Spiritual Direction
Hospitality for the Soul
Are you seeking a fresh understanding of what God may be stirring in your life?
Do you desire to notice where God is active in the ordinary moments of your day?
Would you benefit from someone to companion you along the way?
If so, perhaps Spiritual Direction is the next step in your faith journey.
What Is Spiritual Direction?
Spiritual direction is for those who long for a deeper relationship with God or who are seeking meaning or purpose in life. In a welcoming and confidential environment, your spiritual director will guide you to recognize the presence and guidance of God. Listening carefully to your words, the director can help you discern what God may be saying in and through you. If you are at a crossroad in life, you may find insight in determining next steps. Sessions are scheduled regularly, typically once a month. The frequency will be determined by your needs at the time.
What Happens During a Session of Spiritual Direction?
Each session usually lasts 60 minutes. It begins with a time of quiet centering; a candle is lit to represent the presence of the Holy Spirit who is the unseen guest and the true director of each session. You may then share whatever seems important to you. Through this time of holy listening, your spiritual director may help you to identify and trust your own experiences of God, recognize your unique God-given gifts, and discover any hindrances to spiritual growth. The session ends with a brief time of closure.
What Are Some Gifts and Graces of Spiritual Direction?
It is a gift to be able to share your hopes, dreams, and struggles with another person who will take the time to listen carefully, respectfully, and without judgment. Spiritual direction offers an opportunity to explore your desire for a closer relationship with God in a welcoming, confidential, and safe atmosphere. For the director, it is a privilege to help people discover God’s movement and invitations in their daily lives and to help them access their own inner wisdom as they discern how God might be nudging them to take a stand or take a step. Spiritual direction can help you become more open, receptive, and responsive to God. As a result, you may find yourself more hope-filled, more accepting of others, less judgmental, kinder to yourself, and more courageous. It has been said that God only knows four words: Come Dance with Me! Come Dance! Spiritual direction can help you to engage in the divine dance with freedom, growth, and movement toward wholeness.
“God gives us everything we need to be happy in the present moment no matter what evidence to the contrary there may be. A good spiritual director helps us to sustain that trust.”