Spiritual Direction
Also known as spiritual companioning is an unhurried conversation and time of reflection and silence between a seeker, a guide, and the Spirit. Through deep listening, your spiritual director will help you listen to that still, small, voice, and discern how the Spirit is moving in your life. Together, the holy is found in the ordinary.
• All conversation is confidential
• A session typically happens once a month and is about one hour long
Who is spiritual direction for?
• People who want to grow in intimacy with God, self, and others.
• People longing to go more deeply into what life has to offer.
• People who desire greater guidance for spiritual healing and added perspective on limiting beliefs or core wounds.
• Anyone who is seeking discernment at a crossroads place in life.
What are the historic roots of Spiritual Direction?
Spiritual Direction or guidance appears in many wisdom and faith traditions. In Christian tradition, its long and potent heritage comes most profoundly from the earliest centuries C.E. when seekers would find the devoted Christian ascetics living in the Syrian and Egyptian deserts and seek their guidance, help, wisdom, and teachings, in the areas of prayer and devotion. Today, many people are re-discovering the gifts of having ongoing spiritual direction / companionship because they long for and benefit from an ongoing and focused companionship that provides spiritual support as they go through all the ups and downs of life. Is spiritual direction like therapy or counseling?
No.
A spiritual guide will not identify or treat psychiatric problems in you or give you professional counseling or advice. You will not be and cannot be diagnosed, nor will a spiritual director be able to work on issues of trauma the way a professionally licensed therapist can assist you.
A spiritual companion is much like a helpful and prepared friend who is has been trained to offer a ministry of listening. She will create space for you to slow down, to observe, and to speak and pray so that you will find more opportunities for insight, growth, and spiritual understanding—You will be able to better hear from or connect to God as you understand God at this time. Her time with you is focused and dedicated to creating a safe and sacred environment for the Spirit to work.
In addition, she may provide some perspective and encouragement as well as introduce spiritual and prayer practices you may find helpful—as needed; and ask you open-ended questions to help you discover and discern with your own agency. With the help and guidance of Spirit, you walk together in an ongoing journey to navigate your path in more rooted spiritual ways of being.
What does a session of spiritual direction or companionship look or sound like?
There are a variety of formats and styles that spiritual direction can have. SDIworld.org is a website to search for a spiritual director that is near you or to meet specifics you prefer.
For me, spiritual companioning is first and foremost a ministry of listening and noticing. I invite those I’m companioning to bring up whatever arises during prayer and time of silence at the beginning of a session together; or anything they’d like to bring before Spirit. I will ask questions—not so much for the person to answer—but for the person to open up to during times of Spirit-infused silence and reflection. Each person is encouraged also to write down the questions to explore later.
These questions and some others that pop up can then be offered to God in prayer, but also can be to lived into, creating ways to dig deeper into new questions and robust horizons. An ongoing journal is a necessary tool for any one during the process of the companionship with me. When you are ready for a director, you will know.
It is a joy for me to help people understand the beauty of how sacred noticing and spiritual companioning can make our lives more whole, abundant, and able to lovingly serve others.
Please contact me if you’d like to be assisted in this way. You can set up an appointment here at the link.
CALENDAR: https://calendly.com/sparkmymuse/meeting
Payment is required prior to meeting. See the instructions for these and other important details. ❤️
Education/Credentials:
I trained in spiritual direction for my Masters Degree in Spiritual Formation (when it was a 56 credit program) at Evangelical Seminary, and in subsequent classes, events/workshops, mentoring situations, conferences, and ongoing personal exploration and supervision.