What is Spiritual Direction?
Spiritual direction, also known as spiritual companionship, is the practice of partnering with a trained spiritual director to deepen one's relationship with the Divine and to gain a greater understanding of one’s self and the ways God is present in everyday life. Spiritual Direction is an intentional time where an individual, along with their spiritual director, listens for and ponders the movements of Spirit in an individual’s life, their communities, and the wider world.
A spiritual director can help individuals identify areas of growth and change in their spiritual lives, and provide guidance and support as they deepen their spiritual practices and experiences. Spiritual direction provides a safe and confidential space for individuals to share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences without fear of judgment or criticism. A spiritual director is not there to provide answers or to tell individuals what to do, but rather to listen to the Spirit and to support them as they explore their own spiritual journey. If an individual desires, a spiritual director can guide individuals in the exploration of prayer and other contemplative practices and how to integrate those practices into their daily lives.
Set up a complimentary one hour Spiritual Direction session
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A session is 60 minutes, once a month. I am available to meet in person or via an online platform such as Zoom. My in person meeting space is in Wayzata, MN. Sessions are usually scheduled at the completion of each session, although some people prefer to schedule their sessions at the same time each month (ex. the second Tuesday of the month at 2:00 pm)
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Our session will begin with some time for quiet and prayer. Some sessions may open with a planned meditation or prayer practice. All this depends on what feels right for you. From there, we will move into a time of sharing. You may share anything that in our your heart. Some people bring very specific things to their sessions while others let the Spirit lead their sessions. I will listen to what you have to say, pay close attention to still small voice within offering back to you noticings. I may also ask open-ended questions to help you uncover what God may be saying to you.
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You may choose to end your monthly sessions at anytime, but I encourage people to meet three times with a spiritual director before making a change.
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There is no formal commitment or time period. Sometimes spiritual direction is for a particular season or a few months and for other people we will meet for years. I recommend at least three sessions for us to get the feel of one another, but ultimately it is your decision when to end a direction relationship.
This is also true for me as your spiritual director. If at sometime I do not feel like I am the right fit for you, I will work with you to find an new director.
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Yes! This is known as group spiritual direction, and it functions a bit differently than individual direction. Groups are 3-4 people and sessions are 90 minutes in length. Groups meet monthly and can be in person or online, although I prefer in person sessions for group direction.
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Spiritual direction is not therapy, coaching, pastoral care, an accountability partner, or a friendship. Though there may be a bit of overlap in some of these areas, I am not here to offer you advice, “fix’ things or tell you what to do.
My role is to help you to notice the movements of the Spirit in your life, to seek of the cracks of light in your everyday, and to listen for the still small voice of God. I will also commit to holding you in prayer between our sessions.
FAQs
…beauty is a profound illumination of presence, a stirring of the invisible form and in order to receive this, we need to cultivate a new style of approaching the world.
Beauty does not linger, it only visits. Yet beauty’s visitation affects us and invites us into its rhythm, it calls us to feel, think and act beautifully in the world: to create and live a life that awakens the Beautiful.
-John ÓDonohue, an excerpt from Beauty