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SPIRITUAL COMPANIONS CERTIFICATE
Practical Information and How to Apply
1. GENERAL
This course consists of 10 weekends. First there are 5 public weekend workshops, four of which must be attended before you can join the Certificating Group. You can attend the public weekends over any period of time that suits you. These public workshops are repeated at least twice a year in London and Glastonbury.
You can apply for and sign on to the Certificating five weekends after you have attended OR are about to attend the five public workshops.
The Certificating Group then meets for a further 5 weekends to deepen, assess and integrate the material.
2. DATES for the Certificating Weekends
GLASTONBURY 2010
4/5 September; 2/3 October; 23/24 October (CHANGED This was originally 30/31 October); 20/21 November; 18/19 December.
All weekends are non-residential, start at 10.00 am and end at 5.00 pm.
3. NUMBERS
The group is limited to 16 people. It will only run it if we have more than 12.
4. COURSE PROCESS AND HOME GROUPS
These weekends are not like my public workshops. They are much more relaxed and communal. We work together and I enjoy being a member of group of equals. I step back from teaching and facilitate a process in which everyone looks at their daily spiritual practice and development. I do expect my companions to be engaged in daily practice from the very start of the course.
Companions will also be formed into small mutually supporting home groups who will connect informally outside our weekends.
5. COURSE BOOK/MANUAL
There is a Course Book/Manual. We do not work page-by-page through it, but it is there to clarify and sits in the background as support. If you are seriously considering doing this course but are uncertain, you can contact us for a digital version of the course book.
6. ASSESSMENT
6.1 Introduction
Essentially spiritual practice is a private and personal affair so why are we doing assessment in the first place? We agree that successful completion of the Course will rest with your own self-assessment. But our purpose is also to create a training that is meaningful for the mainstream where most of us work. This requires an assessment process that other people can see as being valid and that will support our working and personal life.
6.2 Biography, Process and Current Example
By the end of the Course, we ask that every student produce a written document, which describes their relationship with each of the Spiritual Companions Guidelines. This is a short autobiographical essay (2k to 5k words) and can be written in any style. We are not concerned with grammar and punctuation. If you are not comfortable with writing, then we will find another way of delivering the biography, such as audio or artwork.
a. How you first became aware of each Guideline
b. How you then worked with it and the difficulties and successes of your process
c. If someone were watching, examples of its practice in your daily life
6.3 Self-Assessment
You yourself need to be able confidently to state that, as best you can, you are consciously working with the guidelines.
6.4 Peer Group Assessment
Early on in the course you will join a ‘buddy’ and support group. By the end of the Course, you and your buddies, following careful procedures, will mutually assess each other and need to agree that you are living and practicing the Guidelines.
6.5 Tutors Assessment
I as as your Tutor also affirm that you are up-to-speed. And then we have one External Tutor (a friendly Spiritual Companion who has also been through this whole process) to confirm that our assessment has integrity.
7. APPLICATION
If you would like to apply to be on this course, please send us the following information:
(It is completely confidential and only intended to help us support you better.)
Name:
Address:
Telephone number:
Email address:
Let us have a few paragraphs in answer to the following questions
• What set you on the path of spiritual development?
• What do you hope to get from this course?
• Please describe any significant events in your physical and mental healthcare history.
• Are your home circumstances supportive to your doing this course? If they are challenging, please tell us.
• Who and what are your significant influences – teachers, books, events and inner experiences?
• Please let us also have a cv or history of your education and work experience.
Either email this information, preferably as a Word document, to ana-at-williambloom-dot-com (we have written it like this to avoid spam. Use the usual '@'). Or send a printed copy to Ana Morgan, PO Box 2809, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 8XQ.
APPLICATION DATE
Applications for the Glastonbury Course need to be in by 23 June 2010.
7. COURSE FEES
Public Workshops — The five public workshops – which can be taken in any sequence that suits you – are paid for on an individual basis. There are discounts for booking on more than one at the same time. (2 workshops = 10% discount. 3 = 15%. 4 = 20%. 5 = 25%.) There also the concessionary prices.
Five Certificating Weekends — Because of the recession, we have devised what we hope is a fair way for helping students on low incomes. The administrative costs (room hire etc) create a basic cost of £250. (£50 per weekend.) All students must pay this £250 either in advance or staggered over the 5 months.
The rest of the fee is flexible, according to your ability to pay. You can either pay a lump sum in advance — or make a donation at each weekend.
The original course fee including Course Book and tutorial support was £725, so you can use that for guidance. EG Those of you who are on an average wage or above, or with comfortable savings, can simply pay the £725 up front.
We hope this is clear. If you have any queries, please contact us.
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