Spiritual Direction
Spiritual direction is a brave space to care for our souls by listening to ourselves in the company of another. We care for our minds by growing in knowledge. We care for our bodies by eating nourishing food and moving. We care for our souls by listening to ourselves deeply and aligning with the Divine that lives within us.
Who the Divine created us to be gets clouded over through various experiences in our lives. We develop layers that hide and protect the Divine within us. Spiritual direction offers space to peel back the layers and discover the gems that live within us.
Patient Trust
Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new.
And yet it is the law of all progress
that it is made by passing through some stages of instability—
and that it may take a very long time.
And so I think it is with you;
your ideas mature gradually—let them grow,
let them shape themselves, without undue haste.
Don’t try to force them on,
as though you could be today what time
(that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will)
will make of you tomorrow.
Only God could say what this new spirit
gradually forming within you will be.
Give Our Lord the benefit of believing
that his hand is leading you,
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself
in suspense and incomplete.
~by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ
Individual Soul Care
Individual Soul Care (aka Spiritual Direction) is listening to the movements of the Divine in one’s life in the presence of a spiritual director. You will meet 1:1 with Colleen in person or on Zoom.
“The ministry of spiritual direction is a three-way relationship: among the true director who is the Holy Spirit…, and the human director (who listens for direction of the Spirit with the directee), and the directee. The director is a companion along the pilgrim’s way, wanting to be directly open along with the directee to the Spirit-undercurrents flowing through the happenings of the directee’s life.”
-Tilden Edwards
If you are interested in meeting with Colleen for soul care, schedule below.
Group Soul Care (aka Group Spiritual Direction) is an opportunity to learn how to listen to others and oneself so that we can be better guests in each other’s stories as well as our own. Groups are limited to 4-5 participants. Schedules are determined based on participant availability and location preference. A definite desire and ability to attend consistently is needed to support group cohesiveness. Contact Colleen if you are interested in participating in a group.
“The purpose of group spiritual direction is to provide a place where individuals can experience what it means to be listened to and loved by others, so that they can learn to listen more attentively to God in their daily lives and be used by God to spread God’s grace and love through the world.” -Alice Fryling
Group Soul Care
Individual Discernment
The Latin discernere means “to separate, set apart, divide, distribute, distinguish, perceive.” In essence, we are sifting through opportunities and experiences to determine if they align with us and the people with whom we are in a relationship.
I’ve come to learn that discernment is multi-directional listening: listening to myself, God and the world around me.
When we are discerning, we need people to ask us really good questions that help us to listen better to ourselves. I incorporate Ignatius's models of discernment along with the Quaker Clearness Committee into my discernment practice.
The process of discernment usually requires a few sessions. Schedule an initial session with Colleen below.
Group Discernment
Group Discernment is learning how to listen for God in communal life. If your church is interested in learning how to listen for God’s will together, contact Colleen to discuss how she can help guide you and your church through this process.