What is Spiritual Direction
Spiritual direction is an ongoing process of sharing and reflecting on one’s life experience for the purpose of living into a deeper understanding and connection with the divine. According to Spiritual Director’s International, people enter spiritual direction for a variety of reasons, including to:
- identify and trust their own spiritual experience
- integrate spirituality into their daily life
- discern and make difficult choices
- share their hopes, struggles, and losses
- develop a sensitivity for justice and concern for the poor
- live the essence of their spiritual affiliation with integrity
If you have a desire to find meaning beyond the moment, if you are seeking to discover your true self, if you want to grow closer to God and others, then spiritual direction may be for you.
Roles of a Spiritual Director
- Listens to the sacred stories of people’s lives.
- Serves as companions to people on their spiritual journey.
- Guides us toward an awareness of God’s presence and grace in our lives.
- Notices the personal experiences of God found in prayer, relationships, nature.
Individual Spiritual Direction
You may choose to deepen your relationship with God through one-on-one individual direction sessions or small group direction sessions.
Individual spiritual direction sessions typically last about an hour and are scheduled about once a month. However, those participating in a directed retreat may choose daily sessions of spiritual direction for a series of consecutive days. In-person and remote audio or video call options are available. An introductory session is offered to every individual directee free of charge. The regular fee for subsequent individual spiritual direction is $50 per one-hour session. If you are interested in spiritual direction and are unable to afford the regular fee, ask about our sliding scale fee for low income directees.
Group Spiritual Direction
Group spiritual directions sessions may be arranged for groups of three to six directees. Because it takes more time to develop trust within a small group than with a single directee, a common model for groups is to meet for two-hour sessions once a week for six weeks, or once a month for six months. The regular fee for group spiritual direction is $25 per session for each participant.
Seeking God Together
Seeking God Together is a small group experience designed to help participants grow in their awareness of the work of God in their own lives and the lives of their companions on the spiritual journey.
Participants will read from the text, “Seeking God Together: An Introduction to Group Spiritual Direction” by Alice Fryling.
The group will learn:
- what spiritual direction is and is not
- the value of shared silence and deep listening
- the role of centering practices in focusing on the holy
- how to explore the deeper thoughts and feelings that lie beneath our daily experience
Sample Curriculum for Seeking God Together