Endeavors

A lot has unfolded in the 14 years I’ve held this blog account (14 years!). What a life to look back upon! In the past two years I’ve been in the process of training to become a Spiritual Director. I took one year to pray, find a program and then begin the enrollment process for it, and now I am one year in as I begin year two of my training this September of 2021.

Many have asked me what Spiritual Direction is or they have shrugged up their faces in confusion or suspicion as to what the term Spiritual Direction even means! While it might sound “new age” or strange, it is actually an ancient practice that was born in and for the Church. Spiritual Direction has it’s roots in the Catholic church but has gained wider visibility within Protestant churches as more of God’s people have sought out deeper spiritual experiences in the past 50 + years especially.

Spiritual Direction is “holy listening”. A trained Director sits with a Directee once a month and “listens” with them for movements and experiences of holy things. Together we spiritually companion once a month as we pay attention to God’s loving movement in and through a person’s life. These movements happen in ordinary daily living so we explore together God’s presence and the responses the individual directee experiences in our times together.

My casual way of explaining it would be to say that there are all sorts of places in this world to discuss things in our lives. While historically the Church would be a place where people bring their spiritual questions and curiosities or shared experiences, this has declined here in North America. So when you come and explore Spiritual Direction with me, you explore your spiritual experiences, bring your questions, your thoughts, your prayers and frustrations, your losses and gains and together, we walk and pay attention to the movements of God in your life.

“Everyone is looking for someone who is looking for them.“ -Dr. Curt Thompson, Anatomy of the Soul

In my practice of SD, I specifically focus on the Christian experience, but there are Spiritual Directors for almost every faith practice you can find. (And the roots of SD are Christian.) My goal is to practice SD as an LLC once I graduate in May. I do currently meet with people as part of my training and this has been an enriching and encouraging experience as I more deeply lean into the art of SD.

As I continue in my training, I plan to refresh this blog along the way with Spiritual Practices, insights and thoughts along the way. I am learning so much that my brain could use a space to share it in my own voice. My hope is to spark some curiosity within my audience as to what God might be up to in your own life.

Subscribe now if you feel a tinge of curiosity rising within you.

If you would like to find a Spiritual Director in your area, check out http://www.graftedlife.org and under Spiritual Direction click Find A Director. If you would like to find a Spiritual Director of a different faith, check out Spiritual Directors International and under Find click Find a Spiritual Companion.