You’ve made the commitment. You’ve set aside the time for spiritual direction. But you wonder “what do I need to talk about today?” When we have a burning question, situation or spiritual experience to explore with a spiritual director, then it’s no problem. That’s where you begin. But what if you don’t? Here are some ways to get the most out of your spiritual direction session regardless of whether you have a burning issue or not. Spend some time... Read more
By guest blogger, Anne Randerson, PhD In my previous post, I wrote about taking a Whit Monday stroll through our local park to get some fresh air and inspiration. Nature is a healthy option for combatting stress and fatigue; it nourishes my soul. I wrote about the obstacles, inspiration and discernment I experienced along this walk. In our capacity as spiritual directors we help our clients—our spiritual directees and companions—navigate the spiritual meaning that permeates their lives, including any unexpected... Read more
By guest blogger, Anne Randerson, PhD May 20th was Whit Monday, referred to as Lundi de Pentecôte in French, or Pinkstermaandag in Dutch or Flemish—the feast day after Pentecost Sunday. All shops were closed, and most people didn’t have to work, since it was a bank holiday here in Belgium: a holy day, a time for everyone to rest, gather their families for picnics in their gardens, at the seaside, or local parks. Some folks—mainly the elderly—traversed the cobblestone roads... Read more
One of my colleagues at the Phoenix Center for Spiritual Direction, Rev. Dr. Kelly Murphy Mason, feels a strong call to encourage dialogue among people and factions in our nation that are conflicted and polarized. Dr. Mason published this piece “Us in the Absence of a Them” recently for the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs of Georgetown University. In this article she shares some of her experience from a recent conference they held entitled The Church’s Mission... Read more
Apprenticing is how spiritual direction training took place for centuries. This ancient mode is again popular, only now it’s portable and highly personalized, thanks to ease of online conferencing. I have been training apprentices since 2019 in the Apprentice Training Program of the Phoenix Center for Spiritual Direction, using a curriculum I created that focuses on the basic skills needed to do spiritual direction. Because of its popularity, I’ve added two mentor/trainers to respond to the need. What an Apprentice... Read more
Spiritual directors many times ask what it is you desire most in life. That’s because our deepest, truest desires are one way God reaches out to us to say “walk in this way.” The “Desire Prayer” is one of my favorite practices because it allows us to get our desires before God openly, unabashedly and with feeling. That’s because you use all your senses to create—in your imagination—a scene that depicts what you desire and you pray in and through... Read more
Anne Randerson in Brussels, Belgium on how becoming a spiritual director has increased her awareness of the unfolding of beautiful moments. Anne is my guest blogger this week and we appreciate this look into her world! – Teresa Blythe On my morning walk the other day, I expected the usual greetings from passersby: “Hallo” or “Dag” or “Goeiemorgen” in Dutch (Flemish), but I saw nobody. Instead, my local park’s bare trees, trickling with remnants of icy rain, greeted... Read more
Guest blogger Laura Lies of streamsgrace.com shares her entrepreneurial tips for spiritual direction practices. Laura began her deep interest in helping spiritual directors grow their business after authoring an article for Spiritual Directors International in May 2020. In August of 2022, she offered an SDI webinar in the Making a Living Anthology which inspired her to create an online course on the topic. She offers these tips on my blog as a testimony to her experience. –Teresa Blythe I continue... Read more
One of the hardest spiritual practices in life is accepting that which we cannot change. Even in the case of events and situations that we can change, the practice of radical acceptance helps us find the patience we need while discerning and making the change. The term “radical acceptance” is used by many Buddhists to refer to the practice of sitting with your situation—just as it is–and feeling your emotions–just as they are–for a period of time. The interesting thing... Read more
The Phoenix Center for Spiritual Direction was honored to have one of the mentors in its Apprentice Training Program, the Rev. Dr. Kelly Murphy Mason present this summer at the 2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago. Dr. Mason was a guest speaker in the Women’s Dignity programming track, which recognizes women and girls as a core constituency worldwide. In fact, the Global Ethic promoted by the Parliament recognizes the establishment of gender equity to be an imperative part of... Read more
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