Written Spiritual Direction

Sometimes we need a little space to think. Perhaps in counseling, spiritual direction, or simply in important conversation with others. Have you been there before when asked an important question? I have. It’s as if, at times, I can’t even think straight because I know someone is waiting on me, on my answer. They are not putting any pressure on me. It’s just the situation. I would have no answer that was authentic, because the reality was my mind was frozen in the immediacy, just wanting to come up with something. Anything. The pressure of time and space can be helpful at times, as well as create difficulty in connecting, and providing a real and honest experience. If you’ve ever had this happen before, or perhaps even experience it often, written spiritual direction may be a great avenue for you.

Written Spiritual Direction might be a helpful resource if you:

Are a written processor. Do you tend to communicate most naturally authentically, and fully through journaling and writing?

Thrive with extra time and space. Do you continue thinking about questions others ask well beyond the end of your conversation? Do you often find yourself arriving at your most true response and understanding later on after you’ve left an actual conversation, or perhaps once you begin writing about it?

Get hijacked. Do you struggle with being present when face to face (especially in counseling and direction type settings) and are given a question and asked to listen or respond? Do you feel pressure even when you know you are told to take your time? Do you feel different parts of you hijacked (mind/body/soul), frozen, jumbled or disconnected, even though you’d like to attend to the question, task, or invitation at hand?

Face to face sessions don’t always work best for everyone. If you would like time and space to process what’s going on in you, and have some more room to breathe and respond to the movements of your heart and the interaction of the Spirit, feel free to give written spiritual direction a try. I would suggest an initial meeting in person (or via zoom) if possible to get to know one another, followed by subsequent written communication, via e-mail. If at any point in time, you would like to engage any particular question or exercise in person, you are more than welcome. You aren’t pinned to writing only, once you get started.

How Does it Work?

Flow
Communication happens via e-mail, at your pace. Expect a response to your written communication between 1-3 days of receiving your e-mail. I will give time and space to read and hold your words with the Lord. Initial conversation can begin via guided questions or prompts, as necessary. Your response and communication will be held prayerfully, with compassion and care. You can expect a few additional questions each time, as well as continued support as you notice and respond to the movement of God in and around you. I would suggest engaging small rhythms and practices on your own, that we might normally do together in face to face direction. Slowing down and quieting. Prayerfully listening and welcoming invitation. Creating a space that allows you to step away for a moment. Thanking God for time together. Etc.

Frequency and Cost

This may adjust per person over time, as we come into a regular rhythm, but for now it will be set up as a monthly charge, equal to a traditional in person direction session: $60. We engage in 2-3 e-mail exchanges each per month. I will ask at monthly intervals if you’d like to continue the conversation, if there is something particularly more fitting that we have not been communicating about that you would like to transition into, or if it seems appropriate to pause or wrap up our conversation together.

A Few Words from a Directee

“Though I've stuffed dozens of journals with reflections and prayers, self-direction, even through prayer can feel lonely and hard. Written spiritual direction has challenged me to reflect in a more focused, purposeful, and kind way. It's an intentional process that invites God in, a process that involves companionship, gentle guidance, and presence--significantly, in a channel familiar to a writer--the written word. 

It took me years to realize that I was praying when I journaled; in fact, sometimes my diary entries would weave from life to longing in the same sentence, and it could be hard to tell where the one began the other started. Other times, my writing has missed God altogether, and I've found myself spiraling into endless chasms of sadness and overwhelm, my pen and paper providing expression but little else. In Written Direction, I found myself putting the reigns in another's hands, allowing myself to be led, a safety net of sorts provided through reminders of God's view of me, that he likes me and loves me and enjoys being with me, messages that I can struggle to recall in my own unguided ramblings. 

Another discovery was in how easy it was to let words spill onto a page in comparison with other types of spiritually formative back-and-forths. There is such a comfort in Written Direction for a wordsperson like myself! Whether I'm chasing the blinking cursor across my computer screen or picking up a pen and paper, words come forward, and so do I.

What I appreciate most about written direction is the way it helps me be in God's presence. I find myself more fully possessed of my thoughts, less consumed by feelings of insecurity or misgiving, and intrusive thoughts are held more at bay. Writers are often people of doubt, but with a Director coming alongside, doubts can be spotted, kindly looked on, explored, and offered back to God. This process fosters deep connection, healing, and growth of spirit.”