What is Spiritual Direction?
Why and when do people seek spiritual direction?
For those who long for something greater or a sense of discontent with the status quo.
For others guidance and discernment on how to move through a life situation. For others this pining is more focused,
rising from a clear understanding that a sense of God’s presence is missing from particular parts of life.
Most people cannot do this on their own. Why? Because we are all accustomed to having our space high-jacked We're wired to take over conversations.
To talk over each other. We judge others too quickly and want to jump in and fix things. We have so many opinions, social media apps.
What to expect:
Direction sessions are usually one hour in length, once per month and can be held anywhere conducive to intentional conversation — online,
at a coffee house, office setting or park bench.
The director may or may not give the directee a spiritual practice to work with between sessions.
There is a place for group spiritual direction, but the classical model and that in mind here is the one-to-one interaction between director and directee.
Spiritual direction provides for the directee, a wide-open space where he or she can experience their own longing for God.
A spacious place where distractions are muted or paused so that the still small voice of God may be heard, recognized and discerned.
In direction we gather many threads together. We bring diverse prayers, our holy nudgings,
impressions and daily lived experiences into an intentional directed conversation, that invites the Spirit of God to reveal themes,
patterns, movements and counter movements that affect our spirit and life.
Spiritual direction is not a Bible study, it is not pastoral counseling nor is it mentoring.
Spiritual direction is:
Two people who agree to give their full attention to what God is doing in one seeking direction.
It is more about prayerful listening than it is speaking.
It is more about being than doing.
Simply put, it is about resting one’s soul in the sovereign care of the God who loves you.
Discernment is a crucial gift in the work of spiritual direction.
God has ordained that there be spiritual directors.
Jesus is the ultimate spiritual director because of his intimacy with God—he spoke to people’s situations in the framework of God’s faithfulness and truths and encouraged them without manipulation.
Supremely, spiritual directors are persons who have a sense of being “established” in God. Otherwise they are too dangerous to be allowed into the soul space of others.
~ Richard Foster
Supremely, spiritual directors are persons who have a sense of being “established” in God.
Otherwise they are too dangerous to be allowed into the soul space of others. ~ Richard Foster
Open Spaces is Trinitarian in its approach to prayer and spiritual guidance
God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are actively drawing us into the Eternal Divine presence.
Why and when do people seek spiritual direction?
For those who long for something greater or a sense of discontent with the status quo.
For others guidance and discernment on how to move through a life situation. For others this pining is more focused,
rising from a clear understanding that a sense of God’s presence is missing from particular parts of life.
Most people cannot do this on their own. Why? Because there are so many distractions.
Often in conversations there is a tendency to speak more than listen. Sometimes we feel that people talk over us.
There is also a tendency where we feel judged by others and this shuts us down.
We may find ourselves wanting to jump in and fix problems without much discernment.
What to expect:
Direction sessions are usually one hour in length, once per month and can be held anywhere conducive to intentional conversation — online,
at a coffee house, office setting or park bench.
The director may or may not give the directee a spiritual practice to work with between sessions.
There is a place for group spiritual direction, but the classical model and that in mind here is the one-to-one interaction between director and directee.