"I attended Sacred Journey Interfaith Seminary for their two year program to become an Ordained Interfaith Minister. I had considered becoming a minister in the past to further my credentials as a Reiki Master. However, there was no specific faith that I could commit to with a fullness of heart. Although born and raised in a Catholic environment, and becoming a Christian later as a young adult, I felt a deep connection to many faith practices, and included many of the various rituals in my own healing efforts and personal worship. I had never heard of Interfaith before then, so when they advised me of the program, I knew in my heart it would be a fit for my own belief system.
I could never have imagined how attending the classes would truly be embarking on a deep and life changing spiritual journey. I thirsted for knowledge and hungered for connection to the Divine. In the process of learning detailed information about a large variety of world faiths and religions, we were immersed in the cultural aspects with each visiting clergy. As they presented not only the practical aspects of their faiths, they would provide blessings and rituals in which we were active participants. As each week and month passed, and each assignment was researched and written, I felt my mind opening as much as my heart. I was literally falling in love with the Divine in each and every new experience of our journey. My life was changing rapidly. And, although I wrestled with my own fears and confusion, my Deans were ever present to offer spiritual direction and help me find my own path in ministry work. With the abundance of tools and skills the two year program blessed me with, the relationships I developed with my Deans and with my fellow Seminarians are the most precious to me". - Rev. Brenda Menist |
"When I started on my spiritual journey with Sacred Journey Interfaith Seminary I felt I found a place where I was heard and understood as the spiritual woman I have always been. Having been working as a Therapist and being in therapy I was very aware of who I was and what I believed in. I came into Seminary believing that all people should be respected and honored for their religious beliefs and do no harm to yourself or others. However, the separation between people and the unknown of others belief systems seemed to cloud many people's judgments of others in my life experiences. For me growing up as a child o a Holocaust survivor, there were many conflicting feelings and fears I had within that were continually reinforced. I had been doing spiritual work as an intuitive empath and hands on healer so my spiritual side which differed greatly from then the religious way I was raised truly impacted my core being; “Only the truly devoted and enlightened get to advance to a spiritual level of enlightenment”. My work and the spiritual work I did allowed me to open to my fears and prejudices and the seminary helped to cement my experience of spirituality and understanding different religious groups. This validated my beliefs and released my doubts and inner conflicts from what was embedded within me.
Today, four years later, I can say that the growth I experienced by attending the Sacred Journey Interfaith Seminary is an openness to my inner self on a spiritual level. My connection with people of all faiths as a Director of a Senior Center has given me knowledge of religious culture, respectful use of religious verbiage, and a knowing of myself that allows me to walk with greater confidence in the person I fought to be. A person with passion and conviction that opening your heart to others does not mean rejection of your belief system, it just means “I see you”. In fact, I feel closer to my religious upbringing then I ever have since the conflicting feelings of who I know I am and who I was raised as is gone. I accept me. Reverend Grace and Reverend Lori were amazing in their abilities to see us as individuals and to bring us together as a group. We were all from different walks of life and at the end we were one in heart, mind and spirit. To them, I am forever grateful for the hard work they put into us to help us open our hearts and see what we were not able to see. Namaste -Rev Anne Schneider |