Spiritual direction is an ancient practice rooted in the search of the holy in each and every religious tradition. It’s been practiced by contemplative people both inside and outside of the institutions of religion including when people used to travel outside of the structures of their faith looking for wisdom from the nuns and monks that might enliven their spirits.
Spiritual direction has long been practiced as a way to listen to those that are looking to find the holy in their ordinary lives. It is a space that exists between two people where the conversation turns again and again to the awareness of God in our lives.
There are no right or wrong answers.
There is no agenda but simply to pay attention to that thread that weaves through everything. Writers refer to a narrative thread that holds the plot together. Often we cannot see the whole story of our lives. We can see bits and pieces but struggle to see the entirety of it. Spiritual direction allows us to follow the thread together, as director and directee, to see what we might discover.
Hold on, I have a few more questions.
WHO NEEDS SPIRITUAL DIRECTION?
Frankly, anyone and everyone might need spiritual direction.
Spiritual direction offers space to wonder about who God is and why God even matters anymore. It’s a space for people who have a lot of faith and people who are full of doubts. While there are spiritual directors in every tradition, I am a Christian and so working with me probably means that you find some value in Christian imagery.
It is a place where everything that makes life beautiful and brutal gets untangled. It is my hope that spools of hope, love and delight emerge from all those tangled threads.
WHERE DOES SPIRITUAL DIRECTION TAKE PLACE?
Traditionally, spiritual direction happens in person where director and directee can share in quiet contemplation. There is usually a candle that marks the threshold of this space.
Being an American living in Germany, my sessions exist in the realm of Zoom. You will be given an invitation to my living room on Zoom. It will be the same link every time we meet to avoid confusion and too many emails. It is in this wi-fi connection that we will find the space to contemplate the threads of this life.
WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT SPIRITUAL DIRECTION THAN FROM COACHING OR COUNSELING?
It can be hard to tease out the difference between the tangled threads of these many helping professions. There are indeed a lot of similarities to the work that pastors, coaches or even therapists do.
Therapists and counselors typically focus on a specific problem and work toward a solution. Spiritual direction may focus on the same topic from session to session, but only if the directee continues to weave this thread through the conversation.
Coaching focuses on targeted areas of growth with set goals. Spiritual direction has no metrics to measure but seeks to ponder the possibilities that may or may not be tethered to some growing edges in the directee.
Pastoral care often articulates a desire to know what God wants in a given situation. Pastors might be quick to cite tradition and scripture for the ways that God works, but spiritual directors join the directee in the wondering and questioning to understand the ways of God.
If you are interested to know more about what makes spiritual direction unique including the particular gifts, skills and ethics that define this work, you might explore Spiritual Director International’s Portrait of a Spiritual Director.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
This all sounds great but most spiritual directors don’t seem to list their prices anywhere on their site. That’s super annoying and it’s probably one of your first questions. Here is an overview of my prices and packages. It says at the bottom in small print that spiritual direction should be available to everyone who desires it. I really believe that and if these prices don’t work you, please contact me.
HOW DO I PREPARE FOR SPIRITUAL DIRECTION?
I will be the first to admit that what happens in spiritual direction is hard to explain and so it might help you to imagine this possibility in your life by reading what to expect and what to bring. The only thing required for every session is to reserve time and space on your calendar. You’ll find my full calendar here and you are welcome to schedule a session at any time that works for you.
HOLY THREADS 