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SOUL FRIEND TRAINING PROGRAM
CELTIC CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION CERTIFICATE
BECOME A SOUL FRIEND
FURTHER YOUR EXPERIENCE OF THE CELTIC CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
ASSIST OTHERS ON THEIR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
The Celts had, and still have, a vital tradition of befriending one another with the goal of spiritual support, encouragement, and responsibility for one another. They called this friend a “soul friend”. In the Celtic Gaelic language that friend was an “Anam Cara”. They knew that our lives are best understood as part of the Life of God, and as is true about most things, Life is relational. One of the most basic forms of relationship is the communion between two souls. A soul friend is committed and skilled at relating in a way which holds the souls of each person with dignity and hope. Together they pay attention to the work of God’s Spirit. The Soul Friend helps to craft a life that is well lived, participates in inter-relatedness with God, and inspires others toward loving engagement with all people and the Earth.
To assist modern souls in this dedication to one another and to participate in God’s presence, love, and redemptive action, the Celtic Center offers a Certificate in Spiritual Direction. We want to help you in your own spiritual growth and responsibility as well as to be able to help others along their way. Although anyone can claim to be a Spiritual Director or Soul Friend, not everyone is ready for that sacred task. Being a wise companion requires a humility and dedication toward one’s own spiritual growth. The work requires study, practice, experience, failures, successes, and imagination. The Celtic Center would like to help you shape your experience and study time-tested spiritual development practices and perspectives so that you can ready yourself to offer guidance, friendship, and wisdom to others along their way. We have developed a holistic program toward this end and would be honored to have you join us.
You are always welcome to any individual seminar, learning event, community gathering, or spiritual practice. However, if you are interested in committing to the whole experience which leads to a Certificate in Spiritual Direction from the Celtic Center then please fill out an application by clicking the link above or below. You will learn themes of contemplative spirituality from a Celtic perspective thereby deepening your wisdom about God’s work in and through the human developmental process, and you will gain skills in effective listening, conversation, and spiritual disciplines with the goal of accompanying others as they seek their own Divine encounter.
These perspectives and skills are relevant to all of your life and relationships, and if you would like to participate in the program solely for your own enhancement then that is certainly encouraged. Others want to employ these skills in professional pastoral and spiritual direction work. This program offers both possibilities.
The Soul Friend training program consists of The Celtic Christian Perspective and Practice course with three online discussions of the course material, three additional online training courses, six group discussions with your cohort for contemplative practice and spiritual direction instruction, structured readings and writing assignments, personal spiritual direction, and supervised spiritual direction of others. You are welcome to work through the online course in whatever order serves your lifestyle and schedule although you may enjoy beginning with the Celtic Soul class as an introduction. The reading, writing, individual spiritual direction and supervision are accomplished on your own schedule. You will be guided along each step of the training experience.
The principles of Celtic Spirituality and the eternal truth carried by the beauty of Creation combine to create a rich soul-enhancing and well-informed learning experience. Upon acceptance to the program, you will receive complete details. You will find an overview below.
PROGRAM CONTENT
CLASS
CELTIC SPIRITUALITY COURSE
You will watch the three classes (two lessons per class) of The Celtic Christian Perspective and Practice course to learn of the Celtic tradition and spiritual practice and their relevance to our spiritual life today.
SOUL FRIEND TRAINING CLASSES
You will watch three classes designed specifically for the Soul Friend training program to learn the art of caring for others effectively and skillfully.
GROUPS
CLASS DISCUSSION
You will participate in three online discussion of the course material contained in The Celtic Christian Perspective and Practice course.
LEARNING AND PRACTICE GROUPS
You will meet six times with your cohort in an online group to discusses the three Soul Friend training classes as well as to practice the Soul Friend relationship with one another.
READING & WRITING
You will read several relevant books on Celtic spirituality, contemplative practice, and the art of spiritual direction. 10-15 texts will be required
You will have several written assignments which include a spiritual autobiography, verbatims of your work as a spiritual director, book reports, and papers to help you integrate the Celtic perspective with your relational Soul Friend work.
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
PERSONAL SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
You will be required to participate in your own spiritual direction by a trained spiritual director who supports the Celtic perspective throughout your time in the program.
OFFERING DIRECTION TO OTHERS
You will be required to offer spiritual direction to at least two other persons.
SOUL FRIEND SUPERVISION
You will be required to be supervised by a trained spiritual director as you offer direction to others.
SCHEDULE
The program runs partly on a fixed schedule and partly on your own timing. Most people take between 18 months and 2 years to complete the training. It is possible to complete the program in one year (while allowed this is not encouraged). You will begin your work in September with your cohort which will consist of 2 to 8 people. The course work and class discussion groups meet between September and April of the first year on Wednesday evenings (approximately 2 per month) from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. (U.S. Pacific Time Zone). You will be sent a specific schedule after you apply.
You can watch the course classes and the Soul Friend training videos on your own schedule. However, you will need to have watched the appropriate classes before specific discussion and training groups that will focus on that particular material. In addition, you will need to schedule your own spiritual direction, your work with the 2 people to which you will be offering spiritual direction, and your meetings with your supervisor.
Other experiences that you are encouraged, but not required, to attend include the monthly Community and Prayer online gathering and the Celtic Friends group which begins in September as well. Both of those options are also on Wednesdays from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. (U.S. Pacific Time Zone). Additionally, you are also encouraged to consider joining us for a pilgrimage to Inishmore, Ireland. There is no better way to deepen your understanding and appreciation of the Celtic tradition than to come with us to the very places that it all began to experience the ancient ones, the ruins of structures that hold the story, and the magnificent landscape of the Irish coast.
The 2023 - 2024 Schedule:
Sept. 6, 2023 - Celtic Soul Discussion Group (5:00 - 6:00 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time Zone)
Sept. 13, 2023 - Discussion and Practice of “Listening” (5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time Zone)
Oct. 4, 2023 - Celitc Way Discussion Group (5:00 - 6:00 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time Zone)
Oct. 11, 2023 - Discussion and Practice of “Responding” (5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time Zone)
Nov. 1, 2023 - Celtic Calling Discussion Group (5:00 - 6:00 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time Zone)
Nov. 8, 2023 - Discussion and Practice of “Practice” (5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time Zone)
Feb. 7, 2024 - Celtic Soul Discussion Group (5:00 - 6:00 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time Zone)
Feb. 14, 2024 - Discussion and Practice (5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time Zone)
March 6, 2024 - Celtic Way Discussion Group (5:00 - 6:00 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time Zone)
March 13, 2024 - Discussion and Practice (5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time Zone)
April 3, 2024 - Celtic Calling Discussion Group (5:00 - 6:00 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time Zone)
April 10, 2024 - Discussion and Practice (5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time Zone)
COST
The entire program is included in the cost. The total fee is $1600 which will need to be paid in full before the program begins each September. If you are able to pay the full fee then please consider that offering toward your own growth and professional development even if it stretches you a bit. If the cost is a deterrent in any way, then please contact us so that we can discuss your needs (for example, we may be able to set up smaller payments over time for you).
QUESTIONS?
We will send more details after you have been accepted into the program so that you can make a final decision about registering. If you have questions at this point then please let us know by clicking on the contact button below.