OneSpirit’s Ministry Training Programme is Currently Open for Enrolment… Have you had the chance to meet Annie? 

Our Spiritual Development and Ministry Training is now open for enrolment, featuring a new offering this year: the Birch Pathway. Crafted with great care and insight by Annie, a revered OneSpirit Core Tutor and Interfaith Minister, the Birch Pathway stands out as a testament to her profound respect and love for the power of language. Annie’s dedication is evident in her approach to education — she strives to make her teachings not only accessible to all but also warmly inviting, creating a welcoming space for learners from various backgrounds. To uncover the words that hold a special place in her heart, we asked Annie a few questions… In her sharing, Annie opens up a world of language treasures that have deeply touched her soul:

“I love exploring where different words come from and what they mean. My mother was a linguist and used to read dictionaries in all sorts of different languages, for fun! Words so often come from or relate to some other, older language and culture, and this fascinates me – how we are all interconnected and have been travelling, communicating and influencing one another for centuries. Here are some words which are important to me, in the way I live and work with classes. If you are interested in looking them up, here is a link to an online etymology dictionary.”

• Conversation: comes from a Latin word about the way we live together – sharing a way of life in a particular place, used especially for people living a dedicated religious life. So deep conversation is so much more than just talking to one another, it’s about being together and includes our relationship not just with each other but also our environment and how we behave in this relationship. We explore this together in our class and our environments.

• Communication: comes from Latin too and relates to the word ‘community’ and the idea of sharing things in common, with the general public – distributing equally to the whole, so everybody is involved not excluded. I relate this, especially to our sense of ministry and intention to be accessible to and of service to the public, and this is why we practise nonviolent communication.

• Belief and Love: comes from an Old English word, ge-leafa, which in turn comes from an old Germanic word meaning what we hold dear, what we trust and have faith in – what is beloved to us. There is a link between ge-leafa and the word ‘love’. So what we believe, is not just a set of ideas, it is what is dear to our hearts, our personal ‘truth’. Emma Restall Orr pointed this out to me – thanks, Emma!

• Listen: I think this is interesting because the most ancient root of listening is hearing. The meaning in the past emphasised active engagement: to listen, we hear and we respond – as the saying goes, ‘to hear is obey’. Obedience, by the way, although we may associate this now with dog training, or other submissive connotations, is also connected with listening, especially to a Higher Power, particularly the promptings of the Divine or our deeper intuitions.

• Truth, trees, wisdom and druidry: I love the fact that tree and Truth both have the same root, meaning firmness, reliability, and sturdiness. This is clear in both Old English and Old Celtic words but going back much further in time, an ancient (proto Indo-European) word ‘deru’, apparently meant wood – especially oak trees – and being firm and steadfast. I also love that the word ‘druid’ comes from this root. The ‘id’ bit of Dru-id’ is from old Celtic and proto Indo European meaning knowing and insight, and gives us the word wisdom. So a ‘Druid’ draws insight or wisdom-truth from the trees. This is what I mean, by saying I practise Druidry. I think this is something many of us around the world and throughout time, have in common!”

Interested? Visit the ‘Meet Your Tutor’ page to hear more from Annie. Enrolment closes on 30th September and the 2-year training begins in October.

“She is very inspiring. Her knowledge and experience are a huge gift for us and she is a great role model. She holds a very loving space for us and I’ve never felt so safe before, in the sense that I know whatever happens in our session with her we won’t be judged, shamed or criticised. This feeling is quite new to me and I really want to be able to offer that safe, loving, supportive space to myself and everyone I meet in my work and personal life. What a gift!” – Hara, Annie’s Current Aspen Pathway Student

“I find Annie’s guidance to be exceptional. I really feel valued and like I am a part of the OneSpirit family. Thank you, Annie.” – Tony, Annie’s Current Aspen Pathway Student

“Annie is steady, calm, open, knowledgable, curious and loving. She is modelling how to really listen and respond to the actual needs of the people she is interacting with. The materials she is sharing are well thought out, balancing inspiration and practicality. She foregrounds safety and welcomes in her facilitation of the class in a way that invites bravery, accountability and community. I am grateful to be taught by her and share sacred space with her.” – Ben, Current Student

“My experience with Annie has been truly inspiring. She is a living embodiment of OneSpirit’s Core Beliefs. She demonstrates sensitivity, deep non-judgemental listening together and compassionate communication. I have felt very supported by her when needed. I have much gratitude that she is our Core Tutor.” – Gina, Annie’s Current Aspen Pathway Student

Dive Into the Enchantment of the Birch Pathway — Join Our Free Intro Days!

