SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

“Spiritual direction” is an ordinary label to some people and a strange term to others. It refers to a process of meeting with a guide, mentor or friend to reflect upon and discuss one’s prayer life or “walk with God.” The label has been in use for a long time and thus probably will continue to be the favored term even though the word “director” has connotations that do not really fit.  The person filling this role is not telling someone what to do or filling an authoritarian role. A spiritual director listens and asks questions but typically does not provide answers to the “directee.”  The main process is mainly between this person and the Holy Spirit and is an ongoing part of daily life. The spiritual director is simply there occasionally as a companion, friend, or guide at various points.

The most common form of spiritual direction is one in which the director and directee meet periodically, say every couple weeks, or possibly weekly or monthly, for such conversation. It tends to be a long-term process.

Within a retreat context, such meetings usually are more frequent, possibly daily, and may not extend beyond the time that a person is staying at a retreat center. In some group retreats, the option of meeting with a spiritual director may be built into the retreat program itself. In the case of a private retreat, it may be part of helping the retreatant plan out the time he or she will be spending in retreat.

Easy Yoke Ranch has on its staff two people who have received extensive training as spiritual directors and are available to retreatants who wish to meet with a spiritual director periodically during their stay, or who wish some assistance in planning out a private retreat.