Spiritual Accompaniment
Course dates
The next two year programme will begin in October 2012, offered over monthly sessions comprising Friday 1:30-6:30pm & Saturday 10:00- 4:00pm.
Please contact us for more information on 2012 course requirements, costs, course content and programme dates.
About the course
Spiritual accompaniment in the Ignatian tradition is based on the assumption that God is present and active in our lives and that through reflection and prayer we can become more sensitive to this presence. Through discernment, and sometimes with the accompaniment of another person, we are invited to ‘find God in all things’, to notice how God is drawing us in our everyday, concrete experiences and how we respond to this invitation of God.
This course is for people who wish to explore the skills and gifts of accompanying others on their faith journey. It is based in the Ignatian tradition, drawing its inspiration from the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola.
As a broad based course it is expected that participants will find different uses for what they learn - for example, informal spiritual conversation, prayer guiding, general use in ministry/life, beginning to offer spiritual direction. Indeed, a significant part of the course will involve ongoing discernment for each person about whether, and in what ways, they are called to accompany others in faith.
Some of the topics covered in the course include:
- Prayer - exploration of different methods and traditions
- Active listening
- Images of God, Jesus, self
- Spiritual conversation
- Discernment - what draws us to God and what gets in the way
- Decision making
- Prayer guiding in daily life (for example parish / community retreats)
- Codes of Ethics and boundaries in faith accompaniment
- Using supervision
- Ongoing spiritual direction
The course will include different methods of learning and reflection, including:
- Personal prayer and reflection
- Listening and observation in small groups (eg triads)
- Input from the team
- Group and individual exercises related to accompaniment
- Small group sharing
- Some reflective written work
- Guided reading
- Ongoing self-assessment and discernment with a supervisor
Participants are expected to be receiving ongoing spiritual direction during the course - the Centre can provide names of directors if necessary.
We encourage those who have not made the full Spiritual Exercises (either in a residential 30 day retreat or in daily life over a number of months) to complete the Exercises before the beginning of the second year of the course. An experiential knowledge of the process of the Spiritual Exercises will be helpful at this stage of the course. Undertaking the Spiritual Exercises is not included in the suggested offering for the Two Year Accompaniment Course. However, we will do our best to help with advice about the best way for each person to approach this.
Given the nature of the course, which includes group work and experiential training, a high degree of attendance is expected from participants. The 2012 programme will take place over two years. Each year will comprise three ‘terms’ of monthly sessions held Friday 1:30-6:30pm & Saturday 10:00-4:00pm.
If you would like further information please contact us.
Location
The Ignatian Spirituality Centre, 35 Scott Street, Glasgow, G3 6PE. Find it on Google Maps »
Suggested donation
Please contact us for more information on cost of the forthcoming course. Note:if you undertake the full Spiritual Exercises during the course this requires a separate offering.