With gratitude to the late Professor Robert Mulholland of Asbury Theological Seminary, I define spiritual direction as: "Conversation aimed at taking the next step toward wholeness in Christ for the sake of the world." This is my operational understanding as a Christian working with Christians. However, when working with persons who do not identify with Christianity or with any particular faith tradition, I modify the definition to read: "Conversation aimed at taking the next step toward wholeness for the sake of the world." By including the above italics (mine) "for the sake of the world" I imply that spiritual direction is not just private looking inward. It is okay for it to point inward and to circle around an individual's personal narrative under the guidance of the Spirit. But, sooner or later, if growth and spiritual expansion are occurring, public considerations will break in . . . often uncomfortably:
The list could go on! As spiritual director, I am fine with allowing venting of frustration and anger around public issues. And when I notice ethical or social justice issues, I may feel free to share a little of my own views. But as I hold the space for the client to express herself, I see my main job as asking questions and making comments that allow the client to consider options that point towards the action of the Holy One. So I might ask where God is in a given public situation or what is it, if anything, God is saying to us in the situation under discussion. Or, I might suggest that we honor the complexity of the issue and its importance to the client and many others by sitting in silence with it for a few minutes. And often I will ask if we should pause in prayer regarding the issue. All of this will not happen in a single session. But, sooner or later, we will get to this place in our sharing. As clients enter my front door for our sessions in the living room, they may see a small sticker attached to my mail box: "Do justice, embrace faithful love, and walk humbly with your God."--Micah 6:8 (CEB). This is a reminder from Hebrew Scriptures that all spirituality is both private and public. In spiritual direction conversations we work with the connections between these two points on the same spiritual spectrum. --March 24, 2022
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March 2023
AuthorDan Hoffman is an Indianapolis USA based spiritual director, supervisor of spiritual directors, and workshop/retreat leader. This occasional blog discusses things he is thinking about and wants to share. Comments are always welcome. |