If you are looking for the Soul Care Institute policies please click here.
Abbey of the Arts offers a variety of online classes in both a community-based discussion format and in on-demand formats.
Live classes and groups each have slightly different refund and transfer policies – please refer to the specific program for more details.
Please consider carefully your selection prior to registering as all class registrations are non-refundable similar to a transaction you would make to purchase a digital album or book or a consultation with a professional. To get to know more about the Abbey's approach there are many free or low-cost ways to find out more about what we do: read the Abbey blog, subscribe to the Abbey email newsletter (and you'll receive a free guided meditation). Sign up for the free 7-day e-course on becoming a Monk in the World and download the free podcasts. Purchase one of Christine's books. If you already feel a kinship to the Abbey's approach to the spiritual life and are willing to invest your time and energy in the practices suggested by the online courses, the journey will be a transformative one. We always welcome constructive feedback on any of our classes or offerings.
If the class is in an online discussion-based format such as Way of the Monk, Path of the Artist you may transfer your registration to a later online class session of the same topic (or a comparable class in value) up to two weeks prior to the course starting date for an administration fee of $25. Within two weeks of the class start date we are unable to transfer you to a later date unless we have someone on a waiting list who can take your place. (Please note this applies only to online classes, live classes have different policies and are posted with the registration information).
Classes which are in an on-demand registration format such as Eyes of the Heart: Photography as a Contemplative Practice are non-refundable and non-transferrable. You will receive an email soon automatically after registration with access to all of the course materials and can move through the material at your own pace.
Currently, the Abbey is only accepting payment by credit card through Paypal or Google. We do not have the capability to take your credit card number by phone and we are not currently accepting checks. Please contact Christine if you are having difficulty processing your payment via the methods above.
A computer which allows you to download PDF and audio files (MP3s), an email account for the email inspirations, and a commitment to your spiritual journey. For some discussion-based classes you will also need to sign into a Ning or Flickr account (both are free) and you will receive more details about these upon registration. Unlike in-person classes, online learning requires more self-motivation because there is less accountability. In discussion-based classes the community formed in online forums is very real and can transcend the barriers of time and space.
For those classes which are not discussion-based, we encourage you to meet regularly with a soul friend, a spiritual director, or a small faith group to share the journey of discovery together.
Abbey of the Arts has limited funds to assist those experiencing economic hardship and supporting people in ministry to those on the margins. These funds are primarily offered for online classes. Unfortunately, we have much less flexibility for the budgets of our live programs because of the costs involved with lodging and space rental.
Please email Christine@AbbeyoftheArts.com to inquire about the possibility of financial assistance for one of the online class offerings.
Include the following information:
Registration in the class entitles you to hold one copy of the material for your own personal use. Please do not share the password with anyone who has not made a payment for their own access to the materials.
This depends on the context and the extent of use of the material. Generally if you would like to share one of the ideas I present or a single handout I ask that you include full attribution and copyright information. Please email Christine@AbbeyoftheArts.com for more information and to request permission for use of any materials beyond personal reflection.
For the classes offered during a specific timeframe the material is only available for a week following the class so please make sure to download and save anything you will need before then.
For on-demand online classes the website will be available with the files indefinitely.
Anyone who has a longing to commit to deep inner work and is able to access the materials in their online format. Many of the class participants are artists, ministers, spiritual directors, and others involved in soul care or creative pursuits, but anyone is welcome who feels a sense of resonance with the class descriptions and a longing for deepened contemplative and creative practice.
For classes in the Soul Care Institute we require that you be a Soul Care Practitioner involved in either paid or volunteer work of compassionate presence and listening (such as spiritual direction, chaplaincy, pastoring, counseling, etc.)
An open heart and a spirit committed to regular practice. Just like any spiritual path, what the Abbey offers only has effect when integrated into your life which takes some discipline and commitment. Be gentle with yourself however and remember St. Benedict’s advice to "always begin again".