Spiritual Formation: Phase II
Spiritual Direction Practicum
Spiritual Direction can best be summed up as the art of Contemplative listening carried out in the context of a one-to-one trusting relationship. It is when one competent guide journeys with another person, listening to that person’s life story with an ear for the movement of the Holy Spirit, of the Divine and offering response as is appropriate. An important component of listening is discernment of patterns and relationships that lead toward God or away from God. The director and directee become co-listeners or co-discerners who sit before the Word as it stirs in the heart of the directee.
In the ancient Christian tradition of spiritual direction it has always been understood that God is the director and the spiritual director assists the seeker in uncovering and discovering the direction of God in that person’s life. This enables the directee to receive and reverence God’s action and invitation in such a way that it elicits a natural and genuine response. We believe that God is active in all areas of life. Therefore, in addition to listening to the personal and interpersonal stories of others, spiritual directors are assisted to learn how to listen to the wider context of the directee’s life: the communal, organizational and environmental arenas in which people experience God acting in their lives.
The two-year spiritual direction practicum consists of :
- Three modules each year focused on Spiritual Direction, Christian Discernment, Adult Development
- A written integration paper for each module
- Required readings for each module (2-3 books per module and 2-3 articles)
- Experiential sessions that involve the participants in an adult learning model of small & large group work, prayer & reflection, individual presentations, art work, videos, etc.
- Peer group at each session
- Meeting directees for spiritual direction sessions outside session time (6-8 over the two years)
- One hour meeting with an individual spiritual direction mentor (assigned by staff) once a month outside session time for a total of nine meetings each year.
- Preparation of a spiritual direction conversation for each mentor meeting
- Continued development of a life of prayer and contemplation and on-going review of a personal Rule of Life
- Extensive study of the Spiritual Exercises and Guidelines for Discernment of St. Ignatius of Loyola
- Annual 4 or 6 day directed retreat
- On-going discernment of the call to the ministry of spiritual direction