Spiritual Direction
Your life story is holy. Your life is full of God moments – times when you need God, times when God doesn’t feel present to you, and times when you are puzzled by God.
A spiritual director is a companion who can help a person see God’s presence in all of life: in questions, crises, careers, relationships, life stages, fears, insecurities, joys and grief.
A spiritual director is not a counselor or an advice giver. Rather, she or he is a companion and a listening presence who can help a person notice, discern, and respond to God’s invitation.
The person seeking direction (directee) shares and explores life stories, questions, or beliefs with a spiritual director. What the directee wants to bring to session does not have to be overtly spiritual… because everything is spiritual! The director holds a hospitable, safe space for the directee, and asks intentional or clarifying questions about his/her/their sharing. Spiritual direction is about growth in relationship to one’s specific spirituality, rather than solving problems or fixing things.
What is a typical session?
Regular direction typically involves meeting monthly for 1 hour. Each director will begin the session differently. A director may bring an opening practice (a reading, a meditation, a prayer, or even just centering silence). Many directors use “intentional devices” to note the significance of the time. This may mean they light a candle, anoint you with oil, use chimes or bells or some other device to mark the opening of the session.
After there is an opening focus, typically the directee guides the session with their conversations. The Spiritual Director is gifted and/or trained to listen for the things of God during the session. They are actively listening while you share.
Each session can be very different. Sometimes emotions are high and sometimes a session may move slowly. Some directors talk more than others and it depends on both their style and on spiritual prompting.
“ “Sometimes we need a guide, a director…who helps us to distinguish between the voice of God and all other voices coming from our own confusion or from dark powers far beyond our control.” ”
Fully Inclusive
Although I come from a distinctly Christian tradition and spirituality, my spiritual direction practice is centered on meeting each person where they are in their concept and experience of God. I work with all people with different religions, belief systems, races, genders, gender identities, and sexual orientations.
