Spiritual Direction.

A few years ago, I began feeling restless. 

I knew that there was so much that I did not understand about religion and spirituality, about faith, about God.  I wanted  more for my life and the restlessness I was feeling was demanding I move forward. 

The problem was that I didn’t necessarily know how.

I had been doing the same things the same ways all of my life. I didn’t know how to step outside of that, look outside of that, trust outside of that.

So, I became curious and began reading and searching for opportunities to move forward. 

I began reading about spiritual formation and what it was and what it meant. It intrigued and fascinated me. It expounded on having a deeper relationship with God through various spiritual disciplines and practices. It enabled me to find different ways of experiencing my theology. It was a true joy.

In my readings, I stumbled across the idea of spiritual direction. This was new to me and I didn’t know what it was. 

I came to understand that spiritual direction is simply the practice of being with someone as they attempt to grow in a deeper relationship with God. The spiritual director is present with the directee and listens as they talk about what they feel, see, and notice in their everyday life and focuses on the presence of God in those experiences.

My restlessness pushed me on so that I began working with a spiritual director. I began to have monthly conversations about where I saw and felt God in my life. It has been a life-giving and life-changing experience.

The beauty of the experience led me to begin my own journey of becoming a Spiritual Director. So, in August of 2022, I started the Southern Methodist University’s certification in Spiritual Direction program. 

Holy listening. 

That’s really all it is. 

Learning to sit and openly hear another talk and discuss their journey. Learning to be present with the directee while acknowledging the presence of the Holy. 

Spiritual Direction has taught me how close the Holy really is to all of us. It has taught me how powerful being still and listening really is. It has taught me how truly loved I am. 

I wonder what it has to teach you?