SOUL FRIEND TRAINING PROGRAM

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION CERTIFICATE

BECOME A SOUL FRIEND AND A SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR
DEEPEN 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 Irish 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 Soul Friend Training Program which is also a Certificate in Spiritual Direction program. 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 the Soul Friend and Spiritual Direction training program then first you will need to participate in our Thresholds program. The Thresholds program is a 9-month program which provides foundational learning experiences in the Celtic perspective as well as Celtic and Contemplative spiritual growth practices. The Thresholds program serves as the first half of the Soul Friend and Spiritual Direction training program and is a prerequisite for the training program. Here is the link to the Thresholds program. It begins in September of 2024 and runs from September to May.

The Soul Friend and Spiritual Direction Training program is separate from Thresholds but is essentially the second year of the training. After completing the Thresholds program you will let us know of your interest to continue and, if that is a good fit for you, then we will be glad to enroll you in the Training program.

In the Training program you will deepen your knowledge and experience of the Celtic perspective and learn about God’s work in and through the human developmental process. 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.

PREREQUISITE

In order to enroll in the Soul Friend Training: Spiritual Direction Certificate Program, you must first complete the Thresholds program. The Thresholds program will ground you in Celtic Christian Spirituality. You will build upon that foundation in this program as you prepare to be a Soul Friend or Spiritual Director for others.

CLASS

You will watch three pre-recorded lectures to learn basic principles of Soul Friend and Spiritual Direction work.

Listening: Attuned to the Spirit
Responding: Opening not Closing
Practice: Use of Texts and Spiritual Practice.

LEARNING AND PRACTICE GROUPS

You will meet for nine 3-hour sessions with your training group. The focus areas of the group are:

Learning about the work and skills of the Soul Friend and Spiritual Director through discussion of the class lectures and additional readings.
Teachings and experiences related to Celtic and Contemplative spiritual practices.
Supporting one another’s growth as a care-giver and as a growing individual. You will be encouraged in both your care-giving work toward others as well as your own incorporation of Celtic and contemplative practices in your own life.
Practicing Soul Friending and Direction with one another and receiving feedback and training concerning your work.

READING & WRITING

You will read six relevant books on Celtic spirituality, contemplative practice, and the art of soul friending and spiritual direction. For each book you will write a brief reflection highlighting the main points of the text and its relevance to your learning and skills.

You will also write a paper on the Art of Spiritual Direction. Additionally, you will write up two verbatims taken from your work with two people as their soul friend or spiritual director.

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. The nine group meetings are required and meet on Mondays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 pm (U.S. Pacific Time Zone). The dates are listed below. You will watch the Soul Friend training videos and do the book reading on your own schedule. However, you will need to have watched the class or read the book before specific 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 on Wednesdays at 5:00 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 2025-2026 Schedule:

(All times are listed in the U.S. Pacific Time Zone)

Sept 22, 2025, 9:00 am - 11:00 am

Oct 20, 2025, 9:00 am - 11:00 am

Nov 17, 2025, 9:00 am - 11:00 am

Dec 15, 2025, 9:00 am - 11:00 am

Jan 26, 2026, 9:00 am - 11:00 am

Feb 23, 2026, 9:00 am - 11:00 am

March 23, 2026, 9:00 am - 11:00 am

April 20, 2026, 9:00 am - 11:00 am

May 18, 2026, 9:00 am - 11:00 am

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). Additionally, please note that your personal spiritual director and supervisor may require a payment for their work with you. If that is the case, then you will be responsible for paying them directly, and that payment is in addition to the fee for the program.

APPLYING

The Thresholds program must be completed before enrolling in the Soul Friend Training: Spiritual Direction Certificate program. Toward the end of the Thresholds program you will have an opportunity to let us know if you would like to go further by enrolling in this program. We will then help you determine if this program will be a good fit for you and, if so, we will be glad to have you in this second year of training. Groups are usually between 5 and 10 participants per group, however, if there are less than 4 participants registered then we may ask you to wait until the next training cycle to begin the program.

QUESTIONS?

If you have questions, please let us know by clicking on the contact button below.

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