My definition: it's a way of walking with someone through the joys and heartbreaks of everyday life, focusing on where you see the Divine (whatever that means to you, whether it can be seen in nature, in the eyes of child or an animal, or dreams), listening with ears to hear what's going on, beneath the words, in-between breaths. It's a way of affirming what you already know, but you want help re-membering it.
I was trained in Spiritual Direction at the Franciscan Spiritual Center in Portland. Their site says it best:
Our Spiritual Direction Training program is based in the Franciscan tradition which exults in the abundance and goodness of God and creation. The dignity and importance of each human person is the basis of the sacred listening involved in Franciscan Spiritual Direction. The program begins with the on-going conversion of each person, developing a sense of their own call and gifts, and understanding the importance of story, in themselves and in others. From the beginning we will be developing listening skills and inclusive language, coming to deeper clarity about one’s own image of the Divine. We will study the insights of St. Francis, St. Clare, Bonaventure, and Scotus, along with mystics of several different faith traditions. Active participation and practice will be a large part of the training. Students will be expected to read, journal, make presentations, and most of all, learn the art of spiritual direction. Foundational ethics, boundaries, and experience of supervision and consultation will be studied and practiced.
I cultivate an element of slowness and presence in my practice, to hear you, to hear the Divine. Through a combination of guided meditation, a prayer, a poem, scripture, or by simply talking to you, I invite you into your true self, which is where you'll find the Divine. Homework (which is always optional!) could include a collage, a mandala, dance, journaling, photos or music.
We meet once a month (generally), on Skpye, FaceTime, Google Hangouts, or Zoom. (If you don't know to use one of those, no worries. I will help you by giving you very detailed instructions.)
I am a member of Spiritual Directors Int'l (SDI), a great resource for videos, workshops, and articles. If you are looking for someone to work with, I invite you to read this: FAQ for those seeking. Or the article in the Huffington Post called 10 Reasons to Get a Spiritual Director by Larrisa Marks.
I offer a first session at no charge, just so you can ask any questions and get a feel for how I work. E-mail me to get this set up through my Contact Page.
