Practical Wisdom for Spiritual Directors:
Ways Old and New
Intended for spiritual directors, this workshop takes its shape from two elements of Benedictine spirituality: focusing in the morning session on aspects of direction that partake of the Benedictine value of stability, and in the afternoon on that of balance.
From the vantage point of stability, we will examine the primary importance for us as directors of staying rooted and grounded in our own relationship with God. (“Apart from me,” Jesus reminds us, “you can do nothing.”) We will also revisit some of the foundational elements of the ministry of direction in the light of new insights from other disciplines, including social work, depth psychology, and pastoral counseling.
The afternoon session will explore ways to discover a dynamic balance in our work, discerning (for example) when and how we might safely depart from the rigid rules we may have learned in our training to more flexibly meet certain situations that may arise.
This session will also deal with practical considerations such as how and when one may need to end a direction relationship, how to discharge the stress and trauma we may take on, how to find supervision in isolated circumstances.