What threads connect historical paganism and contemporary Paganism? Attend to hear fascinating insights into both historical and present day Paganism. Dr. Robin Douglas is a historian and writer based in London. writing on the history of minority religious traditions and their relationship with the hegemonic majority. He is particularly interested in the history of revived paganism and the history of esoteric and occult movements. Dr Sasha Chaitow is an independent scholar of Greek cultural history whose work focuses on ancient, Byzantine, and modern traditions. She is the author of Son of Prometheus, a new study of Horapollon’s Hieroglyphica, and forthcoming studies of Byzantine demonology and of living Greek magic.
Category Archives: communications-pages
Welcome Explorer
During the second year of the Spiritual Direction Certificate program, students work with three people, for free, as a practicum. If you are interested in doing spiritual direction work, please click a website/email link for the students below and book a “get to know you” appointment. The two of you then can discern if you wish to work together. It is common practice to meet with 2-3 companions to discover together which match feels most right. Scroll down for suggested questions to ask at your get-to-know-you appointment. Appointments begin March 2026 – If your chosen spiritual companion does not have an opening, email us to get on the waitlist. Please, leave space for someone who has not yet benefited from this opportunity. (If you’ve already worked with a prior cohort, contact us directly for your referral.
Tracy Bleakney
tracybleakneyspiritualcare.com
Spiritual direction is mindfully sitting with another person with the intention of attending to their spiritual concerns in partnership with Spirit.
Michelle Mudge Buhite
https://www.uusdn.org/alphabetical-directory/buhite-rev-michelle
Helena Domenic
Spiritual Direction is the work of being a companion to seekers who wish to better understand and develop their relationship with the Divine. Through actively listening to the seeker and asking questions of the seeker, the companion is a very gentle guide who provides support and resources as needed to those who want to better understand their own spiritual path.
Mysti Downing
https://mothmystica.com/spirit/
As a spiritual co-voyager, I partner with individuals who are ready to dive into the “soul laboratory” of their own lives. My practice is rooted in the belief that you are the ultimate authority of your own experience.
Catherine Ishida
Lisa Lake
Cedar Monroe
Spiritual care offers space, companionship, and deep listening as people explore their spirituality and find ways to embrace life authentically and courageously. I seek to offer people space to connect with their deepest selves, their ancestors, the land on which they live, and/or whatever their experience of the divine. I respect all spiritual paths, including those that are non-religious or undefined.
Gail Livesay Renfrow
Spiritual Direction & Companionship is about witnessing and reflecting with a Seeker on who they are as a Spiritual Being. Spirit Care can be a mirror, mentor, or midwife for the Seeker depending on where they are on their path. I invite you to share your Spirit with me.
Nursing the soul with interfaith spiritual companionship, inviting all to fan the flames of the Spirit within. Spiritual direction provides a seeker with the space and companionship to explore their spiritual connections and how it relates to their lives.
Scott Waterhouse
My definition of spiritual direction/spiritual companioning, like life, is something always in a state of growth. Currently it is accompanying another on their spiritual journey; witnessing, sharing, and collaboratively exploring another heart’s relationship with The Sacred as they understand It with respect, integrity, and love.
Why engage in spiritual direction work
12 Questions to ask at the getting to know you appointment
Connect with a graduate of the CHS SpiDir program
Learn more about the Spiritual Direction Certificate program at Cherry Hill Seminary
This Is Who We Are
Giving compassionate support to individuals in crisis, leading small groups, holding rituals to mark the seasons of both nature and our lives, contributing to scholarship in religious studies, and even working in formal congregations – Cherry Hill Seminary students turn up in communities around the country and beyond.
There’s a reason for that. Our students and graduates love to learn and they are moved to serve others. They are the new face of Pagan and Nature-Based spiritualities, integrating with the communities where they live, weaving new tapestries of service and growth.
Cherry Hill Seminary is the leading higher education program for Pagan and Nature-Based spiritualities. In fact, Cherry Hill is the first Pagan seminary, with programs designed to meet the needs of working adults who live in a complex and demanding world.
