Spiritual Director - By Popular Demand
Sep. 11th, 2004 09:54 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
qosEssentially, a spiritual director is a person who acts as a mentor and companion to someone who wants to deepen and grow his or her spiritual life. The role of a spiritual director is different from that of a pastor or a therapist, but has aspects in common with each. For those of you new to my journal, it is what I am studying to become.
I believe that the role was first developed in religious orders (both Eastern and Western), when each novice was assigned a more experienced brother or sister to provide guidance and encouragement as they learned the spiritual disciplines and the lifestyle of the order. A spiritual director provided encouragement and helped to identify and overcome the pitfalls of both discouragement and vanity. Each monk or nun had a director throughout their life, not just in the early days.
These days, laypeople too seek out spiritual direction. A spiritual director helps a person to perceive and to live more consciously in the presence of the Divine, to develop a spiritual practice that fits their beliefs, personality and lifestyle, and deepen their spiritual life.
Some people dislike the term Spiritual Director because it implies a hierarchical, authoritarian relationship. From my reading, the original, monastic relationship was exactly that. I'm sure there are still spiritual directors who operate in that model. But the trend is toward a relationship that can be characterized as a Spiritual Companion, or Soul Friend. This is a person who shares and acts as a guide or way-shower on the spiritual journey.
I have a spiritual director for a couple of reasons. Since I am by nature an introvert and my own spiritual path crosses so many boundaries of tradition, community life can be problematic for me. Having a spiritual director gives me someone I come to regularly for companionship, encouragement, and teaching. What prompted me to actually go out and find one (after wanting one for years but never actually doing it) is that my seminary requires all students to have one. Tom has a background in Celtic Christianity, and when we had our initial consultation we found out we speak a similar symbolic language, which helps a lot.
My visits with Tom (90 minutes, once a month, although I wish it was every two weeks) help provide me with perspective, give me someone who listens and asks good questions about my spiritual life and challenges, who encourages me, and who suggests questions and things to do which can help me deepen my spiritual life when it would be all too easy for it to get lost in the day to day bustle and fatigue of home, work, and school. We pray together, and he prays for me, which is something that feels more wonderful than I can say.
I believe the Divine is constantly in-flowing into all of us, but that the path of that stream can be blocked with the debris of inattention, ego, and etc. One of the basic tasks of the spiritual life is to keep that channel open and "come to the water" on a regular, consistent basis. Tom helps me keep my streambed clear and helps me deepen it. Which is also as good a definition of a spiritual companion as any.
I found Tom because my school gives us all a 12-page list of directors, complete with background, denominational affiliation, and specialties. (I contacted several who seemed good matches, spoke with two, and selected Tom.) Other places to find them are the yellow pages, spiritual centers or bookstores, retreat centers, churches and denominational offices, spiritual/religious magazines.
I believe that the role was first developed in religious orders (both Eastern and Western), when each novice was assigned a more experienced brother or sister to provide guidance and encouragement as they learned the spiritual disciplines and the lifestyle of the order. A spiritual director provided encouragement and helped to identify and overcome the pitfalls of both discouragement and vanity. Each monk or nun had a director throughout their life, not just in the early days.
These days, laypeople too seek out spiritual direction. A spiritual director helps a person to perceive and to live more consciously in the presence of the Divine, to develop a spiritual practice that fits their beliefs, personality and lifestyle, and deepen their spiritual life.
Some people dislike the term Spiritual Director because it implies a hierarchical, authoritarian relationship. From my reading, the original, monastic relationship was exactly that. I'm sure there are still spiritual directors who operate in that model. But the trend is toward a relationship that can be characterized as a Spiritual Companion, or Soul Friend. This is a person who shares and acts as a guide or way-shower on the spiritual journey.
I have a spiritual director for a couple of reasons. Since I am by nature an introvert and my own spiritual path crosses so many boundaries of tradition, community life can be problematic for me. Having a spiritual director gives me someone I come to regularly for companionship, encouragement, and teaching. What prompted me to actually go out and find one (after wanting one for years but never actually doing it) is that my seminary requires all students to have one. Tom has a background in Celtic Christianity, and when we had our initial consultation we found out we speak a similar symbolic language, which helps a lot.
My visits with Tom (90 minutes, once a month, although I wish it was every two weeks) help provide me with perspective, give me someone who listens and asks good questions about my spiritual life and challenges, who encourages me, and who suggests questions and things to do which can help me deepen my spiritual life when it would be all too easy for it to get lost in the day to day bustle and fatigue of home, work, and school. We pray together, and he prays for me, which is something that feels more wonderful than I can say.
I believe the Divine is constantly in-flowing into all of us, but that the path of that stream can be blocked with the debris of inattention, ego, and etc. One of the basic tasks of the spiritual life is to keep that channel open and "come to the water" on a regular, consistent basis. Tom helps me keep my streambed clear and helps me deepen it. Which is also as good a definition of a spiritual companion as any.
I found Tom because my school gives us all a 12-page list of directors, complete with background, denominational affiliation, and specialties. (I contacted several who seemed good matches, spoke with two, and selected Tom.) Other places to find them are the yellow pages, spiritual centers or bookstores, retreat centers, churches and denominational offices, spiritual/religious magazines.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-11 05:24 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-11 05:46 pm (UTC)A UU seminary might work for you, or a place like SU, which is interdenominational (and even multi-faith). There are also certificate programs that are affiliated with non-traditional schools.
Plenty of options!