Spiritual Direction
What is it?
“Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.” — Psalm 42:7 (NAS)
The psalm above, is a poetic way of saying that the depths of God call to the depths of your soul and vice versa. For many it is a very strange and unknown place to be, let alone to journey into. For this reason a guide or companion is a welcome relationship. This is the awareness, the awakening that happens upon you through spiritual direction.You see God move within you, shift your perspective, restore, and hopefully heal as you navigate with a companion through deep listening.
The spiritual director’s privilege is to help you explore the depths, identify the presence of God already in your life, and encourage you to connect in meaningful ways to yourself and the Divine. It is also an exploration and curation of the inner life with the safety of having someone by your side.
It is important to note that it is not counseling, therapy, coaching, pastoring, discipleship, or even an relationship of accountability. How you get to the those depths in spiritual direction is completely unique to the you. But getting there requires a safe place to explore, have doubts. It’s a judgment free, doctrine free zone. This is spiritual direction. It creates a safe space in which to wrestle, wonder, speak freely, and process life and your spiritual journey prayerfully with a companion, encountering Christ together.
In our postmodern age, many people dislike the term ‘spiritual direction’ because it sounds like one person giving directions, or orders, to another. They prefer ‘spiritual companionship,’ ‘tending the holy,’ or some other nomenclature. What we call it doesn’t make any real difference.
Typically we meet for an hour every month, or whatever cadence you feel you need. We start with a short spiritual practice to ground us both. Silence is always welcome; indeed often needed. Then, you talk about what is on your heart, your connection (or perhaps dis-connection) with God, and more; and we listen, occasionally asking questions to uncover where God may be in your life, where you may have missed his presence, found his joy, or experienced resistance.
There are times in our lives when the questions and our experiences just weigh heavier than we can handle on our own. Are you feeling stuck in your spiritual growth or feeling a long season of dryness? Are you deconstructing decades of living in a faith community and struggle to find the same comfort or certainty you once had? Are you asking questions or perhaps can’t quite get to them?
Henri Nouwen tells a story of young man who seeks a Zen Master with some big questions. “What is truth? How may I find joy and happiness? What is the right way of living?”
He goes on to say, “To his, we might add our own life questions: What am I to do with my life? Whom shall I marry? Where shall I live? What gifts do I have to share? What do I do with my loneliness? Why am I so needy for affection, approval, or power? How can I overcome my fears, my shame, my addictions, and my sense of inadequacy or of failure?”
These are not easy questions for anyone. Perhaps you just need a sounding board because your current relationships lack the listening skills — friends, family, clergy are too close to be able to offer alternate perspectives. Maybe you can’t find a safe space in this season. If these scenarios resonate with you spiritual direction might help you.
We don’t think we have all the answers by any means; nor do we think the answers to these questions are the same for everyone. But spiritual direction is a means to explore them and perhaps find, through this spiritual companionship and deep listening, that the answer was with you all along.
Spiritual Directors In Training
I am pursuing a Master’s of Arts Degree in Spiritual Formation from The Portland Seminary at George Fox University, with a certificate in spiritual direction. We all have to start somewhere and as part of our program we are asked to take on a couple of directees to practice our craft and apply the skills and knowledge we have been learning. Typically spiritual direction costs $30-90/session but as university students we are offering it free to anyone who wishes to give us the privilege of being a companion on your journey.
Where and When?
Direction can be given in person or over some video conferencing medium. When in person, we try to find a quiet and private place, such as in your home, at church, or anywhere you feel safe and confortable. When teleconferencing we ask that you also find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed or distracted.
The timing is negotiated from session to session and typically the cadence is every week or every other week when getting started. The first session is more of a getting to know each other and explaining more of the process and filling out some liability forms for our school’s requirements.
Participation Forms
Address
The Urban Monk
P.O. Box 2268
Rogers, AR 72756
“Create a safe space for them to wrestle, wonder, and process aloud, prayerfully looking for and seeking God together.”