As a Spiritual Director I have often been asked ‘what do you do?’ and it’s a hard question to answer, because I don’t really do anything. I could answer that I sit and listen and nod my head and occasionally repeat things back to the person I am listening to, and you might think ‘well that’s not much, what’s all the fuss about?’

Spiritual Direction can be described as a conversation between three people, the ‘directee’, the ‘director’, and God; it can be hard to hear God because our own minds are so busy, but a Spiritual Director is there to help us quieten the mind and pick out the words which God may be speaking into whatever situation we find ourselves in.

When I leave my own sessions with my Spiritual Director I know I feel uplifted, lighter, more capable of facing whichever situation the world has thrown at me this time round.

Spiritual Direction doesn’t even need to be seated! Most of my Spiritual Direction conversations are held via Zoom, for others we meet in a Quiet Garden and I am happy to offer a ‘walk and talk’ session around our local nature park.

New directees often tell me that they aren’t sure what to talk about, and then spend the next hour telling me about all sorts of things occasionally pausing for breath. Sitting in silence can also speak volumes, yet most of my Spiritual Direction guests only briefly linger in this language.

And yet I know that for some people a lack of structure can seem particularly daunting. If you are a minister or training to be one then you will be instructed that you *must* have a Spiritual Director and it can be feel like ticking a box, rather than engaging in a relationship which will not only support and befriend you, but help you to engage more deeply with God. The wonderfully wise Spiritual Director (and my course tutor at Sarum) Julia Mourant has written a really helpful ‘workbook’ for those who find themselves looking to embark upon Spiritual Direction.

Listening to your Soul is broken up into thematic chapters aimed at helping Spiritual Direction guests prepare for their time with a Director: each chapter gives food for thought and a series of questions to ponder, the ruminations which follow can then be shared with a Spiritual Director. Subjects covered include prayer, weariness, and faith, vocation, God, and belonging, children, employment, and aging, amongst others. If you are considering Spiritual Direction but don’t know where to start, this is a very good place to begin.

Most dioceses in the Church of England hold lists of verified Spiritual Directors, as well as trusted organisations such as the London Centre of Spirituality.

If you are interested in an initial conversation regarding Spiritual Direction with me, just get in touch.