The Process of Spiritual Direction
The primary focus of spiritual direction is the directee's relationship with God as it is informed, reflected, and challenged by all aspects of a person's life.
The directee assumes responsibility for his or her life with God and practices regular prayer and reflection on the God's-currents of everyday life and prayer. It is the process of awakening to the presence of God in a person’s daily life.
C.S. Lewis wrote:
We may ignore but can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks incognito … The real labor is to remember, to attend. In fact, to come awake. Still more to remain awake.
—C.S. Lewis, excerpts from Letters to Malcolm
In a similar thought Elizabeth Barrett Browning penned:
Earth’s crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God; But only he who sees takes off his shoes; The rest sit ‘round it and pluck blackberries.
—Elizabeth Barrett Browning
During the direction meeting, the director companions with the directee as he/she is awakened to the reality of God’s presence in all things (The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola) and is attentive to the Holy Spirit who is the real director.
The director may question, challenge, suggest, support, and at times instruct, as directed by the Spirit. It is the directee’s prayerful openness to the Sprit that determines whatever insights are uncovered or the course of action that is to be taken.
Director—Directee Relationship
The primary responsibilities of the director are prayer for the directee and openness to God during the sessions. This assumes that the director takes seriously her or his relationship with God.
As a means of accountability and growth, spiritual directors avail themselves of prayerful support for the ministry. Each spiritual director receives supervision over his/her role as a spiritual director and adheres the Code of Ethics for Spiritual Directors. Confidentiality is observed and anonymity of directee is preserved.