Are you drawn to the mystical journey of the Birch Pathway, eager to explore the depths of digital learning intertwined with spiritual growth and connection? Embark on an exhilarating journey with us during our free Intro Days. They’re more than just information sessions; they’re a vibrant festival of learning, connection, and discovery. We’re thrilled to offer a series of 4 more captivating Intro Days from June to September 2024, thoughtfully scheduled on both Saturday mornings and Tuesday evenings to effortlessly accommodate your routine. Experience the unique, personalised touch of our Intro Days under the expert guidance of Annie Heppenstall, our Birch Pathway Tutor. Each session promises an interactive experience allowing you to share your spiritual journeys, forge deep connections with like-minded souls, and possibly kindle lasting friendships.

Save the dates for an uplifting experience:

• Saturday, 22 June 2024, 10:00 – 12:30
• Tuesday, 16 July 2024, 18:00 – 20:30
• Saturday, 3 August 2024, 10:00 – 12:30
• Tuesday, 10 September 2024, 18:00 – 20:30

Join us for free and with no strings attached. We’re thrilled to unfold the magic of the Birch Pathway with you and kickstart an unforgettable spiritual journey. While attendance isn’t a prerequisite for our training application, it’s your golden opportunity to meet us and get all your questions answered before you decide to apply.

Secure your spot at our Intro Days today and embark on a transformative journey! Click here to register your interest.

Pearl Kilkenny Supervisor Spotlight

What year were you ordained? 2016

What inspired you to pursue training with OneSpirit? I worked as a psychotherapist for the past 30 years or so but always focused on the spiritual as well as the human.

How can clients get in touch with you? You can email me here. You can also learn more about me on my Minister Profile here.

What do you consider the most rewarding aspect of being an ordained interfaith minister? To openly work with people who are searching and journeying within.

Read more from Pearl here & meet all of our Accredited Supervisors here. 

Tim Ralphs Supervisor Spotlight

What year were you ordained? 2013

What inspired you to pursue training with OneSpirit? I would say that there were two big motivations that led me to undertake the OneSpirit training. All my life I’ve been fascinated by religion – not so much in terms of dogma or history, but in terms of how it makes people feel; the human experience, the practice of faith and what it means to be in a relationship with the Sacred. Perhaps more than that, I’ve been fortunate that during some of my tougher life experiences, I’ve witnessed astounding acts of ministry. Times of grief and disruption that were met by people of incredible skill and fortitude. Individuals who taught me, through their actions, that “minister” is a verb first and a noun second.

I can remember thinking, by my late twenties, that if these skills could be learned and put into practice then I wanted to do exactly that. But I was also aware that I had not found, in my encounters with mainstream religion, a place where it felt like I belonged. I did not have that supportive pillar that came from a connection with a religious tradition. The training the seminary offered met both of these impulses head-on. It offered me a chance to deepen into the ground of my own spirituality through experiential enquiry. It helped me find soil where I could sink my roots. It gifted me with the space to learn and practice skills, some of which I didn’t even realise I needed. And it provided me with a cohort of comrades, a community, with whom I could travel on the journey of awakening and service.

How can clients get in touch with you? I am best reached via email. You can reach me at my website – where you can also subscribe to my mailing list. Or learn more from my OneSpirit Minister profile. 

What motivated you to expand your ministry by becoming a Supervisor? I have personally experienced the profound difference that high-quality supervision can make when I’ve felt stuck, conflicted, and pushed to my limits. These experiences of supervision as sacred work have allowed me to be more present with my clients, in deeper relationships with my co-workers and more alive to the world. They led me to want to explore including supervision among the services I offer.

During lockdown, as my caring responsibilities increased, I found myself looking for possibilities to expand my online work. I was lucky to have the opportunity to train with Jane Wilmot and Robin Shohet, who are elders in the field of the helping professions and whose work on the Seven-Eyed Model of Supervision represents, for me, the core of supervisory practice. As a creative practitioner, I also bring a variety of narrative and expressive art practices into supervision sessions, drawing on techniques devised by Mooli Lahad. It is a real honour to be part of the OneSpirit Supervisors Group. I feel connected to both the history of the seminary and to OneSpirit’s ongoing endeavour to foster an ever more diverse, expansive, inclusive and far-reaching Ministry.

Read more from Tim here & meet all of our Accredited Supervisors here. 

Shianna Ravenlaw Supervisor Spotlight

What year were you ordained? 2003

What inspired you to pursue training with OneSpirit? It felt like a natural step in my awakening journey to join with others in the sangha, diving more deeply into the Mystical experience beyond academia and dogma. The call was also to grow the depth of my offerings within my existing Holistic Counselling practice and within the co-creation of inspiring ceremonies that bring tangible healing benefits to people’s lives.