At the core of Cherry Hill Seminary are our programs, courses, degrees, and certificates that are more than just the products of a business. As a religious educational organization, our students find our programs to be transformative, gifts that encourage a deeper understanding of both our inner reality and the external world. Ensuring the integrity of these programs is critical for our students — those Cherry Hill Seminary exists to serve.
Cherry Hill distinguishes itself from other seminaries by offering education focused on Pagan and Nature-based spiritualities. A mentoring approach in our classrooms prepares our students to provide compassionate and competent leadership in their spiritual communities.
Rather than indoctrinating students with rigid practice requirements of particular traditions, we lead them through a personal journey which includes the exploration of world theologies, best practices for ethical leadership and counseling, scholarship in Pagan studies, and pastoral skills.
Because Cherry Hill Seminary provides primarily a distance learning experience, students have more flexibility to work through and complete their course of study. Cherry Hill Seminary professors include some of the best Pagan scholars in the world. Our tuition is competitive with any other seminary program.
There really are no other seminaries that offer this blend of excellence, affordability, professionalism, and grounding in the context of Pagan and Nature-Based spiritualities. We are unique in that unlike other liberal seminaries, we do not require studies of particular sacred texts like the Christian Bible but offer courses which introduce a range of sacred texts from many world religions.
We continue to evolve to meet the needs of our students. As we grow from year to year, we develop new programs such as the Rewilding the Soul: Ecospirituality Certificate, the Certificate of Writing as a Spiritual Practice, and the Spiritual Direction Certificate. Our Community Ministry Certificate, Insights short courses, and master’s degrees in divinity continue to grow in popularity.
As an IRS 501-c-3 nonprofit organization we safeguard fiscal responsibility by striving to make our operation ever more robust and nimble. Continuous evaluation and improvement measures allow us to respond to the changing needs of our community.
Our vision of the future is to continue our work towards accreditation while providing the best possible education to those serving the spiritual needs of Pagans and other Nature-Based Spiritualities. We invite you to be part of that vision.— Holli S. Emore, MDiv, Executive Director
Congratulations to Our Newest Graduates
Columbia, S.C. — Cherry Hill Seminary held its Winter Commencement on Saturday, December 20, announcing five new graduates. Following her keynote address Academic Dean Dr. Margo Wolfe presented diplomas for Master of Divinity to Dr. Angela Farmer and Rev. Arran Morton.
Angela has taught at the university level for over a decade and has mentored initiates since 2008. She is published extensively in national and international peer-reviewed journals as well as writing several articles for internet-based Pagan and Heathen magazines (under her pen name, Ehsha Apple). Angela holds a Ph.D. in English-Gender Studies from Auburn University. She earned her Master of Arts in English from Saint Xavier University, where she also earned a Certificate in Pastoral Ministries. An ordained Pagan minister and Grove Steward, Angela is active in her local Pagan community. She was recently named Student Services Manager for Cherry Hill Seminary.
Arran currently serves the community of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. Originally from Scotland, Arran was the Minister at Comox Valley Unitarian Fellowship for two years and before that the Director of Spiritual Exploration at First Unitarian Church of Victoria. He is currently a Spiritual Director and part-time Executive Director of a small non-profit that supports trans and non-binary youth and their families. Arran is the first Cherry Hill Seminary graduate to be an ordained and officially fellowshipped Unitarian Universalist minister.
Three more students were awarded their Community Ministry Certificate: Barry Marshall, Lisa Lake, and Brittany Phillips. Each of the students spent at least thirteen months of self-study accompanied by a faculty-mentor. The program covers ethics; Pagan history and theology basics; creating and leading ritual; diversity & cultural understanding; personal spiritual development; serving people at various life stages; group leadership; family dynamics; addictions; domestic violence issues; teaching and presenting; developing your allies & more. (more about the program at this link)
Click to view a recording of the ceremony including keynote address by Academic Dean Margo Wolfe.