A spiritual director is one who helps another to recognize and to follow the inspirations of grace in his life in order to arrive at the end to which God is leading him.
—Thomas Merton
Welcome to my spiritual direction page.
What is spiritual direction?
Spiritual direction is a key discipline for Christians that offers a safe place for attending to one’s ongoing transformation and surrender to God outside the public view and without any other agenda. As Thomas Merton says, “The whole purpose of spiritual direction is to penetrate beneath the surface of a man’s life, to get behind the façade of conventional gestures and attitudes which he presents to the world, and to bring out his inner spiritual freedom, his inmost truth, which is what we call the likeness of Christ in his soul” (Spiritual Direction and Meditation).
The phrase “spiritual direction” is a misnomer because it is not so much about being directive as it is about being open, receptive, aware of, and responsive to the movement of the Spirit in the directee’s life. It is understood that the Holy Spirit is the true director, Advocate, or Counselor given to lead us into truth as we are able to bear it (John 15, 16). The director is present to assist the directee in paying attention to the invitations of the Holy Spirit and to support the directee in responding faithfully. (from Ruth Haley Barton)
What should I look for in a spiritual director?
An effective spiritual director is someone who is:
- Experienced in the ways of the soul due, in part, to the faithful attention they have given to their spiritual journey
- Gifted and practiced in discernment and listening to the Spirit
- Called and committed to cultivating a life of listening and spiritual accompaniment
- Experienced in a variety of spiritual disciplines that open us to God
- Able to maintain a prayerful, contemplative stance as they are accompanying others
- Trained through a recognized training program
- In spiritual direction himself/herself and is also in ongoing supervision
How does spiritual direction differ from other spiritual relationships?
Spiritual direction is not the same as mentoring or disciple-ing in that these relationships usually focus more on moral, educational, and vocational guidance in a particular faith tradition. Although there will be dimensions of spiritual direction in these relationships, a true spiritual director can listen and provide spiritual guidance beyond any personal need to defend or uphold any particular tradition or religious institution. It is also not the same as spiritual friendship in that spiritual friendship is usually a peer relationship that includes some level of mutuality. Spiritual direction, on the other hand, is “one-way” in that the director is there solely to attend to the directee and does not look to that relationship to have any of their personal needs met. There is a willingness on the part of the directee to submit to the guidance of the director because of the inner authority they possess, not positional authority bestowed within organizational or religious hierarchies.
How often do we meet, and what is the cost?
Typical meetings with a director are one hour once a month and can happen in person or via video chat. My fees are on a sliding scale that best fits your budget, ranging from $50-$80/hour. But finances should never keep you from reaching out for spiritual direction. Schedule a complimentary session by contacting me directly via email or using the linked scheduling app (the times shown are Eastern time zone).
Ready to schedule a complimentary introductory session?
Simply send me an email at mary.gunther@gmail.com. Let me know if you’re interested in exploring the possibility of spiritual direction. Once we find the best day and time, I’ll send you a Zoom link for our session. Can’t wait to meet you and hear your story.