Hesychia School of Spiritual Direction

Description of Classes – 2022

Weeks I-IV

Week One

Welcome to Hesychia

Our first class is designed to introduce you to the program and its leadership,

your fellow participants, and the Hesychia School of Spiritual Direction.

Instructors: Pat Grile and Lee Morrison

direction as the directee is companioned to open to the mystery of God,

experience the sacredness of the present moment, nurture the inner silence and

spaciousness where the true self is in communion with God, and invites living in

union with God/Holy Love/the Divine and all that exists.

Instructor: Cheryl Lehman

Reading Triads

A discussion on assigned readings – Spiritual Direction101: The Basics of Spiritual

Guidance by Teresa Blythe; The Practice of Spiritual Direction: by William Barry

and William J. Connelly; Holy Listening: The Art of Spiritual Direction: by Margaret

religious belief. We study systematically the focus of our relationship with God.

In spiritual direction, we specifically study our personal relationship with God. In

this class we will explore how theology is linked to spiritual direction.

Instructor: Pat Grile

Distinguishing Spiritual Direction from Other Helping Relationships

While counseling helps us work through or resolve problems in our lives and

relationships, spiritual direction is about the spiritual life, our relationship with

God and the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This presentation will

fathers and mothers and what the contemplative tradition of spiritual direction

and hesychia are all about.

Instructor: David Denny

Openings and Blocks

This class focuses on the concepts and the terminology we use for the movements

of the Spirit in spiritual direction. Openings are those moments where it appears

the Spirit is breaking something open; Blocks are those moments when spiritual

directors inadvertently get in the way of what the Spirit is doing or lead the

session “off track.”

Instructors: Faculty Members

Attending and Responding Skills

In the non-directive or evocative method of spiritual direction, which we teach

and promote at HSSD, attending and responding skills form the core of a spiritual

director’s toolkit. Throught instruction and example, we will explore these

essential practical skills.

Instructor: Shirin McArthur

Non-Violent Communication in Spiritual Direction

Marshall Goldberg’s NVC (Non-Violent Communication) concepts translate well

contemplative presence and listening.

Practicum Small Groups (PSG)

Students will have the opportunity to practice spiritual direction, alternating as a

director; or a directee, while other students participate as observers. The primary

objective of the PSG is to have the student director experiencing Openings and

Blocks with helpful comments from observers, all facilitated by experienced

spiritual directors.

The Way of the Spiritual Journey

This session looks at the many stages that humans frequently move through as

they seek God along a spiritual path. It will provide you with a framework to help

you assist a person regardless of where they may be on their journey.

Instructor: Deborah Giles

ways.

Week Two

Introduction to Interfaith Spirituality

What does it mean to do spiritual guidance work in a multi-faith world? This

class helps you prepare for the presentations you will receive in the week-long

exploration of spiritual guidance in many traditions.

Instructor: Mary E. Wildner-Bassett

Instructor: Maurice Nutt

Spiritual Direction for the “Spiritual but not Religious”

Persons coming for spiritual direction might give voice to deep spiritual longings

and existential questions without identifying with a particular religious tradition

or framework. This class will provide important awareness, vocabulary, the “why”

Panel Discussion on Spiritual Direction in Interreligious Context

This panel discussion aims to help students learn how to support people of

various religious traditions on their spiritual journey. Three speakers from the

Buddhist, Islam and Jewish traditions will briefly share the essential tenets of

their particular religious tradition. They will address questions that pertain to

reflection is included.

Instructors: Faculty Members

Living in Transition – the Transition Journey, Forgiveness

Transition is the process of moving from one known state to an unknown state

with an interval of uncertainty between. It is our personal response to a shift in

the situations of our lives, physical, mental, emotional, environmental, social and

spiritual. Transition is a journey or “pilgrimage” from ending (beginning), in

between and new beginning. Each one of us traverse transitions differently, but

the process can be a journey of healing and transformation. Forgiveness is one of

the issues facing a person on the transition journey. It is one of the most difficult

important considerations for the spiritual director. With the use of several

vignettes, the spiritual director will sharpen their capacity to be fully present and

be able to recognize their own “hooks,” challenges, and invitations as they offer

spiritual direction/companioning.

Instructor: Cheryl Lehman

Principles of Spiritual Discernment

Discernment is one spiritual practice that brings many people to spiritual

direction. It means “faithful choices,” and there are many ways to help a person

discern around their life choices. Principles from the Quaker and Ignatian

traditions will be presented.

Instructor: Teresa Blythe

12-Step Spirituality

The Oxford Group’s highly successful Alcoholic Anonymous program (and its

many offshoot organizations) has had an enormous impact on spirituality in the

United States. Many people coming for spiritual direction will refer to “12-step

spirituality” as their faith tradition. This class outlines the 12 steps and discusses

Instructor:

Putting it All Together and Invitation to Personal Questions, Reflections

This class, at the end of week II, allows a lot of time for discussion and

what the person with trauma needs, and get tips on how to handle those times

Writing as Spiritual Practice

Whether or not you see yourself as a writer, the written word has an important

place in the spiritual journey. We will explore our relationship to words and our

instructor will evoke from you some writings about your spiritual life.

Instructor: Shirin McArthur

(Richard Rohr), or the deconstruction of theological certainties, or experiencing

the “dark night.”

Instructor: Deborah Giles

Clearness Committee

One type of group spiritual direction is the Clearness Committee, a Quaker

practice of communal discernment. The class will form a clearness committee to

help a designated focus person with a discernment question. Time for debriefing

and questions will conclude the session.

Instructor: Shirin McArthur

Desert Day of Prayer (schedule attached)

Pennington -- set out to modernize contemplative prayer practices from the

direction/companionship.

Setting up a Spiritual Direction Practice

This is our “nuts and bolts” class about how to let the world know you are

accepting directees and what to do once you get them. Covers issues of where to

offer direction, how to market yourself, how to ask for and receive compensation,

and ways to network in the community.

Instructor: Laura Lies

Gender Fluidity and Spiritual Direction