Who is called to the ministry of spiritual direction?
People who are called to be spiritual directors often have the following gifts and graces:
- in love with God and desire to grow ever more deeply in love
- the gift of being able to listen deeply – “holy listening”
- the capacity to sit with those who are suffering and in pain
- sufficient spiritual maturity to put their own agenda aside and allow Spirit to work in and through them in the direction relationship
- a person to whom others are naturally drawn and able to trust and share their confidences
- deeply committed to their own continued spiritual growth
- capable of and willing to self-reflect
People who are in the ministry of Spiritual Direction are expected to:
- complete a rigorous training program specific to Spiritual Direction (generally these programs are a minimum of 2 years in length)
- meet with their own spiritual director regularly
- participate in either individual or group supervision
- attend a retreat for themselves at least once annually
What happens in a spiritual direction meeting with a director?
Spiritual direction sessions usually last about 1 hour. It is a conversation between the director and the directee, with the directee doing most of the talking. Here are some of the questions people often think about before a spiritual direction session:
- Have I noticed any particular themes in my time of quiet and prayer?
- Where did I meet Christ during the past month? What was that experience like?
- What scriptures, book passage, movie, or even TV input stirred up something in my soul? Talk about that stirring.
- During the past month, when/where I have experienced some resistance to God’s prompting?
- Was there a time when I experienced a longing for God? When? What was that like?
- What faith or spiritual questions have been raised by the “happenings” of the last month?
- When have I struggled with knowing what God is asking of me?
- When did I experience God’s unconditional love?
- Who is the God I met during this past month? (what images of God were present for me?)