WHAT IS CHRISTIAN SPIRITUAL DIRECTION?
The concept of meeting with someone in “spiritual direction” is becoming more familiar in Protestant church communities yet it can be difficult to define. I think the term might be a bit misleading since it is generally not about one person giving direction to another. Instead, it might be better understood as a spiritual companionship - as one who meets to walk with another sojourner for a while. Spiritual directors listen with ears attuned to the person they’re with as well as to the true Director, the Holy Spirit, with the goal of paying attention together to God’s presence and communication in the directee’s life.
MY APPROACH
Meeting with me as your spiritual director would be for the purpose of exploring your life through a spiritual lens – seeking to grow and thrive as you live your life in relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Spiritual Direction is not counselling, coaching, or mentoring although there may be some overlap (some people find it beneficial to be in more than one of these helping relationships during the same time period). It is a time set aside for you. My role is primarily to come alongside and listen to you and to listen with you for things God may be wanting to communicate to you.
“With practice, we allow God to enter into our heartbeat and our breathing, into our thoughts and emotions, into our hearing, seeing, touching, and tasting, and into every membrane of our body. It is by being awake to God in us that we can increasingly see God in the world around us.”
- Henri Nouwen, in “Spiritual Direction: Wisdom for the Long Walk of Faith”
QUESTIONS?
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Each session is 50-55 minutes, typically scheduled about once per month. During that time, we would generally have a few minutes to connect, then enter into the main body of our time together through a time of silence and a short prayer to help us centre ourselves on Jesus.
Whenever you’re ready, you have the freedom to talk about whatever is on your heart and mind. My desire is to listen with you for things such as the ways God wants to: highlight or reveal something to you about yourself and/or himself; shine light on something you’ve been trying to discern; or encourage you in some other way.
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I am available to meet with people via Zoom. If you need to arrange an alternate platform please go to the contact page and send me a message.
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Typically people meet with their spiritual director about once a month. In certain seasons of life, one could opt to meet more or less frequently.
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I offer a free 30 minute introductory meeting so we can meet each other and you can hear a bit more about how I practice spiritual direction. I would also love to hear what (or who) prompted you to search for a spiritual director.
Following the introductory session, my fee is $55 per session (which is 50 -55 minutes).
If this would be a financial barrier to you participating in spiritual direction though, please contact me to talk about available subsidies.
On the other hand, if you are someone who understands the beauty and benefits of spiritual direction and would like to “pay it forward” for someone else, please contact me about this, or donate through MSC Canada - Greg and Linda Langman