What is Spiritual Direction?

Spiritual Directors International defines spiritual direction as follows:

"Spiritual direction explores a deeper relationship with the spiritual aspect of being human. Simply put, spiritual direction is helping people tell their sacred stories everyday.

Spiritual direction has emerged in many contexts using language specific to particular cultural and spiritual traditions. Describing spiritual direction requires putting words to a process of fostering a transcendent experience that lies beyond all names and yet the experience longs to be articulated and made concrete in everyday living. It is easier to describe what spiritual direction does than what spiritual direction is. Our role is not to define spiritual direction, but to describe the experience.

Spiritual direction helps us learn how to live in peace, with compassion, promoting justice, as humble servants of that which lies beyond all names."

Liz Budd Ellmann, MDiv, Executive Director, Spiritual Directors International

 

Eastern-Philosophy Spiritual Director

I am a Certified Spiritual Director and a member of Spiritual Directors International. My training began over forty years ago when I embarked on an inner and an outer journey to Asia to know God.  My journey has continued into different faith traditions in many and varied ways but I am most informed by Eastern-Philosophy.  I completed my Spiritual Director training at the St Placid Priory, a women’s Benedictine monastic community in Lacey, WA in 2009.

My background includes forty years of eastern-based study, meditation, and spiritual practice in the tradition of the great Siddhas of India.  I have studied Integral Theory for over twenty years and I have a solid international working experience with diversity and culture.  In addition to my work as a spiritual director and my ongoing personal spiritual practice, study, and contemplation, I work as a nationally certified psychotherapist in private practice in Olympia, WA.

Spiritual Directors International defines Eastern-Philosophy Spiritual Direction as follows:

"To live one’s life in union with the Divine and to realize the freedom of one’s highest Self…founded on the understanding that God lives within the hearts of each of us and of all creation…

Through deep listening, powerful questions, and reflection of the thoughts and feelings conveyed by the directee, spiritual direction provides an opportunity to regularly reflect on life’s events and circumstances from a spiritual perspective.

Spiritual practices, including spiritual direction, have the ability to expand one’s inner awareness where stillness, peace, happiness, and joy reside; meditation, contemplation, chanting, or hatha yoga may be offered as tools to support the directee in experiencing God in every moment of this sacred dance called life.

With grace, self-effort, and the support of a spiritual director, directees can fully awaken to their inner divinity and express their true natures of love, compassion, and service in their everyday lives."

I am truly honored to support and witness you in your spiritual formation. And I sincerely welcome you to this wonderful work!