What is Spiritual Direction?
Spiritual direction is the practice of listening to the sound of the genuine, as Howard Thurman puts it. It is about paying attention, tuning in, and making room.
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Often people meet either one-to-one or in a group setting with a trained individual to explore the movement of the Holy in one’s life. Generally these meetings happen about once a month for about 50-60 minutes each session. These meetings can take many forms and may include some time for silence, the lighting of a candle, and open space for you to share your questions or wonderings about the holy’s movement in your life. You are the director of the space and the content of your time with your spiritual director. Sometimes, a spiritual director may encourage you to walk with a specific question or to try a specific spiritual practice between sessions, but ultimately, this is your journey and your time.
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Spiritual direction can be an important space for everyone, and especially helpful for sustaining those who work in intense, justice-centered professions - such as community organizing, social work, climate change activism, etc.
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Why do people start to see a director?
Spiritual direction can be helpful at any time in a person’s life. However, spiritual direction is often helpful especially around times of transition, change, on the cusp of a big decision, or in the midst of asking big questions.
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Are you curious about the movement of the divine in your life?
Do you find yourself wondering what it looks like to pray?
Do you sense that something bigger is working in you and you’d like a friend or a companion on the journey of figuring that out?
Do you wonder what God is doing in your life?
Are you seeking a sense of greater meaning or understanding?
Perhaps you simply have a hunch that there is more to life than going through the motions everyday?
A spiritual director is not someone who will answer all your questions, but will rather hold the space for you as you question or reflect. Your director may encourage you to hold silence, reflect back to you what they have been noticing as a way to help you gain clarity, they may ask you follow up questions, or they may simply affirm your questions.
Does spiritual direction belong in one specific tradition?
Most religious traditions throughout time have had a practice of spiritual direction. Seeking a spiritual companion is an ancient practice used for many thousands of years. You do not have to belong to any specific spiritual tradition or hold a specific set of beliefs in order to find spiritual direction helpful in your life. You only need to have a sense of wonder about the Great Mystery that our lives inhabit and a willingness to invite a companion on that journey. Although I am rooted in the Christian tradition, I see people from any or no spiritual or faith tradition.
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Do you charge for Spiritual Direction?
Generally, a person would pay $60-$90 for a 50 minute spiritual direction session. If you can afford to pay that, I would encourage you to do so as an investment in your spiritual life and health. However, the health of one's spirit is a priceless entity. I am happy to work with you to come up with a payment amount, trade, etc. that works best for your life and circumstances.
Group session costs vary based on the number of people in the group.