We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
I
am a Secular Franciscan and have a B.A. degree in psychology
and a diploma in theology. I also spent 3 years studying ascetical
and mystical theology, directed by the Dominican House of Studies,
Washington DC, while living in a contemporary Franciscan Community in the USA. I have worked for 35 years in parish and retreat centre
ministry and have a wide experience in spiritual mentoring. Several
of the books I have written on Christian spiritual mentoring.
Several of the books I have written on Christian spirituality are
advertised on this blog, available as a free pdf download on request.
What Spiritual Mentoring can offer
Spiritual Mentoring, also known as Spiritual Direction, is a way to keep in touch with your deepest calling to know and live your inner spiritual truth.Spiritual Mentoring is a way of holding the space for another, so they may come into a deeper relationship with God, and live that deepening in their lives.
Spiritual Mentoring is not therapy, but something with a larger context. A safe place to explore the deepest questions of our lives. Questions about faith, meaning, purpose and calling
Spiritual Mentoring provides a space where we can hear ourselves; where someone will help us notice the movement of God's Presence within our ordinary lives, and help us listen for that source of wisdom and guidance.
Reflective Questions
Here are a few questions that might help you to prepare for your Spiritual Mentoring session.As you read the questions, listen to the ones that seem to be the most poignant. Listen also to the questions that cause you to feel resistant, or that seem completely irrelevant at the moment. You may discover that by giving them attention, something very fruitful may emerge.
Also, take time to express any thoughts, questions, joys and struggles, that arise for you as you go through the questions.
- How has life has been for you recently?
- How do you feel about what is happening in your life?
- What events, experiences, or relationships, have helped, or hindered, a sense of finding your own spiritual faith and practice?
- How do you stay open to God? What has helped you? When has it been difficult? Is your prayer changing, if so, how?
- Have you discovered new wisdom? What has stood out for you in your reading, reflections or conversations?
- What creative things have you done recently?
- Are your beliefs changing? Are they being confirmed or challenged ?
Supervision is a safe, confidential relationship which provides a regular opportunity to reflect on our work and professional relationships and focuses on actual events, on real, living, ministry situations and experiences
The GOAL is continuing enhancement of ministry
The CONTEXT is an atmosphere of TRUST and OPENNESS
The VEHICLE is a RELATIONSHIP OF MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY
The FOCUS is actual MINISTRY EXPERIENCES
The focus of pastoral supervision is on actual events; on real, living, ministry situations and experiences. Any of the following examples may be helpful in deciding what to bring to supervision:
Reflective Questions
- The most significant event in my work since my last supervision is...
- This incident/concern keeps pushing itself back into my mind…
- I am aware of very strong feelings about something that has happened…
- When [this] happened it seemed to be a pattern repeating itself...
- I am so [tired, miserable, elated, inspired, challenged, worried].
- I want to clarify where I stand on a particular issue...
- I want to stop something like [this] happening again...
- I want to get something like [this] to happen more often...
- I seem to keep avoiding/putting off...
- It is time to establish, or review, or evaluate, the direction my life is taking...
This also means, to experience the divine involves experiencing ourselves and the fullness of our potential.
(from Pathways to the Fountain - Phil Dyer 2016)
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