I first was introduced to the concept of the Anam Cara when I was given John O’Donohue’s book, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom, by my mentor, the Rev. Pat Palmer, the day of my ordination. I immediately resonated with the book’s profound wisdom.
Three years later, shortly after beginning my chaplaincy work at Suncoast Hospice, a social work colleague, Donna Elsassor, shared a workshop she’d attended that helped her in her work with the dying and their loved ones. The workshop was sponsored by The Sacred Art Of Living. Again there was an immediately attraction to learning… thus began my journey to become an Anam Cara through the Sacred Art of Living Center for Spiritual Formation.
Rev. Ellen Wolf-Muhleck, Anam Cara, Exploring Ireland, 2012
Through my extensive travel in Ireland over the years, especially its west coast and having attended a week long Celtic Retreat led by Mary Meighan in Ireland, I’ve continued acquire an ever deepening sense of Irish culture and spirituality. It’s given me an even greater appreciation of John O’Donohue’s poetry and writings.
John O’Donohue came from Connamarra in what is sometimes referred to as the “Wild West of Ireland.” Growing up in this rural , dramatically awesome yet harsh landscape, John embraced the history and lore of Celtic Spirituality. Through his prose, poetry, philosophy and his ministry as a parish priest there, he vividly described the role of the Anam Cara.
As an Anam Cara,”you are joined in an ancient and eternal union with humanity that cuts across all barriers of time, convention, philosophy and definition.” He shared that, “In everyone’s life, there is a great need for an Anam Cara, a soul friend. In this relationship, you are understood as you are, without mask or pretension. When you are understood, you are at home.”
That makes sense to me. I am at home having an Anam Cara and being an Anam Cara.
In preparation for entering the Anam Cara Apprenticeship with the Sacred Art of Living Center for Spiritual Formation, I took the four prerequisite units on Spiritual Pain (Understanding, Diagnosing, Responding to and Transforming Spiritual Pain). To personally prepare myself and to continue my own spiritual healing work, I regularly meet with my own Anam Cara/Spiritual Director.
Over the next two years, I participated in the work/study Anam Cara Apprenticeship, specializing in The Spiritual Director Tract.
Our first year was focused on expanding and deepening our individual Spiritual practices; learning the history and many of the practices of the Anam Cara/Ceili De tradition; learning the history of spiritual healing in the great faith traditions; studying the Enneagram; reviewing Parker Palmer’s work around “soul and role”; and doing dream work in spiritual healing. Study included reading, writing papers, journaling, retreats, and individual and small group experiences.
Our second year followed similar learning methods in specialized areas. In the Spiritual Direction path, we explored what is known in Celtic Spirituality as “the thin places” and further enhanced our ability to listen deeply to our own spiritual guidance as well as the guidance of those we provided Spiritual Companioning under supervision. We expanded and sharpened our intuition through sharpening our spiritual discernment skills and learned to use the Enneagram and other ancient tools of the ars moriendi in Spiritual Direction/Companioning.
