What is Spiritual Direction / Spiritual Companioning?
When I tell people that I am an Interfaith Spiritual Director/Companion, the question(s) that often and inevitably follow are something like:
“What is spiritual direction?”
“What exactly do you do in Spiritual Direction?”
“Is it like therapy?”
“Do I have to be a Christian?”
“Do I have to believe in God?”
Let me offer some clarity…
Spiritual direction, also sometimes referred to as spiritual companioning, is not only for those who are already on a spiritual path, or who regularly practice or belong to a specific religion or faith tradition. Spiritual companioning is for anyone who is seeking, or desiring a deeper connection to “something”? I personally refer to that “something” as God, however, I know that each one of us will come to that “something” with different understandings, perceptions, or expectations. That “something” may be faceless, nameless, or foreign to us in many ways – it may even be something that we have come to fear and despise. We can let our time in spiritual direction become that sacred space where that “something” may start to become even more revealed, more familiar, and even more loving over time.
I believe that we each come to God* in our own personal way… in our own perfect time… and with our own unique understanding of who/what God is. I will often use the holy name GOD, but I understand and support another’s desire to refer to God using another holy name …*Source, Spirit, Universe, Higher Power, Mother, Father, Light, Love, etc… – all of it is welcome! The time spent with a spiritual director should be a safe place to gain more clarity and develop a better understanding of the who, what, where, or how the Divine shows up for each one of us while moving along on our individual spiritual journeys.
My “cradle” faith tradition is Roman Catholicism, and while I am grateful for the foundation and the early formation that the Roman Catholic faith tradition has provided, I have come to understand, and truly believe, that there is so much more to God… to religion… to the nature of spirituality… and to our human condition than I was first introduced to. I have always felt the presence of God around me, especially when I am quiet and tuned in. I have heard God speak to me, and while I do not claim to have a clear *image* of God in my mind, I fully trust and feel that I am exactly where I need to be on my own path, and I firmly believe that I have been supported and held by an unconditionally loving, and powerfully divine presence in every moment.
How profoundly beautiful would it be if every human being could feel so safely held, loved, and divinely supported in their own life!? Spiritual direction should be able to provide just that! A safe, nonjudgmental, and supportive space where one can show up in their whole, unique, and true self – just as we are, and exactly where we are on our path at that very moment! Again, I say – all of it is welcome! – those aspects of oneself that are seen as beautiful, complete, and inspiring… and the parts that may be seen as fragmented, complex, or discouraging.
In our scheduled session you will be given the personal space and gentle support to navigate a particular question, inspiration or personal situation that may be coming to light in your life, especially one that may be causing you to feel distressed or concerned. How might the Divine be showing up, moving within you or around you during this time? I will use the symbolic lighting of a single candle to serve as a gentle reminder that the unconditional love, support, and energy of the Divine is present with us in our session. The time is yours to navigate, explore, and express while I will work to maintain a space that is safe, gently supportive, and tenderly held for you.
Some may seek out spiritual direction/companionship because they have not felt safe in other spiritual spaces or traditions. There may have been very little support, freedom, or encouragement to ask deeply personal questions or explore quietly held curiosities, and often out of fear of condemnation, persecution, or harsh judgment – especially while moving through the context of our own unique experience and understanding of what is holy and sacred to us.
Some seek out a professional relationship with a trusted spiritual companion after having been deeply wounded by the faith tradition that they were raised in, or are currently apart of, and felt they were not receiving the support, guidance, or acceptance that they felt they deserved. Yet, despite that wounding, they still have a deep longing to connect, cultivate and strengthen a relationship with the God or Higher Power of their own understanding.
Or some may seek out spiritual direction because they do not currently belong to, or resonate with a particular faith tradition, but they have questions or curiosities, and they want a safe, supportive environment in which they can begin to inquire, and establish a connection to a spiritual practice, or a particular faith tradition – a connection to the Divine! A spiritual direction relationship may only be a few sessions, or it might be a path that runs the course of several years or decades – all of it is okay, all of it is exactly what it needs to be, and it is determined by the one seeking spiritual direction/companionship.
While I feel that I am very capable of holding a sacred space with most humans, meaning those of a different race, identity, religious or spiritual background, or political or social affiliation, I feel especially called to be with those who may feel separate, othered, misunderstood, unseen, or unheard in our social communities. My heart is especially touched by the journeys and stories of our incarcerated, or formerly incarcerated, brothers and sisters… our youth – very young children and older youth – who need a safe place to express their thoughts or feelings, or who may feel unseen or misunderstood by others in their circles… and those who have generally felt unseen, unaccepted, or dismissed by religious institutions and other social circles and environments.
I can resonate with and be a gentle advocate and spiritual support for those who are struggling with questions or find themselves conflicted about their own spiritual traditions and experiences; those who have been overlooked by hierarchal institutions, or who are seeking other spiritual contexts or new sacred paths to explore! I believe that the Divine (God, Source, Higher Power) is so much greater than any one religion or group of humans, and we are all connected to each other and to our natural, physical world – some of us have just forgotten this along the way…
Sidenote: I have been seeing my own beloved spiritual director on a regular basis for over 16 years and I have learned so much about myself and my connection to what my personal understanding of God is to me. I have received regular and gentle guidance in a supportive, calm, safe, and nonjudgmental space – a sacred space, just for me and God, that holds me as I voice my curiosities and questions, while I dissect and navigate the bigger discernments and challenges that show up on my life’s path, while I connect with and fall in love again and again with the One who loves me most.
I look forward to sharing sacred space with you!