What Is Spiritual Direction?

In his book Let Your Life Speak, Parker Palmer writes about how our lives move through seasons—Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall—and how, in each season, our experience of God shifts and changes. Sometimes we feel God moving in vibrant, creative ways. Other times, we bask in a deep sense of connection, like lying in the warmth of summer sun. But there are also seasons of fading, of quiet, of barrenness—times when God feels far away.

Wherever you find yourself in the cycle—whether blooming or bare—you are not alone. God is not far, even when it feels that way.

But here’s the question many of us wrestle with quietly:
Who do you talk to about God?

For many, those conversations are saved for trusted friends or a pastor. But sometimes those relationships can only go so deep. Maybe your questions feel too complex for casual conversation. Maybe you're reading, exploring, feeling pulled toward something new—and you need a space to process what’s stirring inside.

That’s where spiritual direction comes in.

What Is Spiritual Direction?

Spiritual direction is an ancient practice—one that began in monastic communities and has, over time, become more accessible to anyone seeking to live a more attentive, spiritually grounded life.

At its core, it’s a sacred relationship: a meeting between a seeker and a seasoned listener. The spiritual director doesn’t give advice or offer quick fixes. Instead, they serve as a companion—someone trained to notice, reflect, and help you become more attuned to the presence of the Divine in your own story.

Think of a spiritual director like a midwife for the soul: someone who doesn’t do the work for you, but is fully present as something sacred comes to life in you.

A Journey, Not a Transaction

Spiritual direction isn’t therapy. It’s not coaching. It’s not church. It’s a place set apart for holy listening. A space where you are invited to bring your questions, doubts, hopes, griefs, boredom, and wonder—and hold them in the presence of God.

It’s for the seeker who wants to listen more deeply.
It’s for the person whose faith is shifting and doesn’t know what comes next.
It’s for the one who longs for something more, even if they can’t yet name what that is.

A spiritual director is someone who has walked this path, is still walking it, and is trained to accompany others along the way. Most spiritual directors also meet regularly with a director themselves—they remain rooted in their own process so they can hold space for yours.

If You’re Longing for More

If you’re in a season of questioning or awakening, or if your relationship with God has grown quiet or complicated, spiritual direction offers you a place to land. A place to breathe. A place to listen for the holy.

You don’t have to navigate this alone.

If you’re curious about beginning spiritual direction, I’d love to connect and talk about what that might look like. Whether this is your first step or your next one, the invitation is the same: come as you are. Bring what’s real. We’ll listen together.