Don’t know about you, but I, like millions of others right now, have anxiety issues. “Generalized Anxiety Disorder” is the technical term my therapist writes down in their little notebook. I’m not ashamed to admit this. In some ways, when you look around at all that is going on in the world, like… Mass shootings Raging war in Ukraine Wildfires, drought, floods, the shrinking ice caps in the Arctic Lack of affordable housing Inflation Political division and threats of civil... Read more
Back in May, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the SDI Engage Conference attendees and hosts alike celebrated, explored, and expanded the world of spiritual direction. It was a privilege to be able to go in person and present my workshop on “Passing the Torch: The Apprentice Model of Spiritual Direction Training.” In this workshop, I encouraged participants (as I encourage you, perhaps) to consider offering apprenticeships to people who might benefit by learning from your area of expertise. For example,... Read more
For today’s post, I’m delighted to feature guest Laura Ann Lies for this guide on Spiritual Direction! Laura is a Chicago-area spiritual director, an expert in the business side of things, and offers her wisdom here. She has provided links throughout the article for in-depth exploration, along every step. What is a Private Spiritual Direction practice and Why does it matter? With more people graduating with degrees and certificates in Spiritual Direction than ever before (learn more about the expanding... Read more
To get better at something we consider challenging, we have to practice. You know what’s hard for me in spiritual direction? Exploring with a client ways to deepen in relationship with God when they are truly and unavoidably busy. Spiritual directors are not “fixers,” yet I’m always tempted to suggest ways to squeeze more time out of a packed person’s day. Never, ever have my suggestions on this — when I gave them — worked. I’m especially cautious about doing this... Read more
Throughout history and among many spiritual traditions the divine has been associated with light. In our continuing exploration of the attributes of God found listed in the apocryphal book of Wisdom (7:15-22), let’s spend a little time with this beautiful description: Wisdom is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of God’s goodness. Wisdom, in Hebrew literature, is a female energy described as God’s delight and God’s companion. She reflects God... Read more
I was on with Rev. Canon Lisa Vaughn and Rev. Neil Mancor on their Pew and Beyond podcast — and we discussed my book, “50 Ways To Pray”! This podcast aired live on Facebook, March 29, 2022. I hope you enjoy it! Looking for more ways to pray? To learn more and purchase the book, please check it out on my website. Teresa Blythe is a Phoenix based spiritual director, author and trainer of apprentice spiritual directors. To learn more... Read more
How do we have a relationship with God that is truly consensual? I’ve been thinking a lot about this in light of all the cases of religious teachers and leaders who preyed on parishioners, abusing them sexually without a single thought to the power dynamic at play. These abusive religious leaders may think the relationship is consensual, but how much consent does a person really have if the one pursuing them is a trusted, powerful force in their life? How... Read more
Learning doesn’t just happen in classrooms. Apprenticing — the ancient practice of learning a trade or philosophy from one-on-one interaction with someone experienced in the subject — is on the rise. In November of 2019, I gave up classroom instruction in the art of spiritual direction and began taking on apprentices. Earlier that year, Shaleen Kendrick, a young woman whose life situation didn’t allow her to attend any of the traditional training programs asked if I would take her on... Read more
People who are spiritual but not religious seek spiritual directors who can be attentive to them without attempting to put them in an institutional box. While spiritual directors of all backgrounds are supposed to have this sort of openness, there is one religious tradition that has a history of not forcing seekers into a box: Unitarian Universalism (UU). That’s why when referring people who call themselves spiritual but not religious to spiritual directors, I many times steer them toward directors... Read more
One of the most prominent questions in spiritual direction and discernment is this: When I have a spiritual experience, how do I know it’s God and not my imagination or wishful thinking? I’d like to be able to give an iron clad answer to that question, but it’s just not possible, given the nature of God (as in, invisible). However, there are guides we can use to test our impulses, desires and insights. And those guides come in many forms,... Read more
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