Certificate Program in Spiritual Direction

Greetings, friend in Christ!

Welcome to Selah ~ a program, a ministry, and a way of being with God that we offer in spiritual direction. Spiritual direction is a gift that’s nurtured more than a skill that’s taught. Thus Selah (the program) and selah (the Hebrew word occurring in the psalms) craft a space for nurturing the holy mystery of what happens when we pause reflectively, in listening attentiveness to God. While everyone can grow in this awareness, we believe that God calls some among us to a deeper ministry of spiritual attentiveness and companionship, and we’d like to nurture that gift within you! Here's a glimpse of how our approach is defined:

Selah is intentionally Trinitarian in theology

Paying attention to how God the Father is actively shaping a person's life through the Holy Spirit in ways that form them ever more deeply into the image of Christ.

Selah is intentionally contemplative in style

Characterized by an attentive resting in Christ's presence in the direction time, noticing the movement and activity of the Holy Spirit.

Selah is intentionally Biblical in grounding

Drawing our understanding of God and his ways from the Scriptures.

In this threefold context, we grow from the wisdom and experience of the Church, through readings in the classics of spiritual formation, and through the learned practice of spiritual direction together.

Selah's curriculum is designed to nurture each participant in two main areas: a foundational understanding of the theology of spiritual formation (through faculty teaching during retreat residencies, and reading and reflection assignments in between residencies), and the central practice of spiritual direction (through small group experiences in retreat residencies, and individual experiences of offering spiritual direction and reflecting on it with a Selah faculty supervisor in between residencies).

Please check out the Selah Details (and other links at top right), which will give you a fuller idea of who we are and what it's like to be part of our Selah community.  Feel free to contact me directly if I may be of further help to you!

A Residential Model

We believe that the skills necessary to attentive listening are learned best in attentive space--away from the busyness and distractions of daily responsibilities. Hence Selah is designed around a number of “residencies” over a two-year period, each of several days/nights in duration where, in the prayerful context of living in community in a retreat center, we grow in biblical spiritual theology, in contemplative spiritual direction practice and skill, and in experiencing the presence of our Triune God together. Selah-West residencies are held near Phoenix, AZ; Selah-East residencies are held in New England and in the mid-Atlantic region; Selah-Europe residencies are held in eastern France and Scotland. (Each geographical cohort stands on its own; applicants choose either Selah-West, Selah-East, or Selah-Europe, and journey with the same cohort through the two years.) In between each residency, participants will be required to continue course work and course practice, which will provide much of the growth we bring into our times together.

A STRONG AND GIFTED FACULTY MIX (click for bios)

APPLICATION SEASON NOW OPEN FOR THE 2021-2023 COHORTS (SELAH-EAST, SELAH-WEST, AND SELAH-EUROPE)! RESIDENCY DATES AND LOCATIONS ARE LISTED BELOW. YOU'LL FIND FULLER DETAILS ABOUT SELAH'S CURRICULUM, APPLICANT PREPARATION, TUITION PLAN AND APPLICATION PROCESS ON THE LINKS ON THE TOP RIGHT SIDE OF THIS PAGE ("SELAH-USA DETAILS," "SELAH-EUROPE DETAILS,” AND “SELAH APPLICATION"). (NOTE: WE WILL HOLD ALL RESIDENCIES AS SCHEDULED. IF CURRENT HEALTH SAFETY MEASURES AND TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS KEEP US FROM MEETING IN-PERSON AT A RETREAT CENTER AS PLANNED, THAT PARTICULAR RESIDENCY WILL MOVE ONLINE, AND PARTICIPANTS WILL BE REFUNDED THE PORTION OF THEIR TUITION REPRESENTED BY THE RETREAT CENTER COST.) IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, PLEASE EMAIL US AT admin@leadershiptransformations.org.