Hashpa'ah

An introduction to various styles of Hashpa’ah by observing and learning from the core faculty. In addition, spiritual practices through a Hashpa’ah lens will be experienced, including morning, afternoon and evening prayer services.  Talmidim will have their first experience of serving as a mashpia/spiritual director, under supervision.  A reflection paper on personal experiences as a mushpa/at/ directee is required before the intensive, and a reflection paper on the various sessions is due after the intensive.

This intensive focuses on the various types of rituals that may be brought into Hashpa’ah sessions, as well as those that might be assigned. Talmidim will have experience co-creating a closing ritual. Techniques of Group Spiritual Direction will be introduced, including Peer Group and Facilitated Group. The afternoon sessions will be devoted totalmidim leading their own groups under supervision as well as working one-on-one with a mushpa.

This intensive aims to help talmidim explore areas of knowing and doubt about how the Divine works in their lives and to articulate their current personal theologies, to be aware of issues others have, and be able to support them as a mashpia/ spiritual director. A secondary goal is for talmidim to be become sensitive to issues that seekers may have who come from other spiritual traditions, and to expand their skill sets with tools from other forms of spiritual guidance.

We will be guided by our deep, interactive study of Reb Zalman's groundbreaking work: From Age-ing to Sage-ing and our own experiences and personal insights generated through the application of his exercises, to discover how we might direct our own mushpa'im/'ot on the Sage-ing path.

Admission to the Hashpa'ah program is required for this course.

Objectives for the talmidim are to enlarge the scope of how guidance is felt; to understand that experiences of angels, ancestors and spirit guides may be real for people; and to increase a sense of comfort with modes of intercessory prayer.

Required papers include a pre-intensive reflection on personal prayer experiences from childhood on, as well as experiences with Guidance, and a post-intensive reflection on experiences with Guidance during the classes, and new approaches to personal prayer.

Admission to the Hashpa'ah program is required for this course.