Quiet Reflection
Spiritual direction is the art of conversation and listening carried out in the context of a trusting relationship. A spiritual director helps you become aware of the movements, invitations, and promptings of God in your life. The true “director” is the Holy Spirit. A spiritual director, serving as a fifth companion, listens to your life stories with an ear for discerning the movement of the Holy Spirit in your life, and assisting you in noticing and responding to the inner voice of God.
An underlying assumption and basis for spiritual direction is that God, through Jesus Christ and the work of the Hold Spirit, is actively, constantly and lovingly working to draw us to God in the very midst of our ordinary, everyday routines and life circumstances. A spiritual director is one way to help us pay attention to what God is doing in our lives.
Spiritual direction differs from counseling, mentoring and discipleship in that these tend to be need-driven or crisis-oriented. Spiritual direction’s goal takes a big-picture view. The spiritual direction relationship looks for how God is working, calling, prodding, and inviting us to new ways of being with Christ in the midst of our circumstances. It focuses on building an intimate relationship with God over a lifetime, through all the difficulties, crises, joys and blessings. The goal is for the directee to grow inwardly in experiential love and knowledge of God and self. Then, this inward journey becomes a genuine outward expression of love for God’s world in everyday life.
INDIVIDUAL Direction sessions are usually one hour in length and approximately one time per month. They can be held anywhere conducive to intentional conversation – quiet office, coffee house, park bench. The director usually does more listening than talking as both director and directee explore together what God might be doing in the areas being discussed.
Group Direction sessions are usually two hours in length and approximately one time per month. There are usually 3-6 people in each group, and more listening than talking is also the focus in exploring how and where God is working.
I serve as a spiritual director in the Orange County and surrounding areas as well as at the Institute of Spiritual Formation at Biola University. I received my certification in spiritual direction from the Christian Formation & Direction Ministries. I may also be able to recommend other spiritual directors in your area.
I recommend checking out the GraftedLife.org website for a list of Spiritual Directors across the nation, and specifically identifying those in your area. It may also be helpful to check with a pastor or friend who sees a spiritual director; or a nearby retreat center that offers silent retreat days.
Fees for individual spiritual direction range from $45 to $95 per session. I ask that you prayerfully consider an amount that seems right for you. Also, please know that I do not want money to be a limiting factor, holding you back from a spiritual direction relationship.