February - 2017

Welcome to Reflections on the Spiritual Life

Here you will find articles on spiritual direction, psychology and spirituality, contemplative practice, and the deeper movements of the spiritual life. Drawing on decades of experience in psychospiritual work and spiritual accompaniment, these reflections explore themes such as shadow material, struggles in spiritual practice, images of God, dreamwork, and the emotional dynamics that shape the spiritual journey.

Whether you are seeking support in your own inner life or resources for spiritual direction practice,

I hope these writings offer clarity, depth, and encouragement.

Two cartoon figures, one with hands on face saying "I've never seen spiritual abuse," the other surprised, saying "I've never heard about it!"

Healing Spiritual Abuse & Church Hurt

Since my first article on spiritual abuse , I have been surprised and saddened by just how many people have contacted me who have experienced forms of spiritual abuse and church hurt. Yet, it is an issue that many still deny as being real in our church and faith communities; awareness is only beginning to dawn. And, as that level of awareness about spiritual abuse continues to grow, there will be increasing numbers of people who recognise themselves as being affected. In thi

Yellow full moon illuminating a dark forest with silhouetted trees. Deep blue night sky creates a serene and mysterious ambiance suggesting the light and dark of the shadow in the spiritual journey.

Working with Our Shadow

This article moves beyond understanding the Shadow to exploring how it is lived with, contained, and gradually integrated within the spiritual life — particularly in the context of spiritual accompaniment. In my earlier article on The Spiritual Life and our Shadow, I describe the Jungian under-standing of how we learn, from early childhood, to suppress aspects of ourselves deemed unacceptable to our culture and context. They remain in our unconscious and can dramatically in