Spiritual Direction

It has been three years since I first heard the term "spiritual director," when a friend mentioned a priest who had provided spiritual direction for her.  Hmmm, interesting thought.

Yesterday, I met with someone who is offering to be my spiritual director.  She is a nun, the director of a local retreat and spirituality center.  "What is spiritual direction?" I asked her.

Here is a sketch of what she said:

~Spiritual direction is an ancient practice that has experienced revival in recent years.  In Western Christianity, there is a renewed interest in the contemplative approach to one's faith.

~It is an opportunity for me to meet and share with a trained person how I am experiencing God.  I set the agenda.   The training part is important, as one who is not trained can cause great damage to the those seeking spiritual direction. 

~There is a charism element for one to be a good spiritual director - he/she has to be gifted for it, trained and confirmed by people who know what it is about.

~It is not counseling, although sometimes these areas overlap.  It is not confession, although sometimes things are discussed that one may want to take to confession.

~The spiritual director is bound by confidentiality.  I am not.  She will be primarily listening to me and to God.  She is available for God to work through her and me.  She is just another "poor sinner" on life's path, coming alongside of me.

~Her philosophy:  God can be found in every human experience, primarily in the affections.  Bring my reality.  What is going on in my life?  Where is God in this?  How am I experiencing God in this? 

~She leans towards the contemplative, entering into the reality of what our life is at any given moment.  How is God inviting me to be in that moment?  How will I respond?  What is my human reality right now?

~In one of the initial sessions we would talk about prayer. 

~The meetings last about an hour.  Meeting once per month is suggested initially, eventually expanding to once every six weeks.  There is a suggested donation of $25 - $50, depending on one's budget.  However, she would never allow finances to prohibit someone from receiving spiritual direction.

At the end, she said, the only true spiritual director is God and the Holy Spirit.

 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher.   And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.    [Isaiah 30:20,21]