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Spiritual Direction- A Next Step in Your Faith?
As you think about opportunities to embrace our Church’s “Year of Faith” could Spiritual Direction be a next step for you in your faith journey?What is Spiritual Direction?
Spiritual Direction encourages you to explore a closer relationship with God. It is a ministry in which one person accompanies another in the process of growing in awareness of and intimacy with God.
The focus of Spiritual Direction is your experience of the Holy One in your life and prayer, and the ways God is communicating with you.
In Spiritual Direction you will look closely at your life circumstances and, as you contemplate, begin to recognize God’s presence and grace in your life.
What are some reasons for going into Spiritual Direction?
- Establishing a deeper relationship with God
- Exploring new ways to pray, or reenergizing your prayer life
- Learning to identify and trust your experiences of God
- Strengthening the presence of spirituality in your daily life
- Discerning God’s purpose for your life and God’s direction in decision making
What happens during Spiritual Direction?
A spiritual director meets individually with a directee and asks reflective questions and listens. You will be asked to pay attention to your experience so as to notice God’s nudges, invitations, challenges and confirmations. Life circumstances are discussed but neither problem-solving or counseling is part of the process.
How can I learn more?
If you feel drawn to explore Spiritual Direction please contact Cindy Neely, Coordinator Spiritual Direction Ministry, St. Thomas More Parish, (606) 923-0437.
Several of the Spiritual Directors in this ministry trained through the Fairfield University Spiritual Direction Formation Program.Please also see the Friends of Christ School, based in Chapel Hill, or The Listening Place in Durham, for formation in Spirituality and Spiritual Direction.
Introduction to the Spiritual Exercises - from Ignatianspirituality.com
Jesuit Collaborative - More Resouces on Ignatian Spirituality
How am I Supposed to Pray?
YouTube Video
Article on the Ignatian 'Examen'
Subscribe to “The Examen” daily podcast free on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe to “The Examen” daily podcast free on Google Play
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Friends of Christ School for Christian Spirituality
AN ECUMENICAL SCHOOL FOR SPIRITUAL SEEKERS
Friends of Christ School for Christian Spirituality (FCSCS) is an ecumenical school, based in Chapel Hill, for spiritual seekers who want to explore a deeper relationship with God within an open, inviting community. Its purpose is to contribute to the spiritual formation and transformation of participants and to supplement what is already offered within their own faith communities.
The School offers spiritual growth both through transmission of the common Christian tradition and in-depth experience of its core spiritual practices. Anyone drawn to discover and explore the breadth and depth of the Christian faith within a supportive community will find appealing the School’s classes, gatherings, and opportunities for spiritual companioning. -
The Listening Place
The Listening Place Spiritual Center offers a Formation Program for the Ministry of Spiritual Direction. The next cohort begins in September 2018. This program is for those who are attentive to their own faith journey and who believe God is calling them to offer the gift of holy listening to people seeking meaning in their lives. The program encompasses 12 modules over 3 years.
Although the program is open to participants of all denominations, it is thoroughly grounded in the Catholic—and specifically Ignatian--origins of Spiritual Direction. For more information or to download an application, please visit The Listening Place website or call Mary Grace McCoy at 919-307-9068.
An Invitation to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius
If you have considered making the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, the Listening Place would like to offer you the opportunity to do so. This would be the 19th Annotation of the Exercises, meaning the Exercises are spread out over a period of months (rather than being done as a 30-day intensive). You would begin the Exercises approximately the first week of October and complete them at Easter. Your commitment would be to one hour of prayer per day, with meditations based on material from The Spiritual Exercises, and a 1-hour spiritual direction session per week. There is no set fee; instead, each retreatant is asked to pay what they are able for the spiritual direction sessions. The only other cost would be for whichever book you choose to use for the meditation material. Please phone Mary Grace McCoy at 919-417-6279 or email us at if you are interested.
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More opportunities for Adult Formation:
- Local Conferences and Retreat opportunities
- Online Retreat in Everyday Life
- Diocese of Raleigh Adult Faith Formation Programs
- Aqueduct Conference Center, Chapel Hill
- Triangle Contemplative Outreach
Retreat providers promoted by the Diocese of Raleigh:
