What is Spiritual Direction?
This ancient practice or spiritual discipline is a particular form of Christian friendship.
A person long familiar with the ways of God and learned in the spiritual traditions practices a highly focused way of listening to the “inner life” of a person. The Director attends to how the Holy Spirit is activating this person, giving to him or her a distinct identity and purpose. A Director asks “What is God up to with you right now?” The Director’s attends only to this in a person, teaching a person how to lay claim to his or her unique relationship with God, so that he or she can become more able to respond to God, and confidently. God works subtly and powerfully in all that we experience, but we need to learn how to recognize this.
Typically, a person will visit his or her Spiritual Director once a month, often having what he or she needs after six meetings or less with the Spiritual Director. At that point he or she leaves the practice of Spiritual Direction, in order to work on what he or she has learned. A person is free to seek Spiritual Direction again when next he or she gets “stuck” or feels confused and unsure again about what God is up to.
Of all of the habits of the Faber Institute this one is the most important for giving us what we need to decide which Guests to have at The Night School, and which artists to concentrate on at The Faber Sessions, to decide what to write about, and how to design our Retreats.
A person long familiar with the ways of God and learned in the spiritual traditions practices a highly focused way of listening to the “inner life” of a person. The Director attends to how the Holy Spirit is activating this person, giving to him or her a distinct identity and purpose. A Director asks “What is God up to with you right now?” The Director’s attends only to this in a person, teaching a person how to lay claim to his or her unique relationship with God, so that he or she can become more able to respond to God, and confidently. God works subtly and powerfully in all that we experience, but we need to learn how to recognize this.
Typically, a person will visit his or her Spiritual Director once a month, often having what he or she needs after six meetings or less with the Spiritual Director. At that point he or she leaves the practice of Spiritual Direction, in order to work on what he or she has learned. A person is free to seek Spiritual Direction again when next he or she gets “stuck” or feels confused and unsure again about what God is up to.
Of all of the habits of the Faber Institute this one is the most important for giving us what we need to decide which Guests to have at The Night School, and which artists to concentrate on at The Faber Sessions, to decide what to write about, and how to design our Retreats.
How to get started with Spiritual Direction at the Faber Institute…
At the Faber Institute, there are two ways people can go about the Spiritual Direction practice: there is the traditional one-on-one practice, and a communal practice of Spiritual Direction in a retreat environment.
- In regards to the one-on-one practice: contact us to schedule a time to meet with a Director so that we can better understand what you’re looking for, and how we might be able to help.
- In regards to a communal practice: join us for a Pilgrim’s Day Retreat, which is a full day to gather and explore the practice of Spiritual Direction, alongside other Pilgrims, and engagement of the theological and spiritual underpining of the Spiritual Life explored in a retreat environment, an experience of being directed spiritually.
What you might be wondering about…
- Appointments are 1-hour in length (weekdays and weekends available).
- A person can decide with the Director whether to meet monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly. A person will often having what he or she needs after six meetings or less with the Spiritual Director. They then depart Spiritual Direction to practice what they learn.
- The ancient practice is for the sake of taking a step, one good step, in a person’s understanding of God’s relationship with him or her.
- Any holy work that the Faber Institute does is freely given in Christ. We are grateful to people who understand that to do the work we do requires support. We ask that people donate $150 per month or appointment, but give as you are able. Donations can easily be made online here.