Anne Randerson in Brussels, Belgium on how becoming a spiritual director has increased her awareness of the unfolding of beautiful moments. Anne is my guest blogger this week and we appreciate this look into her world! – Teresa Blythe On my morning walk the other day, I expected the usual greetings from passersby: “Hallo” or “Dag” or “Goeiemorgen” in Dutch (Flemish), but I saw nobody. Instead, my local park’s bare trees, trickling with remnants of icy rain, greeted... Read more
Guest blogger Laura Lies of streamsgrace.com shares her entrepreneurial tips for spiritual direction practices. Laura began her deep interest in helping spiritual directors grow their business after authoring an article for Spiritual Directors International in May 2020. In August of 2022, she offered an SDI webinar in the Making a Living Anthology which inspired her to create an online course on the topic. She offers these tips on my blog as a testimony to her experience. –Teresa Blythe I continue... Read more
One of the hardest spiritual practices in life is accepting that which we cannot change. Even in the case of events and situations that we can change, the practice of radical acceptance helps us find the patience we need while discerning and making the change. The term “radical acceptance” is used by many Buddhists to refer to the practice of sitting with your situation—just as it is–and feeling your emotions–just as they are–for a period of time. The interesting thing... Read more
The Phoenix Center for Spiritual Direction was honored to have one of the mentors in its Apprentice Training Program, the Rev. Dr. Kelly Murphy Mason present this summer at the 2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago. Dr. Mason was a guest speaker in the Women’s Dignity programming track, which recognizes women and girls as a core constituency worldwide. In fact, the Global Ethic promoted by the Parliament recognizes the establishment of gender equity to be an imperative part of... Read more
Guest blogger Dr. Amber H. Jones — Some think of spiritual direction as a vocational calling, and this description fits. It’s not a job in which one clocks in at nine and out at five. Often, it requires irregular hours and creative scheduling. For most spiritual directors, it’s not a salaried position, if it pays monetarily at all. Spiritual directors invest in training, supervision, and continued education because they feel a sacred inner call to companion others in their spiritual... Read more
Barefooted Faith Unstrap your sandals of sensibility and scarcity, and step forward gently toward a barefooted faith. Feel the cool breeze of peace Warm sunlight of joy Cleansing, patient rains And the kind coming of spring tend the roots of your soul. Each step an invitation to become and to bloom as you are. Each footprint an echo of your unique seeds of love for those who are and those yet to come. May sacred granules of goodness nurture your... Read more
Guest blogger Evan Clendenin I stood there with two people from church, looking out through the window at the full moon and Jupiter. While our hosts fixed dessert in the kitchen, we wonder-ed together at the night sky. They described how looking up at night, or beholding images of far off celestial objects, awakened in them a sense of wonder, of humility, of gratitude, and of faith. When have you found yourself in wonder at some aspect of the... Read more
If spiritual direction is a space where we explore encounters with God, then how do we know when God shows up? It’s a question people ask, and one I’ve been considering lately. I believe we encounter the Divine (whatever name you use is fine) when we encounter those basic values that make life worth living: love, joy, peace, patience, wisdom, beauty, steadfastness, life-giving energy, compassion, connection, creativity—the list could go on of course. That is still my benchmark for testing... Read more
By guest blogger Anne Randerson. Many of us feel a sense of overwhelm when we see Christmas lights, Santas, bustling lines to purchase children’s toys, and a plethora of holiday activities. Some people simply shut down, while lots of us notice a feeling of overdrive in our bodies, minds, and spirits. As spiritual directors and companions, how can we settle our nerves as we face this busy season? Memories come flooding in—good, bad, and mixed—of meals with family, silly quarrels with... Read more
Spiritual direction owes much to the early Christians known as the “desert fathers and mothers.” We continue this series looking at some of the most interesting of the desert mystics. Riches to Rags As a young 4th century woman, Syncletica of Alexandria had it all. Legend has it she was beautiful, desired by many eligible suitors, educated, and wealthy. Early in her childhood, Syncletica gave herself so totally to God that when her father arranged a marriage to a wealthy... Read more
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