What is the 3-Day Orientation?
Stillpoint offers an exceptional educational experience to introduce you to the ancient art of spiritual direction: the practice of companioning others on their spiritual journey.
This program is designed as a small group, experience-based approach for you to explore your own call to become a spiritual director. Your participation will help you discover how your spiritual life can develop, how spiritual direction work can be a powerful resource for you and others, and how you can discern the next steps in your own spiritual journey.
Who should attend?
The 3-Day Orientation program is an intensive experience of the Spiritual Journey program and is designed specifically for those who already have training and practice in spiritual leadership, such as ordained clergy, chaplains, lay leaders and other soul care workers. This Introductory Orientation serves as a required prerequisite to Stillpoint's Southern California & Online two-year formation program in The Art of Spiritual Direction.
An interview is required as part of the application process to determine whether or not this program is appropriate for you.
This orientation is not for individuals who have completed or plan to participate in the Spiritual Journey program.
What will happen during the orientation?
We will begin in prayer and silence, and enjoy a variety of contemplative practices that illuminate our own spirituality. You will be invited through gentle exercises using prayer, self-reflection, memory, image, movement, journaling and deep listening. You will learn about the ancient ministry of spiritual direction, how directors/companions prepare for their work, and how they cultivate self care and ethical boundaries to sustain themselves. Seasoned spiritual directors from the Stillpoint faculty will facilitate your sharing and participation in small group work.
Program Faculty
When and where is it?
Register HERE.
The orientation occurs Online via Zoom over the course of 3 days in May:
Thursday, May 1, 2025
8:00am - 3:00pm PTFriday, May 2, 2025
8:00am - 3:00pm PTSaturday, May 3, 2025
8:00am - 11:30am
How much does it cost?
Total cost of the program is $450.
The registration fee includes 15 contact hours of small group instruction and a private 30-minute session with faculty.
Participants are responsible for purchasing two books.
Tuition Deadline is April 1, 2025.
Questions?
Contact Stillpoint’s Administrator, Krystle Hart khart@stillpointca.org.
Krystle Hart first learned about the art of holy listening as a young child in a Pentecostal Church, taught to attune oneself to the Spirit in prayer and seek what might be revealed through words and images. As her faith journey progressed, she found her home in contemplative spirituality and felt deeply drawn to the sacred work of spiritual direction. “There is no greater gift than being invited to listen for the holy as someone unfolds their sacred story.” Krystle resides in Long Beach, CA, serving as co-pastor of Parish Long Beach. She's a spiritual director, Stillpoint's Administrator and currently raising two wildly tender boys.
Vel Roman worked in Social Services for 43 years before retiring last year. Vel is a graduate of Stillpoint Spiritual Direction and Stillpoint Group Spiritual Direction Programs. Vel is a graduate of Compassion Based Soul Care: Internal Family Systems as a Model for Spiritual Companions. She is a Certified Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator and a Certified Trainer in Capacitar practices of Healing and Trauma Recovery, including collective and intergenerational trauma. Vel is a Spiritual Director at the Mary and Joseph Retreat Center in Palos Verdes. Vel enjoys yoga, body prayer, poetry and travel. Vel is active in anti-racism work, particularly within spiritual/religious circles.
Ravi Verma is Stillpoint's Program Director, a spiritual director and has worked professionally with churches and lay leaders for over 25 years. Ravi’s passion is to work with individuals and groups to build bridges between parts of ourselves, with others and the cosmos based on our connection to the Divine. Ravi, born in India, teaches at Stillpoint, and works with corporations, retreat centers, and non-profits on issues of spiritual formation. Ravi is a past member of the coordinating Council of Spiritual Directors International, the first global learning network of spiritual directors in history.