What is spiritual direction?

  • Hand writing in journal with blue pen. Coffee cup and glasses in the image.

    Reflect

    Together we will reflect on the events of your life and attempt to see the fingerprints and patterns of God.

  • Hands with rings lay gently crossed on an open Bible with a bookmark.

    Meditate

    Together we will practice methods of praying and meditation to open our hearts to the movement of the Spirit.

  • One hand holds black phone receiver while the other hand reaches out to dial with spin dial.

    Connect

    Together we will meet as often as you need. We can connect in person on Eastern Long Island, talk on the phone, or connect via video call on many platforms.

It is by my definition…

Christian Spiritual Direction is an ancient practice of partnership in which one listens with another for the voice and actions of God in one’s life. It offers companionship for the most significant part of a person’s life - their life in God. It is a gentle practice, a quiet practice, a practice at times almost maddeningly slow. In this practice of partnership, the two soul friends meet about once a month for about an hour. In these meetings there is conversation and silence, scripture reading and meditation, and lots of listening.

The emphasis is not on a problem to be fixed or a principle to be mastered. Spiritual Direction is not counseling nor is it coaching. It is a time for the encouragement of connection with God as well as discovering areas of lack of connection, it is seeing where God was seen and not seen, knowing where God is heard and not heard. Both partners trust the Holy Spirit to bring to the surface what is important  and what may bless or block the receiving and response to God’s love.

My Perspective

I am a Christian. I am firmly convinced of God’s love and faithfulness to all He has created. I trust in His Presence revealed in Christ, in the Holy Spirit and the words of the scripture. Contemplative practices- silence, solitude, meditation, imagination, and other practices guide my personal soul care and will be offered in Direction sessions as invitations for my soul friends without judgment or expectation. 

God is present. I am loved by Him and you are loved by Him. He wants to be close to me and to  you and however I can serve to develop that closeness, I am very pleased to do s0. I will work willingly and lovingly with whoever comes to me even in doubt or uncertainty. 

Some Practices

I love silence. It feeds my soul like nothing else. Some people like music for the same purpose or conversation. The practices we explore in Spiritual Direction are designed to match with the gifts God has given each of us and with our own ways of interacting with the world. Some of the practices are silent, but some make noise. Some are best done alone while others are good to do with others. We will explore together and be invited into different experiences to learn what draws us to the heart of God.