Description
In general, spiritual direction is an on-going relationship in which someone – the “directee” – meets with another person – the “director” or “spiritual companion” – on an on-going basis in order to be more attentive to her/his spiritual life. Through conversation and reflection, the directee becomes more attuned to God's Presence, responding more fully to God in all areas of life.
Logistics
Typically, spiritual direction is a half- to one-hour, one-on-one conversation between a spiritual director and the directee in some quiet, private setting. Meeting frequency is usually about once a month. The focus of the meetings is the directee's relationship with God within all aspects of life. The directee leads the direction of the conversation so that topics are only those which are comfortable for the directee.
Context
The directee assumes responsibility for her/his relationship with God, working to incorporate some form of intentional reflection on her/his relationship with God, which may include an experience or practice of some type of prayer – understanding that “prayer” can take various forms. During the meeting, director and directee enter into a prayerful atmosphere where together they can be attentive to the movement of the Holy Spirit in the directee’s life. All spiritual direction conversations are confidential between the director and directee.
Spiritual Direction vs. Therapy/Counseling
There are clear distinctions between spiritual direction and therapy, or counseling. These fields are similar in that each entails personal one-on-one conversations about areas of a person’s life that s/he would like to improve or in which s/he would like to find deeper meaning. In contrast with therapy, or counseling, spiritual direction is fundamentally concerned with a person’s relationship with God: with recognizing and responding to God in regular, ongoing, daily life as well as in the midst of specific issues of struggle or disorder. Therapy is not necessarily or fundamentally concerned with a person’s relationship with God. Also, problem solving is not the primary focus of spiritual direction, whereas it can be in therapy. A spiritual director may refer a directee to counseling if appropriate.
director/directee relationship
Given the intimate nature of spiritual direction, the dynamic between the director and directee is paramount, and must be comfortable for each. This may take a few sessions to decide on. It is important that a directee is prepared to stop seeing a particular director and seek out a new director if s/he is not ultimately comfortable with the dynamic – which may even be evident after one meeting.
Methods
The director may question, challenge, suggest, and support the directee, and may suggest methods and specific content of prayer – and again, conversation is not limited to this. Ultimately the directee must own whatever insights s/he uncovers, or course of action s/he decides to take; the director is a facilitator in the process, and the directee must claim the journey.
Setting up Spiritual Direction at BC
There are many people at BC who are qulaified spiritual directors - laymen and women, Jesuits, and men and women in other religious orders. If you’re interesting in just trying out, or definitely setting up, spiritual direction here at BC, contact Rick Rossi.
Adapted from the Shalem institute, Washington DC