The Director’s Inner Work: Why It Matters
A mandala of wholeness — a reminder that the director’s inner work shapes the space in which others are invited to unfold. Spiritual direction is often described as a ministry of listening, discernment, and accompaniment. Much attention is rightly given to the skills required for this work: attentive presence, theological grounding, prayerful awareness, and an understanding of spiritual traditions and practices. Yet beneath all of this lies something more fundamental and less
Listening to the Heart: Spiritual Direction as Contemplative Presence
How often does it occur in conversation that, when opinions differ or clash, we fail to truly listen? While the other is opening their heart, sharing intimate and often sacred thoughts, we gather just enough of what they say to prepare our response — or our rebuttal — the moment they pause, if we even wait that long. We may call this dialogue, but in truth one person speaks while the other does not listen. After the exchange, roles reverse, and both have spoken — yet neither
Practicing G.R.A.C.E. in Spiritual Direction
G.R.A.C.E. can be an active and adaptive process not only in the spiritual accompaniment encounter but in the context of our whole lived experience, and a powerful resource for us, not just a technique. When we live it, it can become a way in which we align ourselves with our integrity, values and deep aspiration to be of service to others in our life with God.
Temenos: The Sacred Space of Spiritual Direction
When applied to spiritual direction, the ancient concept of temenos particularly offers a revealing and helpful metaphor for the sacred relational field that takes place between director and directee.
A Soft Heart: Vulnerability and the Spiritual Journey
In the Christian tradition, the Book of Proverbs describes our heart as 'the wellspring of life', conjuring up in our imaginations the beautiful image from the Song of Songs of our soul, our spiritual being, as an enclosed fragrant garden with the Fountain of Life at its centre, and where the Wind blows over the flowers releasing and spreading their exotic scents into the world. But, I know from my own path and from those I am privileged to accompany as a spiritual director ,
Justice in the Eyes of Compassion: Seeing the Other Without Possession
Ancient stone carving with ornate cross design, covered in orange lichen. Set against a textured stone wall. Mysterious, ancient vibe suggesting the mystery of the compassion of Christ.
The Spiritual Director as Anam Cara
The Celtic tradition offers us the wonderful notion of anam cara . In Gaelic the word anam means soul and cara is a word for friend. So anam cara means soul friend . This is not a simple or superficial friendship, but a special and deep one in which one person really supports and guides another. They are the person to whom you can reveal the hidden intimacies of your life - your innermost self, heart and mind, without mask or pretension. In early Celtic history, the anam c
Ethics & Good Practice in Spiritual Direction
An ethical framework for spiritual direction, accompaniment, mentoring and guidance. This framework emerged from a particular moment of discernment within the spiritual direction community in the UK, when questions of accountability, responsibility, and safeguarding were becoming increasingly pressing, yet formal structures remained underdeveloped. While the original project that commissioned this work did not continue, the questions it sought to address have only grown in re
Accreditation for Spiritual Directors?
At the moment, in England, Wales and Scotland, there is no form of accreditation for spiritual directors. Other countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Ireland do have accrediting bodies that can set standards and offer some form of public accountability. In Canada spiritual directors have a path of certification by a state regulating body. In England, however, anyone can call themselves a spiritual director, whether they have received some form of training or not. Altho
Spirituality & Religion: Why the Separation Isn’t So Simple
In today's Western world, there can be a marked separation between spirituality and religion. Public opinion now privileges 'spirituality' above 'religion,' with the latter being regarded with a good deal of suspicion. 'Spirituality', as the term is used today, refers to the personal pursuit of the sacred. 'Religion', however, carries the unfortunate connotations of moralism, piety and hypocrisy. This has been deepened by the uncovering of widespread sexual abuse within Chris
