What is Spiritual Direction?

I am getting ready to go to Santa Barbara to complete my certification as a Spiritual Director. I'll be finishing my year of formation and study with a 2-week intensive from July 25 to August 8. I thought it might be helpful to share some quotes and references about spiritual direction that might help describe what it is. I've come across a fair share of people who aren't familiar with spiritual direction although, lately, spiritual formation, direction and soul care are popping up as buzzwords in Evangelical circles.

Spiritual Direction has been around since at least the 4th century AD, with people seeking out the "desert fathers and mothers" of the time for spiritual guidance. It is by no means a new thing, however, it is being "rediscovered" by the evangelical church.

Bruce Demarest, in his book entitled Soul Guide, looks at the life of Jesus as spiritual director. In Chapter 5, "Soul Care Through the Centuries," Demarest shows evidence of spiritual direction from the early church (desert fathers/mothers) through to modern times. The bulk of the book takes Jesus' contact with people in the gospels and shows how He ministers soul care to individuals.

Two other books can also help bring understanding to what spiritual direction is. I have placed quotes below from Sacred Companions by David Benner, as well as Holy Listening by Margaret Guenther. There is, of course, more to the subject than is referenced here, but it is a start and a taste.

"Spiritual direction is a prayer process in which a person seeking help in cultivating a deeper personal relationship with God meets with another for prayer and conversation that is focused on increasing awareness of God in the midst of life experiences and facilitating surrender to God's will." (David Benner, Sacred Companions, Downer's Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2002, p. 94)

"The director's task is to help connect the individual's story to the story [God's pursuit of us through Jesus Christ] and thereby help the directee to recognize and claim identity in Christ, discern the action of the Holy Spirit." (Margaret Guenther, Holy Listening, Boston, MA: Cowley Publications, 1992, p. 32).

"In some ways, the art of spiritual direction lies in our uncovering the obvious in our lives and in realizing that everyday events are the means by which God tries to reach us." (Guenther, p. ix).

"Spiritual directors [as opposed to counselors] make their empathic focus not primarily the other person but the Spirit. This means that the spiritual director's goal is not primarily to understand how the person seeking direction feels. Nor is it to enter the person's experience and see the world as he or she does. Rather, it is to help the person come more closely in touch with the Spirit of God….the empathic focus of the director is not primarily the other person but the Spirit of God." (Benner, p. 93)

I Don't Care if I Die!

A few weeks ago we were camping in Malibu. I was climbing some rocks with my sons and I gave my eight-year-old some kind of mom-warning. It was something about being careful to not fall. I think moms are just wired to warn of impending danger. My son responded in a way that surprised me and has actually sent me off into some thought about how I live my life. He said, "I DON'T CARE IF I DIE, I JUST WANT TO GO ON THE ADVENTURE!" This is actually how my youngest son lives his life. He is a "go for it" kind of guy.

When I first heard him say this, of course, I chuckled. But then I was immediately drawn to prayer. "I DON'T CARE IF I DIE, I JUST WANT TO GO ON THE ADVENTURE!" Lord, do I live like this with You? I've taken steps on the path to dying to myself, and I want to continue to do this with verve! I want to enjoy more of the adventure with You. Will I continue to die to myself on this journey of life here on earth? In the long run I will be gaining real life! I join my son in his exclamation of joy, "I DON'T CARE IF I DIE, I JUST WANT TO GO ON THE ADVENTURE!"

Mark 8:34-36 - Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?