These Monthly two-hour groups are integral to the Program. Participants are expected to attend thirty at-home presentations (fifteen meetings with two presentations or thirty meetings with one presentation). You will be expected to present yourself five of these times.

You are responsible for discernment about what peer group will best serve your needs for spiritual direction.  You are also responsible for ensuring that your peer group follows Shalem's guidelines. If you are joining an existing peer group, you should be clear that you are joining as a peer. You should also ask that the group review Shalem guidelines, revisiting the spirit undergirding these guidelines, and be willing to follow the guidelines. Shalem sees the peer group process as providing spiritual direction for the presenter around a direction relationship.

Peer groups should be made up of from three to five people (in addition to yourself) who are offering spiritual guidance to individuals. They need to be willing to meet for a two-hour session once a month except for summertime. The meetings can be scheduled differently, if necessary, as long as the group meets for 30 presentations. If a group is also meeting for extended faith sharing, support for ministry, etc., it will be necessary to plan a separate time for this or to extend the length of the meeting so the time needed for presentations can be honored. The other members do not need to be Program participants, but they should be involved in giving and receiving spiritual direction. As planned, each two-hour meeting begins with prayer led by the convener. After this, one of the members presents a spiritual direction relationship (for about 15 minutes), followed by a few minutes of silent prayerful reflection, and then the group responds for about one-half hour. After a brief break, another member presents, again followed by silent reflection and discussion. The meeting closes with a brief processing time and ending prayer. Members of the group alternate as presenters and conveners; conveners keep track of the time during each meeting.

We encourage participants to form peer groups that are as heterogeneous as possible in terms of age, Denomination, sex, clergy/laity, etc., because such a mix leads to a much richer process. We understand, however, that in certain geographic areas this type of mix may not be possible. If you are unaware of other people in your area who are giving and receiving spiritual direction or guidance, you may find it valuable to check with convents, monasteries, and retreat centers for suggestions. Since "spiritual direction" or even "spiritual guidance" are still somewhat foreign terms in certain denominations and areas, you also might want to check with pastors of local churches to see if they can identify people who seem called to be personal companions for others in their spiritual journeys, to whom people seem to come to talk about their experiences of God, practices of prayer and meditation, and discernment of how God's spirit seems to be working and inviting them in their lives. It has been our experience that such people can be found just about everywhere.

Though some might feel it presumptuous to call themselves "spiritual directors," they usually are willing to admit that they do seem to have been called to at least be "spiritual friends," and that they do offer support and guidance to others. It has also been our experience that most people who offer spiritual direction, either formally or informally, are very grateful to have an opportunity to meet in a group such as this where they can share and reflect upon their experience and grow together in this ministry.

Upon acceptance, Shalem will send associates a detailed set of peer group guidelines and a CD of a sample peer group meeting. We try to be very specific in helping these groups get going, because we feel the group's atmosphere is essential to the overall process of the Program. For example, we encourage a prayerful, open attitude in the meetings in contrast to psychological "case presentation" analysis or "theological discussion." We hope that the meetings will assume the nature of spiritual direction for the presenter, so we encourage presenters to present themselves in relation to a directee rather than presenting a directee. We feel it is very important that the members of the group be able to pray quietly together, to share their faith experiences with each other, and grow in trust so they can comfortably ask each other personal questions about prayer and experiences of grace and of God.

After the group has begun, and before the first residency, we request a tape of one group meeting in which the Program participant is presenting. We will then provide suggestions and feedback about the content and process of the group. Peer groups will also be formed among participants at each residency; this will provide additional help and understanding for the conduct of the at-home groups. We hope that the at-home peer group will provide a rich and on-going source of support and accountability for its members long after the Program is over.

If you would like to apply for this program or need additional information, contact Katy Gaughan the Program Registrar at 301-897-7334 x202 or download the application form (PDF) now.