Spiritual Direction

What is Spiritual Direction?  Throughout the ages, people have sought advice from members of the community who seem to offer wise guidance, insight or inspiration.  In every faith tradition, and even outside the religious sphere, individuals emerge, sought out for assistance and support in penetrating life’s conundrums, making decisions, and processing problems.  This tradition continues to the present day: informally, over a cup of tea at the kitchen table with a wise neighbor or elder family member; or more formally, in a session of Spiritual Direction at a designated place and time with a person trained in this art and skill.

If you’ve never experienced a session of Spiritual Direction with a trained guide, you might like to know a little about it so you can consider giving it a try.  Here at St. Joseph’s Dwelling Place, Catherine Joanne meets with each person for about one hour.  She begins with a brief greeting, some relaxing prayer, then an invitation to the Spirit to be present and active in the session, guiding our thoughts and words, the movements of our hearts and spirits, so that, from out of this conversation, a direction can emerge: a sense of the next good step in some area of your life, an idea or inspiration that will help you, a shift in attitude or perspective that may be blocking you in some area, whatever is most needed in your life or on your spiritual path at this moment in time.
After this prayer, you discuss whatever is on your heart and mind, whatever you would like to bring to the conversation, whatever is happening in your life, whatever situations or circumstances you want to talk about.  The subject matter of the session is entirely yours to decide and Catherine offers questions and insights to help you explore and process whatever you bring to the conversation, all the while listening with you for a sense of direction the Spirit may allow to emerge through your discussion together.  It is a simple, faith-filled format based on the belief that we come together with the desire to hear God’s voice, and we receive God’s guiding word as we speak together.

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Pam and Chuck Orlowicz are Spiritual Directors in the Northern New Jersey area.  They regularly visit St. Joseph’s Dwelling Place and Weston Priory for their own spiritual renewal and refreshment.

 

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