One Spirit Learning Alliance values interspiritual education that allows students to experience deep personal transformation while also building tangible skills to transform their communities in the future. In fact, this ethos is at the very core of our Interspiritual Counseling and Companioning (ISCC) program, which teaches that in order to assist outward, you first have to go inward. Have you ever wondered what that inner transformation might look like or what good spiritual companionship could do in the world? We thought it best you heard directly from one of our most recent ISCC graduates, Lyena Strelkoff.

Spiritual Companionship Starts From Within

Lyena Strelkoff, a Class of 2022 Interspiritual Companioning & Counseling program graduate, delivered a powerful commencement address on June 10, 2023. Her speech focused on the transformative power of spiritual companionship and counseling, emphasizing the importance of connection, respect for diverse paths, and the role of unity in a divided world. Strelkoff highlighted the interplay between personal growth and collective well-being, emphasizing the significance of nurturing one's own soul to be present and supportive of others. Ultimately, her speech underscored the value of journeying together and the profound impact of accompanying others on self-discovery and finding a sense of belonging.

Full Spiritual Companionship Commencement Address by Lyena Strelkoff

Commencement Address Transcription

We Are Starlings by Lyena Strelkoff

“The soul is not a problem to be solved. It is a mystery to be revealed.”

Our own David Wallace gave us those words during our program, and, for me, they encompass the heart of the shift that I felt taking place. My classmates and I were asked to open ourselves beyond habit and ego and the cultural expectation that we fix and give advice to instead enter a sacred spaciousness. A place of breath and curiosity, of faith and wonder, where we could meet what is exactly as it is and know it for the first time. We were encouraged to meet ourselves in just such a place, a place so wide that everything was allowed to belong. This, we bravely did. And in so doing, we encountered our wholeness.

This effort was not made to become something new but rather to come home to who we had, in fact, always been.

Along similar lines, my supervisor once said, “More than you are learning how to do spiritual counseling, you are becoming spiritual counselors.” We were told, “The skills are mere shells to be filled with soul.”

So, with each other for mirrors and with each other’s unfailing support, we turned again and again to the intelligence of our hearts and companioned ourselves and each other home.

Turns out “home” is not a destination as much as it is movement. A flow of motion between forgetting and remembering.

When we hurt, when we are scared, when the world shows us its ugliness and ours, shows us its suffering and ours, we forget who we are. But in the companioning relationship, we can meet ourselves again and remember the magnificence that is our essence. We can place our experience in a larger context where suffering turns to medicine, and everything that is happening to us can also and always become something happening for us.

We know now that, as spiritual companions, we enter this potential by the quality of our presence, the depth of our listening, and the integrity of our intention. In our basket of offerings, we bring compassionate witness, inspired inquiry, gentle reflection, and carefully tended, consecrated ground primed for healing in real-time.

We have discovered that spiritual companioning is a humbling path. We are humbled by your journey and the privilege of traveling alongside. As you descend and climb, we are honored to hold the lantern. In the doing and the being, spiritual counseling is itself a spiritual practice, connecting us to the All That Is as we walk with you. And if ever we forget and fear that we will be overwhelmed, we have the words of Ram Dass to reminds us: “It’s not too much for the you that you actually are.”

This relationship is not just for the benefit of each companionee…

We know our world is divided. And it seems often that there is considerable momentum in that direction. Centrifugal force spinning us further apart. When I ask myself, “What is mine to do,” the answer is clear: Be a source of centripetal force. We are guided to ask, what is the path of connection? What does it mean to act “for the sake of all?” Who or what is missing, and what might it take to extend an authentic invitation? That, to me, is the nature of our interspiritual approach. We endeavor to create enough room for everyone to belong, honoring each unique path while recognizing the common core.

Companioning is good for the individual soul, yes, but a self that can be with all its own pieces is also better prepared to be with all “others.” It is positioned to be a source of centripetal force.

And so we stand, the 2022 class of Interspiritual Counselors and Companions, open-hearted and ready to travel with you into the “ineffable, unknowable, essence of everything,” on a journey of remembering and homecoming for the good of all. We are starlings, riding the murmuration of life with you and the rest of Creation. We dip and roll, bank left or right; we sweep and soar and pause… And in that moment of pause, we meet the Mystery… before we dive again and roll and dip and soar… But always together. We are here for you today and always…

… because we were, none of us, meant to fly alone.

