SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
In traditional spiritual direction, we meet once a month (other intervals are possible, depending on the directee’s needs) for 50 minutes to an hour. Through asking gentle questions that invite reflection and making space for silence and prayer, I facilitate the directee’s conversation with God and with themselves, inviting them to a deeper, experiential knowingness of God’s presence and grace in their everyday life.
Recommended for: Anyone who wants to deepen their intimacy with God, who wants to develop discernment either for an immediate situation or over time, or needs to “reset” their relationship with God and prayer due to fatigue, disappointment, disillusionment, grief, or other stressors, or simply the desire for something “more.”
In group spiritual direction, I lead a small group of directees. I both provide direction and give people in the group the tools to direct each other, by teaching and modeling the skill of listening to and asking questions of others for the purpose of their spiritual formation.
Recommended for: Anyone who feels drawn to spiritual direction, believes they can thrive in a group setting, is comfortable being vulnerable with others, and is willing to practice contemplative listening and questioning. Group spiritual direction can also be more affordable than individual spiritual direction.
THE IGNATIAN EXERCISES – 18TH AND 19TH ANNOTATIONS
The Ignatian Spiritual Exercises were developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola. All Jesuit priests must undertake the Exercises at least twice in their lifetime, but they offer anyone who undertakes them a transformative experience of prayer, immersion in Scripture, discernment, and intimacy with God. While the Ignatian Exercises ask a lot of a directee – a commitment to time daily in Scripture reading, reflection, and prayer and a weekly meeting with a director – the rewards are incalculable.
I offer two versions of the Exercises. The 19th Annotation takes places over approximately nine months and requires a weekly meeting with me, while the 18th Annotation is 11 weeks long and can be undertaken individually or as a small group. It also requires a weekly meeting with me or with me and the other members of the group.
The Exercises are divided into five “weeks,” but these are not chronological weeks. They are more like stages on a journey or movements in a symphony, which each stage or movement building on the one that came before.
Preparatory Week – Soaking in God’s love for you and all creation
Week 1 – Reflecting on the things that hinder us from fully loving God and others
Week 2 – Journeying with Jesus through his early life and ministry, coming to know, love, and serve him more deeply as an intimate friend
Week 3 – Traveling with our friend in his darkest days and crucifixion, becoming even more aware of his love for us
Week 4 – Experiencing Jesus’ resurrection and reflecting on God’s individual call to us to love the world as God does
Recommended for: The 18th Annotation is recommended for someone who has experience with spiritual direction and/or contemplative practices, who is mature in their faith and in spiritual disciplines, and yet feels drawn to go deeper. A retreatant would ideally have at least some experience with contemplative prayer or spiritual direction. The 18th is perfect for someone who has several months of availability, but not the full 9 months, or someone who would like to explore the shorter form of the Exercises, either on their own or as a prelude to discerning whether to go on to the longer form.
The recommendations for the 19th Annotation are similar to those for the 18th, with the addition that the time commitment is significantly longer. Along with the longer time frame, however, comes a much deeper engagement with God, the Scriptures, and practices of discernment.
Not recommended for: The Exercises in either form are not recommended for someone who is in the middle of transition or crisis or who is unable to sustain a routine of daily prayer and weekly spiritual direction over a long period of time. Also, if you are do not have some experience in spiritual direction and contemplative practices, I recommend starting with monthly spiritual direction before proceeding to the Exercises.