“He who has ears to hear…” How do I listen to you, Great One? Love’s language seems foreign until… my heart is empty enough to receive.
Invitations
- Do you seek a deeper, more integrated relationship with the Divine?
- Do you want to discern God’s actions and wisdom in your life experiences?
- Do you long for a companion with whom you can share your life journey, attuned to the movements of the Spirit?
- Are you attracted to the spiritual disciplines (i.e. prayer, holy reading, worship, fasting, etc) but unsure how to grow in applying them to your life?
If any of these questions awaken a hunger in your heart, you may be ready for a Spiritual Direction relationship. Spiritual Direction, sometimes called spiritual companioning is an ongoing relationship in which one person (the seeker) who is desirous of being attentive to his or her spiritual life meets with another person (the director) on a regular basis (approx. once a month), specifically for the purpose of becoming more attuned to God’s presence in order to respond more fully to that presence in all of life.
The primary focus of these meetings is the seeker’s relationship with God as it is reflected and challenged by all aspects of a person’s life. Work, family, church, relationships, and leisure are all places where God meets us, as well as our internal struggles with disease, insecurity and death.
The person entering this relationship assumes responsibility for their life with God. This means they are serious about some form of prayer and reflection on the seeds that God plants in their everyday life and prayer. During the meeting of about an hour an atmosphere of prayer is entered where together the seeker and companion are attentive to the Holy Spirit who is the Real Director.
This relationship is not one of counseling or psychotherapy. These practices deal primarily with problem areas in one’s life and seek to bring healthy resolutions. The time together is concerned with finding and responding to God (in the midst of pain and disorder as well as the rest of life). The primary focus of this ministry is not problem solving, but expanding the context of life’s experiences.