© 2023 Do not use without permission.

Offering Spiritual Companionship, Counseling, and More: About Lyena Strelkoff

Lyena Strelkoff is a graduate of One Spirit’s ISCC program and the founder of Lantern Soul Care, a private practice providing online interspiritual counseling to family caregivers, healthcare providers, and people living with chronic illness. A lifelong dancer and avid hiker, Lyena was paralyzed in a fall at the age of 33. 

Before hitting the ground, she experienced a spiritual awakening that brought unprecedented peace, clarity, and purpose, which guides her to this day, more than 20 years later. Her inspiring story has been featured on NPR, CNN Headline News, and dozens of blogs, podcasts, and other media. 

She is a former center-holder at Circle of Aradia, the largest and oldest Dianic Wiccan community in the world, where she served as lay clergy for 16 years. Her spiritual practice today is contemplative, earth-and body-based, rooted in devised ritual and the Feminine Divine, and informed by additional wisdom traditions, including Transcendentalism, Taoism, and secular Buddhism. 

Also a writer and performer, Lyena is a contributing essayist to the anthology Dancing at the Shame Prom, and her acclaimed autobiographical one-woman show, Caterpillar Soup, has toured nationally and been recognized by an affiliate of the Kennedy Center. She holds a Master’s Degree in human development and is a former teacher and life coach with over 30 years of experience facilitating transformational workshops and other events. Home is with her husband of 20 years, their 12-year-old son, her 90-year-old mother, two lovely rabbits, and her wildly adored service dog, Grant, in her native California.

 Why is Spiritual Companionship Important?

As we can see by Lyena’s example, spiritual companionship can play an incredibly important role in life personally, professionally, individually, and communally in these ways:

Support and Guidance: Spiritual companions provide emotional and spiritual support to those seeking it. They can offer guidance, wisdom, and a listening ear during times of uncertainty, crisis, or personal growth.

Deepening Spiritual Practices: Many people have spiritual or religious beliefs and practices that they want to deepen or explore further. Spiritual companions can help individuals understand and integrate these beliefs into their lives.

Sense of Connection: Spirituality often involves a sense of connection to something larger than oneself, whether it's a higher power, the universe, or a sense of interconnectedness with all life. Spiritual companions can help individuals foster and nurture this sense of connection.

Moral and Ethical Development: Spiritual companions can assist in moral and ethical development by helping individuals explore and understand their values and beliefs. This can lead to a more purposeful and ethical way of living.

Personal Growth and Healing: Many people turn to spiritual companions when dealing with personal struggles, trauma, or grief. These companions can provide a safe space for individuals to process their experiences and find healing and meaning.

Community and Belonging: Spiritual companionship often occurs within a community or spiritual group. This sense of belonging and the support of like-hearted individuals can be essential for personal growth and well-being.

Transcendence and Transformation: For some, spirituality is a journey of self-discovery, transcendence, and transformation. Spiritual companions can help individuals navigate this journey and provide insights and tools for transformation.

Lifelong Learning: Spirituality is often a lifelong journey of learning and growth. Spiritual companions can continue to challenge and inspire individuals as their beliefs and practices evolve.

Crisis and Coping: During times of crisis or significant life transitions, people may turn to spirituality for comfort and guidance. Spiritual companions can be a source of strength and stability during these challenging times.

Integration of Mind, Body, and Spirit: Many spiritual traditions emphasize the importance of integrating the mind, body, and spirit. Spiritual companions can help individuals achieve this balance and holistic well-being.

What is the next step in your Spiritual Companionship Journey?

In summary, spiritual companionship is important because it provides support, guidance, and a sense of community for individuals on their life journeys. It can help people explore their beliefs, values, and purpose, and it offers a space for healing, growth, and transformation. If you are interested in connecting with Lyena Strelkoff you can contact her here via her contact form. If you are in need of spiritual companionship, you can search here for a spiritual counselor and companion trained with One Spirit.

But, remember spiritual companionship is not only about the companionnee – it is also about the deep ongoing inner-transformation of the companion. If you are interested in taking the first steps toward that transformation and becoming a Spiritual Companion, please book a Discovery Call with our Director of Admissions, Rev. Darren Polito.

One Spirit Learning Alliance is a leader in the field of interspiritual companioning and counseling, and we would love to help you discern your personal journey.