Compassionate Presence | spiritual-life

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 common themes such as shadow material, prayer struggles, images of God, dreamwork, and the emotional dynamics that shape our 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.

Shame and the Spiritual Journey: Healing the Inner World with Compassion

Shame longs not to be fixed, but to be met. Many people come to the spiritual life carrying a quiet but persistent burden of shame — a quiet, corrosive sense that something is wrong with who they are. It may not always be named as such, yet it often shapes how a person prays, how they imagine God, and how safe or unsafe it feels to be truly known. Shame whispers: “I am not enough.” “I am fundamentally flawed.” “If I were truly known, I would be rejected.” Shame is not simply

Colorful stones with "Grace" engraved on a tan rock. The vibrant mix includes blue, pink, and green stones in a harmonious arrangement.

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.

Intricate orange and yellow embroidered textile with geometric patterns and circular designs. Rich textures and vivid colors dominate suggesting the depth and richness of cultivating the quality of compassion.

Cultivating Compassion: From Ego to Christ-Centred Love

Compassion lies at the heart of every authentic spiritual path, not as a sentiment but as a way of seeing, being, and acting in the world. Compassion as Walking in God’s Ways Most spiritual paths teach that we come close to God when we 'walk in God's ways' - that is when we embody the divine quality of compassion. In the midrash below, from Jewish mysticism, the attributes of divine mercy revealed to Moses at Mount Sinai form the template for the practice of compassion: ''Wa