Spiritual Direction
Spiritual Direction
“Spiritual Directors are there to 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
What is spiritual direction?
Spiritual direction is an ancient practice of sacred conversations. It offers a place for sharing your spiritual journey with a trusted companion who helps you be attentive to the presence, action, and invitations of God in the context of your everyday life.
Spiritual direction conversations create an intentional opportunity to explore how to grow in intimacy with God and respond to the invitations that emerge as we seek Him. We engage in these conversations with the expectation that we can encounter a loving God who is eager to personally communicate with us as we seek ways of living out a ‘with God’ life.
This is a professional, confidential relationship where we can talk about the ‘stuff’ in your life - decisions, work, relationships, dreams, longings and life experiences, but central to every session is you and God.
The role of the Spiritual Director
Spiritual directors are ‘companions on the way’ or ‘soul friends’ for those who are seeking to grow, develop and deepen their relationship with God.
As a spiritual director, I will help you to listen to what God is saying to you as we walk alongside one another in this season of your life.
I won’t tell you what to think or believe. Instead, we will look and listen to the unfolding story of your life and respond to the nudges and invitations of God as the Holy Spirit draws our attention to them.
As your spiritual director, I can act as a sounding board, a resource, and a skilled listener. I can be an extra pair of eyes and ears with you, present in the highs, lows, and plateaus of your life.
It is my pleasure and privilege to walk with you as you connect with God and your deepest self.
How it works
Our initial conversation is a chance to connect and explore your expectations and needs as well as any previous experience you’ve had with spiritual direction. If you decide you would like to work with me, we will book our first session together.
Monthly sessions are 55 minutes in length and are $100. This can be paid directly into my account. (If the cost is prohibitive for you, please discuss this with me directly.) If you live outside of NZ, we can make alternate arrangements for payment using PayPal.
Sessions are currently available on Thursdays or Fridays either in person or on Google meets. A no-show fee will be applied unless notice is given 24 hours prior, except in the case of an emergency.
How to get the most out of your spiritual direction sessions
People come to spiritual direction for different reasons and lengths of time. ‘For a reason, a season or a lifetime’ as the saying goes. Since this practice is focused on you and God, how you use spiritual direction is personal. However, to make the most of our time together, take a moment to consider how you can come prepared for our sessions together.
Before coming, ask yourself, what area of your life do you want or need to explore? Recall experiences you would like to share with me. I love hearing about all aspects of your life - it’s all spiritual.
Consider:
Prayer experiences or times you felt the presence of the Spirit.
Anything you wanted to act on after the last session? Have you done so? How has that been?
Challenges you faced over the month.
How has God seemed present to you? How has God seemed distant from you?
Joys, gifts, or high points of your month.
What have you learned and how have you grown in the last month?
Questions in your life you are in the process of discerning.
How have you been open and responsive to God? What has contributed to that?
Are there any areas of resistance that you’ve noticed and want to work through?
Conversations, dreams, thoughts, readings, or reflections that have stuck with you over the month.
Are there any recurring themes, threads, patterns, or dreams that you want to explore?
Are there areas that you’re wrestling with? Do you have hard questions or doubts to unpack?
What has been life-giving and nourishing to your relationship with God this month?
Bring your journal, photography, or your art.
If you’ve done all of the above and still don’t know what to talk about, you can share the story of your journey of faith. There is always something more to discover embedded in your life story.
The spiritual direction session is entirely yours and I will follow your lead when it comes to what we talk about.
