Maybe you have heard of the Christian practice of spiritual direction? It has been in existence for quite some time and has found both renewal and expansion in recent years. While the roots of this practice are biblical, modeled in the mentorship and guidance we see in relationships like those of Jethro and Moses, or Eli and Samuel, the formation of the practice really originates in monasticism. During the days of the Desert Fathers and Mothers it was common for Christian pilgrims to come to them for direction. And the direction they were seeking was spiritual in nature.
In their book The Practice of Spiritual Direction (Barry & Conolly,1986) the authors offer this definition: “Spiritual direction is help given by one Christian to another which enables that person to pay attention to God’s personal communication to him or her, to respond to this personally communicating God, to grow in intimacy with this God, and to live out the consequences of the relationship.”
Spiritual direction involves both the director and directee or pilgrim. It centers on the spiritual director’s ability to create space for their directee to explore what they may already know but have found hard to access. In this sense, the work is relational as well as prayerful and reflective in nature. It’s work that moves at its own pace of discovery, not to be rushed, yet purposeful and guided.
I have had two occasions in which to benefit from a spiritual direction relationship. One was associated with a Sabbatical. I built into my plan and budget a sequence of spiritual direction sessions upon the sabbatical’s end to unpack and reflect upon the experience and what lay ahead. I met with my spiritual director face to face about every four to six weeks for about an hour, during which time she would gently help guide me through whatever question, event or exploration I felt was brimming in my spiritual life. It was a rich time of discovery and exploration, centered in listening and paying attention to God’s communication. The insightful questions and observation my director raised were poignant ways of drawing my attention to my relationship with the Lord.
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