To facilitate a consistent community of spiritual study, practice, and dialogue throughout the year, Via Hesychia Programs include:

Residential Retreats:

All participants in the Ordination/Monastic and Advanced Contemplative Study Programs come together once a year for a six-day residential retreat.   The retreat is the main gathering place for communal sharing and personal mentoring, and includes original lectures, individualized program planning, periods of silent reflection, prayer and meditative exercises, and the application of contemplative wisdom to practical life issues. 

Designed to be a life-focusing and life-transforming recommitment to one’s divine source, at each retreat I present a series of original lectures and spiritual exercises.  Retreat topics vary from year-to-year, but include talks on deepening of mystical consciousness, joys and sufferings of contemplative life, study of important figures and writings from the world’s spiritual traditions, interior spiritual processes, and new foundations for contemplative vocations.

Online Contemplative Discussions:

Participants remain connected to their studies and to each other during the intervening months through participation in online discussions moderated by Beverly.  This is the virtual gathering place in which those profound issues that impact on our lives and our souls are brought into reflective conversation.  It is also the time to reflect on readings; pose questions concerning spiritual practices, professional spiritual issues, or personal spiritual insights; and discuss with the larger community relevant social concerns.  

Bi-monthly Teachings:

To facilitate individual spiritual formation and to foster the mentoring relationship, Beverly provides on a bi-monthly basis access to her current teaching on a spiritual topic, through downloadable audio lectures and/or written texts.  May subscribe to online teachings without participating in mentored studies.  Please contact Schola Divina for further details.

Individually-Designed Study:

Participants in each program bring diverse backgrounds to their study and differing needs in reaching their goals.  To foster and deepen learning in the respective areas—ordination, monastic vows, and advanced contemplative study—length of study, study topics, course readings, spiritual resources, and evaluative tools are individually designed in a group format.   While individuals in the ordination/monastic programs will have additional coursework, internships, and written assignments, all participants are jointly involved in advanced contemplative study. 

Spiritual Direction:

Four (4) spiritual direction sessions (of approximately 45-60 min) with Beverly are included per year in the tuition for the ordination/monastic programs.  In this sense, Beverly functions to provide overall guidance to her mentored students in their programs and in their spiritual lives.  These spiritual direction sessions are not meant to replace ongoing spiritual direction relationships, but serve as an additional mentoring resource in one’s life.