This course is about the purpose and practice of Spiritual Direction. Drawing its inspiration from the insights of Ignatius of Loyola, the focus of attention is the person’s relationship with God. The core of each session will be threefold: the experience of prayer itself, listening to one another’s experience of prayer, and reflecting on the experience of listening. Plenary input and discussions will explore key themes in the process of spiritual direction. Participants will need to come with a willingness to be open about their own relationship with God, as well as open to others who may be very different to them.
Each participant will be expected to offer regular spiritual listening to one person for six months during the course. Guidance will be given on how to find a pilgrim, and regular group supervision will be given by the team.
Participants are expected to assign some time each day for their own prayer. A written or oral journal of reflections on listening experiences will be kept, and there will be reading/assignments to complete between sessions. Approximately 2.5 hours per week (in addition to personal prayer time) should be allowed for this.
More information and how to apply is given on the Spiritual Direction Courses page