Art of Spiritual Companionship (ASC) is the new name for Arizona Ecumenical Institute for Spiritual Directors (AEISD) which began in September of 2003 with a cohort of students who would be trained and certified as spiritual directors. The process, the instructors, and the students reflect the ecumenical nature of the program. ASC is a member of Spiritual Directors International, which is both an ecumenical and interfaith organization. ASC offers three programs:
OASIS IN THE DESERT is an eight-month program that meets once a month from October to May. It is a spiritually based community which fosters discernment and reflection of one’s personal life questions and internal journey. It is intended to nurture and guide a person through times of change and issues that require reflection and discernment such as marriage/separation, births/deaths, employment/under-employment and for any transition issues that life presents. The sessions begin in October and end in May. They are conducted on Saturdays at the Franciscan Renewal Center from 9am to 4pm.
FOUNDATIONS IN SPIRITUALITY is a series of six one-day programs including Introduction to Christian Spirituality, Hebrew Scriptures, Christian Scriptures, Christology, and Human and they qualify as prerequisites for entry into the Spiritual Directors Training Program. Sessions are on Saturdays from 9am to 4pm including lunch, from September to March (no Dec. class). Sessions can be taken individuality or as a block of six sessions.
SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR'S TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAM is a sixteen-month course that includes integrative seminars, retreats, and a supervised practicum that trains and certifies a person to act as a spiritual mentor and guide to others. The program begins in January of year one and ends in May of year two with a 2 month summer break in July and August. Distant and on-line options can be explored.
For more information, visit their website or call Brent Smith, Director, at 480-948-0707 ext.124, email: spirit@spiritcompanions.org.