PC: Crystal Boecker
What is Spiritual Direction?
Spiritual direction is a ministry of meeting with a trained listener who will accompany you on your spiritual journey by helping you notice God's presence and activity in your daily life as well as helping you grow in awareness of how you are reacting to His movements in your life.
It is a welcoming, confidential and safe place to explore one's questions, doubts, struggles, and joys of life with God.
Christian spiritual direction is a ministry grounded in biblical principles that helps an individual live out who he or she is created to be as a follower of Christ.
It is a welcoming, confidential and safe place to explore one's questions, doubts, struggles, and joys of life with God.
Christian spiritual direction is a ministry grounded in biblical principles that helps an individual live out who he or she is created to be as a follower of Christ.
What Spiritual Direction is Not
Spiritual direction is not counseling (helping the person solve personal and interpersonal issues). It is not coaching/mentoring that seeks to give advice or teach. It does seek to look for God's presence and movement amidst both the struggles and joys within a person's life experience, and invites the person into deeper relationship with God in the midst of whatever he or she is experiencing.
What to Expect in a Spiritual Direction Session
Prayer is offered in the beginning to create a sacred space to be present to God's presence and workings.
The majority of the time is spent listening to whatever the person brings to the session. The director listens with the Holy Spirit, asking clarifying and reflective questions. Allowing individuals to come to their own conclusions with God seems best.
In the beginning, some teaching may be involved, depending on the individual, but over time this lessens. Occasionally, the director may suggest Scriptures to pray with, or spiritual practices to try, or may suggest the individual return in prayer to what he/she has shared.
A session usually ends with prayer.
Pilates Connect is the umbrella ministry that offers not only retreats, but personal spiritual direction.
The cost for a spiritual direction session is $70 with cash, checks, or through Zelle.
This spiritual direction ministry serves those interested in spiritual direction in person in the south Denver area.
Online sessions are also available.
Spiritual direction usually lasts around one hour. People who seek spiritual direction typically meet once a month or every six weeks, depending on the needs of the person receiving direction.
The majority of the time is spent listening to whatever the person brings to the session. The director listens with the Holy Spirit, asking clarifying and reflective questions. Allowing individuals to come to their own conclusions with God seems best.
In the beginning, some teaching may be involved, depending on the individual, but over time this lessens. Occasionally, the director may suggest Scriptures to pray with, or spiritual practices to try, or may suggest the individual return in prayer to what he/she has shared.
A session usually ends with prayer.
Pilates Connect is the umbrella ministry that offers not only retreats, but personal spiritual direction.
The cost for a spiritual direction session is $70 with cash, checks, or through Zelle.
This spiritual direction ministry serves those interested in spiritual direction in person in the south Denver area.
Online sessions are also available.
Spiritual direction usually lasts around one hour. People who seek spiritual direction typically meet once a month or every six weeks, depending on the needs of the person receiving direction.
What are the Ignatian Exercises?
An area I have received training in and have personal experience with is the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises.
The Ignatian Spiritual Exercises came about through Ignatius of Loyola in the early 16th century, and since then many in the church have benefited from this particular prayer experience. Many people pursue the Exercises amidst daily life, committing to praying with the Exercises in a structured way for an hour a day for a 7-9 month period. The structure of the Exercises consists of meditations, prayers, and practices to help a person deepen their relationship with God. They are centered in the gospel accounts of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ and follow the church calendar.
Spiritual direction is an essential part of the exercises as each week a director and the person praying with the Exercises meet for spiritual direction to process the person's prayer experience. The exercises can be a process for growth in discernment, spiritual growth, and transformation in one's life.
The Ignatian Spiritual Exercises came about through Ignatius of Loyola in the early 16th century, and since then many in the church have benefited from this particular prayer experience. Many people pursue the Exercises amidst daily life, committing to praying with the Exercises in a structured way for an hour a day for a 7-9 month period. The structure of the Exercises consists of meditations, prayers, and practices to help a person deepen their relationship with God. They are centered in the gospel accounts of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ and follow the church calendar.
Spiritual direction is an essential part of the exercises as each week a director and the person praying with the Exercises meet for spiritual direction to process the person's prayer experience. The exercises can be a process for growth in discernment, spiritual growth, and transformation in one's life.
Supervision
I receive ongoing supervision as part of my development and accountability as a spiritual director. In addition to offering spiritual direction I also offer supervision for spiritual directors and in August 2018 completed supervision training through the Lanteri center in Denver, Colorado.