what is spiritual direction?
Spiritual direction is a process of helping people to become more deeply conscious of the dynamics and meaning of their everyday experiences in a customized way. Each individual has a unique journey in life and is respected accordingly. Spiritual directors, or guides, provide a presence that enables them to listen deeply, and to offer the deepest empathy and spiritual care to whomever they companion.
what to expect in spiritual direction
In spiritual direction you may:
- tell your story without interruption
- share everyday experiences, thoughts, and feelings
- identify impacts on your body, mind and heart of current experiences
- contemplate and reflect on your experiences, thoughts and feelings
- seek meaning, inner alignment, and/or connectedness with others
- be attentive to your intuition (inner voice, higher self, energy sources, God)
- increase mindfulness, meditation, and gratitude
- talk about family, work. decisions, relationships, loss, spirituality
Spiritual Directors:
- listen compassionately, attentively, deeply
- provide a safe space - confidential, non-judgemental, empathetic
- listen to the whole self - physical body, mind, emotions, spirit
- listen for what is not said
- use generative silence to gain insight
- seek to truly understand and grow along with a person
benefits of spiritual direction
Spiritual Direction may increase:
- self-awareness
- clarity about decisions
- clarity about purpose and meaning
- the feeling of being accepted and understood
- spiritual health, mindfulness, and gratitude
- ability to ask deeper more meaningful questions of ourselves and others
- alignment with core values or inner self (higher self, God, Buddha, Creator)
spiritual direction versus counselling
Counselling:
- often weekly
- advise to solve life problems
- focus on recovering from crisis and trauma
- may be confrontational
- seek to restore emotional health
Both Spiritual Direction and Counselling work when there is a genuine interpersonal relationship between the people involved that implies real understanding and interest. The person seeking counselling or spiritual direction will grow only if the relationship with the counsellor or spiritual guide is deeply real.
Spiritual Direction:
- usually once per month
- do not give advice
- focus on finding meaning in your life experiences
- is gentile, compassionate
- longing for something
- feel stuck in their life
how does spiritual direction fit in your life?
Many people consider themselves to be 'spiritual independents.' They include spiritual but not religious, agnostics, atheists, unaffiliated, unchurched, religious nones, spiritual eclectics and nothing in particular. Spiritual independents may have experienced rejection by family who do not understand their need to search for authentic meaning outside of traditional family norms. Spiritual direction provides empathy and support for those who have a great need to be listened to and for healing presence. Spiritual direction is not counselling and will not advise to solve life problems
For those people that have a strong commitment or affiliation to or with a particular faith or religion, spiritual direction can assist them in developing and cultivating their personal relationship with God/Buddha/Creator. Spiritual direction can help deepen a person's prayer life and help them to bring God into their everyday life.
More Spiritual Directors can be found at spiritualdirectorslethbridge.com.