What is Spiritual Direction?
Spiritual Direction is an ancient practice that involves taking time to reflect on your life’s journey with someone who provides support and encouragement along the way. Also known as Spiritual Companionship, Spiritual Direction is a meeting of two people, one being formally trained in this modality, to practice deep listening in order to discern ultimate realities of the directee’s life. In spiritual companioning, relationship is developed with the sacred - that which is held dear in terms of human meaning and values - and the focus is on the spiritual journey, with spiritual meaning, as Thomas Merton suggested, “the deepest psychological ground.”
Sometimes you simply need to talk to someone who is also on a contemplative path and can help you discern your path. That’s what a spiritual director does–gently and carefully accompanies you along the journey. Mostly, we listen and reflect back to you the wisdom that we notice in you. Most importantly, we do this without judgment. We want you to discover for yourself where you are being led.
We meet with people from a variety of faith traditions and secular backgrounds, as well as spiritual independents. We proudly celebrate diversity and openly affirm LGBTQ+ persons.
We see people all over the world, meeting by phone, Zoom or Skype or, if you live in or near Phoenix or Tucson, AZ we can meet in person.
Schedule a free call
If you would like to talk with me directly about spiritual direction, please call 520-975-5646 or email tc@tcjonescoaching.com. We can meet by Zoom, Skype or phone if not in person.
FAQs
- Who uses spiritual direction? Anyone longing to connect more deeply with their own spirit and learn how to discern where wisdom is unfolding in their life. There is no prerequisite for coming to spiritual direction. If you desire it, then it is for you.
- What if I am not religious but want spiritual direction? You are welcome in spiritual direction. No spiritual director worth the title is going to push you to affiliate with any particular religious tradition. We are about listening to your sacred story, not pushing you one way or another. If you find yourself in direction with someone who is judgmental or pushy, get out immediately. Spiritual direction is about freedom, not conformity. In addition, if God-language or religious terminology turns you off, just tell your spiritual director and they will do their best to use language that fits your experience.
- What kinds of experiences do people talk about in spiritual direction? People frequently come wondering “where is the Sacred in my life?” Some have had powerful spiritual experiences and want to talk to someone who will take them seriously. Others come needing to make a crucial decision in their life and want assistance in prayer and discernment. Most come wanting to gain clarity in issues of meaning, identity, purpose, or action in their life circumstances.
- How are spiritual directors trained? Many spiritual directors have been through formation and training programs, such as the Hesychia School of Spiritual Direction in Tucson, AZ. Teresa earned her certificate while in graduate school at Vanderbilt University. There are many good training programs. Some spiritual directors have had no formal training but have been doing spiritual direction for many years as part of their life’s service.
- What is the certification process for spiritual directors? There is no standard certification for spiritual directors either here in the U.S. or anywhere in the world. Many training programs offer certificates of completion, but those do not guarantee that a person is a good spiritual director. So when choosing a director, look for someone you resonate with, someone who listens well, a person who has an active commitment to prayer and meditation, and someone who helps you find the wisdom you have within you.
- How is spiritual direction different from therapy or pastoral counseling? First of all, spiritual directors are not trained in psychotherapy or counseling (unless you encounter one who is trained to do both) so we do not diagnose or attempt to “fix” anyone’s problems. We focus on the sacred dimension of life, spiritual development and discernment. We do, however, see many people who are in therapy. Spiritual direction seems to complement psychological counseling, but it is never a substitute for it. Also as many people know, some counselor's sessions are covered by health insurance whereas spiritual direction is not.
- What if I want to be in spiritual direction, but I’m not sure you’re the person for me? No problem. Not every spiritual director is a good match for every person. You may be looking for a man, or a person who is ordained within a certain religious tradition, or perhaps you want a spiritual director who also wears an additional hat, such as coach or pastoral counselor. There are lots of different spiritual directors in practice and can be located on the Spiritual Directors International website’s “seek and find” feature at www.sdiworld.org.. Remember, many spiritual directors do work by phone, Skype or Zoom so you are no longer geographically bound in your search for a spiritual companion.
