InterSpiritual Mentor Training Overview

The InterSpiritual Mentor Training program is designed for those who wish to guide students in both InterSpiritual Mediation and the InterSpiritual Mandala process.  Trainees will join a mutually supportive cohort and be mentored by Dr. Ed Bastian and previously Certified Mentors.  Mentors will be trained to use our process, materials and methodologies to help others to create their own spiritual paths and contemplative practices.

The minimum length of this training process is about one year following the completion of the ISM and Mandala courses and a yearlong Facilitator Training Program.   Mentors-in-training can begin after completing the InterSpiritual Meditation (ISM) course, the InterSpiritual Mandala Course and the Facilitator Training Program. The training qualification and certification process includes the following elements.  

Requirements Summary:

• The InterSpiritual Meditation (ISM) 8-Week Course.
• Capstone Paper for ISM Meditation Course.
• The InterSpiritual Mandala 8-Week Course.
• Capstone Paper for Mandala Course.
• ISM Facilitator Training Program.
• Practicum – Supervised facilitation of other students.
• Capstone paper or project for Facilitator Training Program.
• Monthly cohort teleconferences.
• Monthly dyad sessions with an InterSpiritual Mentor and/or Ed Bastian.
• Practicum – Supervised Mentoring of Other Students.
• Certification and Licensing to Use Website and Workbooks.
• Donation $150 ($12.50/mo.) and continued membership in the Course Websites.

1. Introductory Programs

Our short programs provide a general overview of the Mandala Process, InterSpiritual Meditation and the steps for InterSpiritual mentor training.  Programs include presentations, discussions, individual sharing and group meditation.  They are held both online and in-person at various locations throughout the US and Canada. These intro programs are not required but can be helpful first steps.

2. The InterSpiritual Meditation (ISM) Course

This eight-module online course includes weekly 90-minute live ZOOM calls led by Ed Bastian and mentors.  These include guided meditation, teaching, Q/A and breakout group discussions.  Candidates for mentor training certification are required to participate in each of the eight-week course sessions. 

In this course, a prospective mentor will use our Styles Profile Instrument, custom search engine, journal worksheets and community practice circles to (1) learn how each of the seven steps are defined in diverse spiritual and secular traditions, and (2) refining their practice of each of the seven steps.  In so doing, they will create their own InterSpiritual Meditation Mandala that summarizes their learning and practice.

This course begins by completing the Spiritual Styles Instrument.  This instrument helps each student to harness their archetypal styles in order refine their personal approach to each of the seven steps based on the wisdom of their chosen spiritual and secular sources and their own life experience.  They will learn to practice the seven-step InterSpiritual Meditation to cultivate health, happiness, gratitude, transformation, love, mindfulness, wisdom and service to others.

Capstone Paper: Those who wish to qualify for the mentor training program will need to attend the weekly online course teleconferences, and complete a capstone paper or project.  This paper or projects will summarize the wisdom gained from at least three spiritual/secular sources for each step, summarize at least three spiritual styles they have harnessed and balanced, and summarize the contemplative practice they have developed for each of the seven steps.

3. The InterSpiritual Mandala Course

This eight-module online course includes a 90 minute live ZOOM call, led by Ed Bastian and mentors, that will include guided meditation, teaching, Q/A and breakout group discussions.  Candidates for mentor training certification are required to participate in the eight-week course. 

In this course, our Styles Profile Instrument, custom search engine, journal worksheets and community practice circles help each participant to define their own spiritual path and meditation practice by drawing on the wisdom of the world’s great spiritual and secular traditions.  They create their personal InterSpiritual Mandala that contains the wisdom and practices defining their personal spiritual path.

This course engages prospective mentors in an exploration each of the 12 families of spiritual styles, questions and traditions outlined in the InterSpiritual Mandala. We begin with the Spiritual Styles and Questions Profile instruments for self-assessing and harnessing individual learning/practice archetypes to find answers and practices that define our spiritual paths.  Participants explore and share their personal styles and questions and develop a long-term process for spiritual and meditative fulfillment. They also engage in the seven steps of InterSpiritual Meditation to cultivate health, happiness, gratitude, transformation, love, mindfulness, wisdom and service to others. 

Capstone Paper: Those who wish to qualify for the mentor training program will need to attend the weekly online course teleconferences, and complete a 1,000 word minimum capstone paper or a project combined with an explanatory paper.    This paper/project will draw from their journal writing on a minimum of three styles, three questions and three sources.  The answers do not need to be final, but they should describe the process and sources leading to a present state of knowing.

 4. Monthly Cohort Teleconference

During the training period, there will be monthly 90-minute ZOOM sessions for mentor trainees. Each session will include a presentation by Ed Bastian, practical advice from Certified Mentors, Q&A, case studies presentations/discussions based on the trainees’ experiences working with clients. 

5. Pairing Certified Mentors with Trainees

Each trainee will work individually or as a dyad partner with one of our previously certified mentors.  These sessions can include (1) personal work and (2) trainees’ work with their own clients. 

(1) Personal Work
Here, trainees will share journal writings on each of the 12 styles, questions and sources, and on each step of InterSpiritual Meditation.

(2) Work with New Students
Here, trainees work with new students with supervision from an assigned mentor.  New students will become members of our website and use the journals as part of their process of learning and practice.

(3) Private mentoring sessions with a Certified InterSpiritual Mentor and one with Ed Bastian.
Each mentor trainee will received periodic guidance from a certified InterSpiritual mentor and Ed.

6. Practicum – Trainees will Mentor Other Students

During this practicum period, each mentor-in-training will work with their own mentee(s).  Periodically, they will have supervision sessions with their InterSpiritual mentor trainer and Ed Bastian.  

7. A Capstone Paper

Each mentor trainee will write an extensive paper that includes the following: (1) Summaries of their journal writings on the 12 styles, 12 questions, 12 sources and the 7-steps of ISM. (2) Case studies of their experience mentoring others. (3) Descriptions of how they are integrating and applying ISM and the Mandala Process in their own lives. (4) Examples of how these processes have become a useful adjunct to their professional work in such fields as psychotherapy, health care, yoga instruction, spiritual direction, ministry, chaplaincy, public service.

8. Mentor Training Retreats

Our hope is to hold an in-person retreat each year for mentors-in-training to get to know each other, to share their styles, questions, sources and meditations, to share their experiences working with clients, and to engage in meditations, rituals and creative expressions of our combined work.  These retreats will include graduation ceremonies for those who have completed the program.

9. Certification and Licensing to Use the Website and Workbooks

After successfully completing the mentor training process, a certificate will be awarded to each graduate.  They will receive a license to use the workbooks and websites for working with their own mentees.  They will be expected to continue working closely with each other, follow the ethical and discussion guidelines when working with their students, and to share experiences and best practices for InterSpiritual Mentoring with their fellow Mentors.