What is Spiritual Direction?

God takes initiative in our individual lives.  The way to fully grasp God’s desire for each of us is to become aware of God’s action in our lives.  The heart of prayer, of Christian life, is the process of noticing God’s initiatives and our reactions.  As we are able to notice God’s active presence, our lives develop in response to God’s guidance.

Spiritual Direction has been part of the Christian tradition since people sought the wisdom of the desert mystics in the third and fourth centuries.

What happens in a Spiritual Direction Session?
During a typical session of spiritual direction, a person might speak about one’s life in an intimate way:  the quality of important relationships, the attitude toward work or career, the hopes and worries, the struggles and goals, joyful memories and regrets.  But in all of this, the focus is finally on the person’s religious experience.  Most immediately, religious experience refers especially to the feelings or shifts in feeling, the thoughts, possibly inspirations which come to the person as one consciously stands before God in all these areas of life.  While one might be especially aware of these actions of God during prayer, awareness of God’s action can happen any time to people who are consciously living in relationship to God.

Other important aspects of Spiritual Direction include:

• Discernment: to discuss the direction of one’s life as it develops in relationship with God.
• Resources: referral to classes, books, workshops.
• Grounding: regular sessions invite a remembering and awareness of the Holy.

How do I begin?
You may request a particular director or our Administrator will explore your desires with you and make an appropriate referral.  During an initial interview you can discuss your needs and concerns with a director and explore the director’s approach.

How often does one come for Spiritual Direction?
Appointments are usually scheduled once a month for 50-60 minutes.  Since it is a spiritual process, the relationship lasts as long as you and the director find it nourishing.

What is the cost for Spiritual Direction?
The suggested offering for spiritual direction is $70 per one hour session.  If this amount presents a financial hardship, please give what you can.  Do not base your decision to come for direction on your ability to pay.  We welcome all.  If you can contribute more than we request, we are grateful.  Thanks to you, we have been able to minister to people whether they have been able to pay or not.

Loyola depends entirely on fees for services rendered and on fundraising.  We are not sponsored financially by any religious organization.

How is Spiritual Direction different from Therapy?
In therapy the energy is between the therapist and the client.  In spiritual direction, the energy flows between God and the directee.  Spiritual direction fosters a contemplative attitude which is always alert to the presence of God in all things.

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