Spiritual Direction has been around for almost 2,000 years, with many sources tracing its origins to the 3rd-century monastics known as the "Desert Fathers" and "Desert Mothers." Yet prior to the late 20th century, spiritual direction was not widely practiced outside of Catholic circles, and even within Catholicism, it was most often engaged in by monks, nuns, and church clergy members. So it's no surprise that many of us are still trying to understand what spiritual direction is.
Eden Spiritual Care currently has three trained and certified spiritual directors on our team--Chelle Miller, Josh Beaty, and Sierra Neiman Westbrook--and we recently asked each of them how they explain to others what spiritual direction is.
Eden Spiritual Care currently has three trained and certified spiritual directors on our team--Chelle Miller, Josh Beaty, and Sierra Neiman Westbrook--and we recently asked each of them how they explain to others what spiritual direction is.
Chelle Miller: "Spiritual direction is a journey of faith where a director comes alongside a seeker to offer discernment, support, prayer, and encouragement to find greater intimacy with God. Spiritual direction will most likely focus on contemplative prayer, and meditation. A spiritual director will offer little actual direction, opting to listen and ask questions over giving advice. Listening to the Holy Spirit is key. Unlike therapy, spiritual direction is not concerned with solving specific problems."
Josh Beaty: "I lean towards using companion and advocate to explain spiritual direction. I want to convey that I am on a person’s side for the purposes of exploring God’s activity in their life."
Sierra Neiman Westbrook: "Spiritual direction sessions are listening sessions, in which the spiritual director listens as the directee (client) processes any part of their life through a lens of spirituality or faith. Sessions are completely confidential, and spiritual directors aim to be welcoming and without judgment in what people share. Rather than giving advice or sharing from the director's own experience, the spiritual director gives people an opportunity to be heard (or have their story witnessed), and the director asks questions and encourages pauses to facilitate the directee's opportunity to be guided with insights from God. So the “direction” in spiritual direction comes from God rather than from the director. The spiritual director simply helps set up the space to facilitate lingering/contemplation, questioning, and deeper thinking."
What questions do you still have about spiritual direction? (Continue the conversation in the comments, below.)
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