"What Is Spiritual Direction? A Sense of the Holy in Everyday Life Practiced since the dawn of the Christian faith—and, indeed, in all of the Abrahamic traditions—spiritual direction provides a focused means for growing in relationship with God. Simply put, it is “holy listening”—a ministry of entering into the deep places of the soul with another, not to instruct but to witness and to listen. Despite its ancient roots, spiritual direction has been largely absent in the day-to-day life of the church of the last century. More recently, the discipline has been rediscovered as an invaluable means for enriching and deepening the spiritual journey, and it is now undergoing a renaissance in the church worldwide. 'What exactly do spiritual directors do? The simple and most direct answer I can give is that they help others attend to God’s presence and revelation and prepare to respond to him. In other words, they help people attune themselves to God.' David Benner, Sacred Companions, p.106 In individual and group settings, director and directee meet in the presence of the One who transforms... Eugene Peterson, in his course at Regent College “Tell It Slant: The Parables As Spiritual Direction,” suggested that spiritual direction is “listening truth into being.” The language around spiritual direction may seem vague and mystical to those unfamiliar with the practice and with the contemplative aspects of Christian spirituality. It can be frustratingly difficult to understand what actually happens in a spiritual direction session, especially for those used to programs and other structured curriculum for spiritual growth. In essence, spiritual direction is simply what it appears to be: an intentional time of listening to and following the voice of God in the life of the directee." - from Anam Cara's page about spiritual direction (you can find more at https://anamcara.com/spiritual-direction/) What strikes you from this introduction? What are you still wondering?

Posted by Jamie Bonilla at 2022-08-25 14:13:53 UTC