{"id":10160,"date":"2024-05-03T17:34:35","date_gmt":"2024-05-03T17:34:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/csl.org\/spiritual-development\/?page_id=10160"},"modified":"2026-05-08T16:40:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T16:40:37","slug":"start-here-faqs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/csl.org\/spiritual-development\/certificated-courses\/start-here-faqs\/","title":{"rendered":"Start Here FAQs"},"content":{"rendered":"

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This page was built with you in mind!<\/strong><\/h2>\n

the seeker, the curious, the interested, the student!<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Welcome to your journey of spiritual education! CSL Education has designed curricula to inspire your spiritual exploration, to give you tools for practical spirituality and personal spiritual evolution, and to bring universal and expansive ideas of the Science of Mind to you in understandable segments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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In the Education Department you begin by taking a class from a large selection of courses we call Certificated Courses. \u201cCertificated\u201d means that you get a Certificate of Completion, and Centers for Spiritual Living keeps a record of the courses you complete.<\/p>\n

This page will provide you with immediate brief answers, as well as links to more detailed answers where necessary. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Click the + sign next to a question to reveal its answer<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

How do I know which class(es) to take?<\/h2><\/div>
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There are several categories of classes: History, Philosophy, Consciousness, and Foundational courses. We suggest you begin with a course in the Foundational category, but you may begin with any class that sounds interesting to you. Some classes will include a disclaimer that recommends you not skip a Foundational level course before taking them.<\/p>\n

You can find a list of all of the Certificated Courses here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

By clicking on the course name in the list you can find a description of the course and any required texts.<\/p>\n

At the bottom of the linked Certificated Courses page there is a graphic with information about what classes you might want to take if you\u2019re looking for prerequisites to continue on with your education past certificated coursework.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Where do I find classes to take?<\/h2><\/div>
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IN PERSON CLASSES<\/strong><\/p>\n

Certificated Courses are available at Centers for Spiritual Living organizations around the world and online. Your first step is to look on the CSL map page to see if there is a Center, Teaching Chapter, Teaching Center, or Focus Ministry near you. Then find out what Certificated Classes they are teaching.<\/p>\n

You can find the map here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

ONLINE COURSES<\/strong><\/p>\n

You can find CSL organizations around the world teaching a selection of online courses on the Community Based Education Portal<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

What do I do after I take Certificated Courses?<\/h2><\/div>
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Some people decide after completing several classes to pursue Advanced Consciousness Studies. You can take Advanced Consciousness Studies for your own personal growth, or you can take it as the first half of Professional Practitioner Training.<\/p>\n

Advanced Consciousness studies require one prerequisite course from each of three categories: Fondation, Philosophy, and History, and additionally,\u00a0 three courses from the Consciousness category or alternatively, two Consciousness courses and one course from the Elective category.<\/p>\n

People who want to use the knowledge they obtain through their certificated coursework and Advanced Consciousness Studies to help others can go on to take Professional Practitioner Studies.<\/p>\n

Professional Practitioner Studies requires six prerequisite classes in addition to Advanced Consciousness Studies.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You can find more information about Professional Practitioner Training, (or what we commonly call the \u201cPrac Trac\u201d) here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":0,"parent":7056,"menu_order":21,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"100-width.php","meta":{"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-10160","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nStart Here FAQs - 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