silence, and Mindfulness - The practice of presence and of mindfulness
    • Spiritual Direction and Mysticism
    • Soul Care and the African American Tradition - Practices of spirituality and pastoral care in the Black Church
    • Spiritual Direction and Gender/Culture/Race/Class
  • History and Traditions of Spiritual Direction - February (Year B)
    • Themes: The Early Church, Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions in spiritual direction
    • Practices: Prayer with icons, lectio divina, music
    • Skills: Open-ended responses and questions

    Instruction sessions:

    • Spiritual Direction within and through the Bible
    • Spiritual Direction within Early Christianity and the Catholic Church
    • Spiritual Direction within Protestantism
    • Spiritual Direction in the Celtic Tradition
    • Practice of peer supervision - Learn and practice the guidelines, purpose, and content of supervision for use within peer groups during the second year
  • Art of Spiritual Direction - August (Year B)
    • Themes: Practices for wellbeing in spiritual direction
    • Practices: forgiveness, creative arts
    • Skills: Embodied prayer, Gifts in spiritual direction

    Instruction sessions:

    • Spiritual Direction and Mental Health
    • Forgiveness and Spiritual Direction
    • Spiritual Direction and Sacred Activism
    • Spiritual Direction and Creativity (use of arts, sexuality?, embodied life)
    • Spiritual Direction and Stages in the Adult Spiritual Journey (boundaries)
    • Tools for Spiritual Direction-Enneagram, etc.