How can clients get in touch with you? By email and phone. You can find out more about me from my OneSpirit Minister Profile which also includes testimonials. 

What motivated you to expand your ministry by becoming a Supervisor? Supervision is a deeply beautiful and essential aspect of our work exploring the mysteries of the Divine. It offers a safe space in which we are fully witnessed, encouraged, blessed and lovingly challenged to keep our connection to Spirit ‘clean and true’. This supports us to serve others – in whatever capacity that may be – from the deepest place of integrity and embodied awareness. The Supervision I receive is a wonderful gift and I’ve been called to offer such a space for other ministers and for ministers in training since 2006.

What inspires you to do this work? A commitment to return to, and to be sustained by, the vibration of ‘my’ natural state of being, that I may bring forth the pure Light and Song of my Heart through a clear lens ‘out’ into my relationships and into this world, as an active blessing of healing. Alongside this, a commitment to hold sacred space for others to experience the natural state of their being and to extend this deep, deep peace ‘out’ into their relationships and into this troubled world. All of us bring forth our own unique healing vibration that may reach far and wide for the benefit of all in the One and One in the all.

Read more from Shianna here & meet all of our Accredited Supervisors here. 

Share Your Thoughts & Testimonials With Us!

Fancy leaving a review of OneSpirit? You can scan the QR code below with your phone or tablet, or simply follow the link here: https://bit.ly/ReviewOneSpirit

Women’s Effortless Meditation & Wellbeing Autumn Retreat in the Scottish Highlands

A 4-day, 3-night journey giving you time and space in the beautiful Scottish Highlands (across the water from the Isle of Skye) to retreat from everyday life. Your programme is designed to bring you rest and enable you to re-centre and replenish at the time of Samhain (the Celtic New Year).  As we head into the darker half of the year, this retreat brings an opportunity, and perhaps the permission you need, to settle into the quieter and more reflective inward season of winter. Are you longing for time… space… nourishment Is your being crying out for stillness… to breathe… to relax? Are you intrigued by meditation or searching for an accessible meditation practice you can adopt in life? Are you yearning for the ocean… the mountains… some wildness?

This women’s retreat is for you if…

Click here for more information and to register!

Embrace the Light with Our Summer Solstice Insights

As the longest day of the year approaches, we wanted to explore the profound connection between the Summer Solstice and spiritual renewal…

• Spiritual Significance: Delve into how different cultures cherish this day as a symbol of light’s triumph over darkness, fertility, and nature in full bloom.
• Personal Growth Techniques: Learn how to utilize this time for inner reflection with sunrise and sunset meditations, nature immersions, and expressive journaling.
• Community Connections: Discover the value of shared celebrations that strengthen bonds and foster collective enlightenment.

The Summer Solstice isn’t just a date on the calendar; it’s a moment of transformation and reawakening. Read our blog to find inspiration and practical advice for tapping into this potent time to grow spiritually and connect more deeply with both the world around you and your inner self.

Read the entire post here…

The Men’s Rites of Passage

The Men’s Rites of Passage is a 5-day life-changing programme for men which has been undertaken by over 5000 men across the world. This is not about religion but about spirituality. About age-old traditions that guide men into manhood. About coming to trust that there is something greater at work in your life than you could ever imagine. The Men’s Rites of Passage are suitable for all who identify as men, of all colour, age, sexuality, ethnicity and faith tradition or no faith.

The 2024 event will take place from 24th – 28th July near Perth in Scotland.

Apply now, arrange a call to learn more, or read more information on the website: https://www.malejourney.org.uk/rites/mrop

This opportunity comes from OneSpirit Interfaith Minister, Geoff Taggart, who is co-leading the retreat. 

Celebrating, Honouring and Appreciating Love: Today & Everyday at OneSpirit 

As the vibrant hues of LGBTQ+ Pride Month paint our communities with the colours of love, courage, and resilience, OneSpirit is proud to share our latest blog post: “Celebrating Love Today & Everyday.” In this piece, we delve into the significance of June’s celebration, a reminder of the Stonewall riots of 1969 and the ongoing pursuit of equality and social justice. At OneSpirit, we stand firmly rooted in values of respect, acceptance, and inclusivity, championing the belief that every person deserves to love and be loved — without exception.

Recognising the beauty of our diverse tapestry including faith, culture, race, sexuality, and gender, our Pride Month message is one of unity and universal love. As interfaith ministers, we are the many-coloured hues within the rainbow of humanity, bridging diverse backgrounds and advocating for a world of harmonious coexistence. Join us in celebrating not only the diversity of love but also the shared journey of humanity that unites us all. Let’s uplift each other this Pride Month and beyond, embracing the boundlessness of love. Let every day be a celebration of love, diversity, and pride.

Read the entire post here…