Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine, or to learn and grow in their personal spirituality. … The director listens and asks questions to assist the directee in his or her process of reflection and spiritual growth.
What happens during spiritual direction?
The Spiritual Director is gifted and/or trained to listen for the things of God during the session. They are actively listening while you share. … During these daily meetings, exercises or spiritual disciplines such as lectio divina are given to the directee as fodder to continue his or her spiritual growth.
What is the purpose of spiritual direction Why is it important?
Spiritual direction is important, because it helps the individual on their spiritual journey, making it a less isolated experience. It can also bring a greater awareness of the presence of God in one’s own life (2).
How do you prepare for spiritual direction?
Do whatever you have found to be helpful in the past as preparation for prayer. You might take a few slow, deep breaths, or look out the window, or do a little journaling, or read scripture. Then, invite God to show you what it might be helpful for you to talk about in a spiritual direction session.
What is spiritual direction in the Catholic Church?
CATHOLIC SPIRITUAL DIRECTION: DEFINITION AND DESCRIPTION. Christian spiritual direction may be defined as the help or guidance that a person (directee) seeks and another (director) gives over a period of time in the process of growing in a loving relationship with God.
Is spiritual direction Biblical?
So if you were to ask if Spiritual Direction is Biblical, the answer should be a quick yes. … Spiritual Direction considers a person’s spiritual experiences, their prayer lives, relationship with God and their faith tradition when beginning to engage and guide them.
What is the difference between spiritual direction and Counselling?
Generally, spiritual direction is ongoing and part of one’s inner hunger for discerning “Where is God in this experience?” In contrast, counseling is often short-term, focusing on a particular issue. Spiritual direction, unlike counseling, occurs in the context of prayer and a sense of God’s presence.
Do you pay for spiritual direction?
How much does spiritual direction cost? A standard offering for an hour of spiritual direction is around 50-70 USD. Many spiritual directors will make accommodations if this is cost prohibitive.
How often is spiritual direction?
Spiritual direction sessions occur about once a month for approximately an hour. It is important to be on time for each meeting and to call at least a day ahead if one needs to reschedule.
How long are the spiritual exercises?
Divided into four thematic “weeks” of variable length, they are designed to be carried out over a period of 28 to 30 days. They were composed with the intention of helping participants in religious retreats to discern the will of God in their lives, leading to a personal commitment to follow Jesus whatever the cost.
How often should you meet with your spiritual director?
How often should we meet for spiritual direction? Once a month is the typical frequency, though there may be times or seasons when meeting twice a month or every other month is appropriate and helpful.
What is spiritual direction training?
Spiritual direction is not psychotherapy or counseling, but utilizes the many skills of counseling. Potential students may choose to apply to either the online program or the in-person program. The in-person sessions will be held at the St. Joseph Center in Orange, CA.
How do you ask a priest for spiritual direction?
Ask your parish priest.
The first person to turn to for spiritual direction is your parish priest. You might already have a relationship with your priest and feel comfortable asking him, but even if you don’t know your priest well, it is fine to ask him if he can be your spiritual director.
What is spiritual direction and the discipline of presence?
Spiritual direction is simply a relationship where one person helps another attend to God’s call and presence in their life. It may not be given a name, but it has always been a vital ministry in the church for years.