Knowing Yourself

There is no assigned text for this paper.  Rather independent research is encouraged where needed, and your spiritual autobiography and rule of life should be drawn from your personal experience and practice.  You will not be graded on the content of your spiritual autobiography or rule of life, but on your analysis of these documents and the degree to which that analysis reflects self-awareness.  This paper should be in APA format, although citations should only be needed for Part I, and Parts II and III should be first-person narratives.  Your final paper should be no more than 25 pages.

 Part I:  Spiritual Autobiography, Rules of Life, and Why They Matter.  Using any sources available to you (including the internet), briefly describe the concepts of spiritual autobiography and rule of life.  Then, in your own words, explain why it is important for a chaplain to understand their own history and support systems. 

 Part II:  Your Spiritual Autobiography.  You should write your entire spiritual autobiography for your own benefit, but are required to submit only what you are comfortable sharing (be aware that if you seek training through CPE or formal chaplaincy certification, you will likely be required to explore your entire history in great detail).  Reflect, in writing, on the most significant experiences (at least 3) that you have chosen to share in terms of emotional triggers, residual woundedness and growth edges, and explain how they could impact your work as a chaplain.  Identify one potential situation that might trigger you because of your past experiences and explain how you would handle it as a chaplain.

 Part III: Your Rule of Life.  Using a rule of life format consistent with the description you have previously identified, explain your rule of life, identifying your own spiritual support system, including what you to do support yourself and where you obtain external support.  Identify any weaknesses in this support system that you believe you should attend to in order to be a more effective chaplain.