IS SPIRITUAL DIRECTION NEW?
Spiritual Direction is an ancient
practice of Western Christian spirituality that is experiencing a global renewal in the 21st century as it brings new depth
and insight to thousands of people. This old yet new movement crosses all religious boundaries and reminds us that we
are all One in the embrace of Divine Love. It has been especially important to Christians who have outgrown the spirituality
of their familiar churches and want to grow in their relationship with God, to shed their false selves, and to discover
their authentic being.
I work primarily with practicing
Christians, but I have also been a director for such seekers as atheists, pagans, Jews, and Muslims. I have been a part of
the spiritual direction movement since the late '60s. When formal training for spiritual directors became available
in Houston, Texas, I was in the first class of the Spiritual Direction Institute, and completed my three-year training in
1987. I continue to teach in the institute, where I offer a unit on Dreams and Depth Psychology to third year students.
WHAT IS SPIRITUAL DIRECTION?
The practice of spiritual direction
assumes that everything in a person's life is ultimately involved with growth in consciousness, in love, and in relationship
with Spirit. While the divine Spirit is the true director, that Presence is mediated through a trusting one-to-one or
small group relationship. I meet with a directee on a regular basis, from one to four times each month, listening to
the movements of Love in the directee's soul. I temper my experience with prayer, intuition, and wisdom from Christian
and other traditions as I assist the directee to become conscious of the difference between true and false self and of his
or her relationship with the Spirit.
WHAT DOES SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
COST?
Fees for spiritual direction vary
greatly. Directors who live in retreat centers or monasteries often offer their services for free. Others, who
may depend on the practice of spiritual direction for part of their income, charge a fee that is discussed with a directee
in the first meeting.
WHAT ARE SIGNS I MAY NEED SPIRITUAL
DIRECTION?
Think about these kinds of issues
as you consider seeing a spiritual director:
-
Does your career or work fit your
calling? Is what you do a reflection of your vocation? Is God placing new choices before you?
-
Do you and those who share your
life with you want to have a deeper mutual commitment to spiritual growth?
-
Do you feel an emptiness in your
life or in your heart that God can fill?
-
Do you want to know more about
who you are and who God has created you to become?
-
Do you want to be more aware of
your inner life, your dreams, and the presence of God?
-
Has your current practice of prayer
left you restless and feeling "unheard?" Do you want to learn new ways of prayer and meditation?
We all have a "God-shaped" emptiness
within us. In our superficial materialistic culture that invites us to solve our problems with entertainment and chemicals,
it's sometimes hard to know how to identify our real needs. If you think spiritual direction might help, then pray.
If you still think it can help after you pray, then email me at fwluedde@sbcglobal.net or go to www.sdiworld.org.
WHAT ABOUT GROUPS AND CHURCH STAFFS?
Group spiritual direction is emerging
as an important dimension to the movement. The experience of Spirit can be especially powerful in small groups of four
or five persons. When direction is a part of the discipline of pastoral staffs it brings a deep sense of community and
mutual respect that flows throughout the whole congregation.
