School of Accompaniment and Spiritual Direction
A transformative journey in which our students are nurtured and instructed in the areas of prayer, healing and growth for their spiritual development and to accompany and direct others.
An Enabling Environment
The People of Praise School of Accompaniment and Spiritual Direction (POP SASD) is a ministry of the People of Praise Community in Trinidad and is dedicated to supporting our students on their spiritual journey and preparing them to support others in their quest for wholeness and holiness. It aims to teach Christian men and women the art of accompaniment and spiritual direction. This transformative process involves prayer, study and mentoring, closely walking in the footsteps of the spiritual masters of prayer and spirituality.
We provide students with instructions and opportunities to discover and explore the levels of prayer and to immerse themselves into a lifestyle of prayer.
Students will be able to identify fundamental obstacles to growth and how to overcome them, understanding the significance of detachment for spiritual life, and practicing the presence of God. We also provide opportunities for personal healing and empower students to bring others into healing and wholeness through learnt pastoral skills and the working of the Holy Spirit.
Students will be given ample opportunity to practice spiritual direction under the supervision of trained directors. We emphasize the ethics of accompaniment and spiritual direction. “Let light shine out o darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ”. (2 Corinthians 4:6)
The People of Praise School of Accompaniment and Spiritual Direction
We aim at inspiring our students to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more in their respective journeys of life through understanding their relationship with Jesus Christ and the Church’s spiritual masters.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The People of Praise School of Accompaniment and Spiritual Direction is modelled on that of the Alleluia School of Spiritual Direction and has enlisted qualified, faith-filled teachers from across the country and abroad. The program does not require any papers or exams, except for a final practicum and evaluation. The course offerings consist of three modules that are both challenging and designed to build the skills necessary for effective accompaniment and spiritual direction. We teach a method of direction known as the Contemplative-Evocative approach. The program focuses on prayer, healing, and growth, which is why extended prayer time is included in each two-week training session.
Daily activities consist of praise, worship, and prophecy, supported by scriptural confirmation. Participants engage in group sharing, active listening, and journaling, as it is essential to express and listen to what the Lord reveals during our prayer time. This practice is vital for helping students share their spiritual journeys with their spiritual director.
Session On Prayer
Students will learn how to pray with scripture and how to teach their directees to do the same. The curriculum will include developing a personal plan of life and methods for reviewing their prayer practices. This will be informed by the Ignatian Principle & Foundation and the Examen, which help directees maintain a grounded approach to prayer. As stated in Matthew 6:6, “When you pray, go to your room, close your door, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Session On Healing
Spiritual direction will be viewed as a healing process in itself, as the relationship between the director and the directee develops under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We will review the differences between psychology, counseling, and spiritual direction, as well as how to identify potential mental health issues and when to refer individuals to professionals. “Jesus bore our sins in his own body on the cross, so that dead to sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds, we have been healed.” — 1 Peter 2:24
Session On Growth
We provide students with instruction on identifying our root sins, understanding the significance of detachment for spiritual life, and practicing the presence of God. While receiving supervision as a practicing director, we emphasize the ethics of accompaniment and spiritual direction and the importance of maintaining one’s own relationship with a spiritual director. "A patient man is better than a warrior, and he who rules his temper is better than one who conquers a city." — Proverbs 16:32
