An Introduction to Spiritual Direction
Spiritual Direction, also known as Spiritual Companioning, traces its history to the beginning of the Church. Here the command to “be filled with the Spirit” or to “walk in step with the Spirit” holds center stage. Matthew’s Gospel tells us to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — to be drenched in, characterized by and identified with the Trinitarian life of God. This ancient art came quite naturally to the early church and concerns growing in intimate awareness of God’s presence and nearness. In essence, Spiritual Direction assists a person in noticing God’s actions and invitations so he can experience more fully the leading of the Spirit and respond to God’s initiative.
Others have spoken with great clarity regarding the art of Spiritual Direction:
"Spiritual direction takes place when two people agree to give their full attention to what God is doing in one (or both) of their lives and seek to respond in faith ... whether planned or unplanned, three convictions underpin these meetings: (1) God is always doing something: an active grace is shaping this life into a mature salvation; (2) responding to God is not sheer guesswork: the Christian community has acquired wisdom through the centuries that provides guidance; and (3) each soul is unique: no wisdom can simply be applied without discerning the particulars of this life, this situation."
— Eugene Peterson
“For the most part, spiritual directors work with individuals who are already living close to the middle of the normal curve, but desire to become abnormal—abnormally loving, peaceful, joyful, abnormally aware of God, and his loving presence. In spiritual direction, the goal is to accompany directees on a journey toward normal kingdom living—far from the center of the world’s normal curve.”
— Gary Moon