Spiritual Direction: Our Understanding and Commitment
What is spiritual direction? Spiritual direction is a process—usually monthly, for an hour—that focuses on the spiritual dimension of everyday life. A spiritual director offers a pair of eyes and a listening heart focused on the presence and movement of Spirit in a person’s life. It is not counseling, therapy, advice-giving, or teaching. Some directees benefit from being in therapy as well as direction. In this relationship, both director and directee have important roles as described below. I recommend trying the process for 3 sessions and then discussing how it’s going. We also take time annually to reflect on these commitments, celebrating growth and dialoguing about how the direction sessions are serving your spiritual journey.
As your spiritual director, I will:
Be attentive to you and to the movement of the Spirit during our time together;
Nurture your self-knowledge and freedom;
Respect your values, conscience, spirituality and theology;
Maintain appropriate physical and psychological boundaries;
Keep our meetings private and confidential;
Establish agreements with you about the focus, length and frequency of our sessions;
Fulfill my ethical requirements as a director to receive direction myself and to be in supervision;
Pray for you.
Spiritual directors are bound by law to report suspected cases of child or elder abuse and are bound by conscience and our code of ethics to work out some way to intervene should you state your intention to cause physical harm to yourself or another.
You, as directee, agree to:
Engage in practices that deepen your experience of and response to the presence of God (Christ, Spirit, Source, the Holy, the Divine or whatever name you use);
Reflect on your life with an eye toward how the Spirit is present and moving;
Arrive at direction sessions on time;
Notify me 24 hours before your appointment if you cannot come;
Speak to me of any concerns you have about the relationship or our time in direction together.