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General Christian

2026-02-25T13:22:37-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Finding the Right Spiritual Direction Training Program

Last updated on: February 25, 2026 at 1:22 pm By Teresa Blythe

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Training to become a spiritual director is essential. Here are some tips for finding the right program. Before even searching for programs, ask yourself: Why do I want to be a spiritual director? What has been my experience of being in spiritual direction? (Traditionally, programs have required applicants to have significant experience as a directee). How much time am I willing to devote to training? How much money am I willing to spend to become trained? What are my... Read more

Careers, Workplace and Religion

Business, Finance and Religion

spiritual direction

vocation

2025-12-12T16:15:17-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How Many Before Mary? An Advent Tale of Consent

Last updated on: December 12, 2025 at 4:15 pm By Teresa Blythe

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Before the teenaged Mary said YES to the angel Gabriel’s invitation to give birth to God’s son, how many young women took a pass? Consent can never be coerced. If you will be punished for saying NO, it’s not consent. So, when 15-year-old Abby considered the invitation and preferred to marry her fiancé and have his baby, Gabriel smiled and said, “No worries, Abby. If it’s not your calling, it will be someone else’s, and that’s OK. You are still... Read more

Progressive Christian

Women in Religion

Advent

angels

2025-10-30T13:51:55-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Thinking vs. Feeling: What’s the big deal?

Last updated on: October 30, 2025 at 1:51 pm By Teresa Blythe

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Spiritual directors are taught to notice, reflect back and ask clients about feelings they are experiencing as they share their stories. As a result, many directors become frustrated when clients, as they put it, “stay in their heads.” Personally I think it is fine for directees to stay wherever they feel safe and comfortable. But I know what the frustrated directors are trying to say. Thought Loops “I can’t stop thinking about it.” We’ve all been there, right? What does... Read more

Contemplative

Education and Religion

Uncategorized

spiritual direction

spirituality

2025-09-18T14:19:12-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Visit from an unexpected Spirit Messenger

Last updated on: September 18, 2025 at 2:19 pm By Teresa Blythe

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By guest blogger Anne Randerson Like many of my colleagues, I offer online spiritual direction sessions, and each day, I realize how lucky I am to be able to work with directees living anywhere in the world. I also realize how fortunate I am to meet regularly with professionals who offer the same services as I do, even though I currently live in Belgium, and most of them reside in other countries. Earlier this month, I was in an online... Read more

Uncategorized

2025-08-11T12:48:27-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Flickering Leaves and Glee

Last updated on: August 11, 2025 at 12:48 pm By Teresa Blythe

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Artist, poet and spiritual director Aline Lindemann offers this reflection on finding God in nature. Aline is an apprentice with the Phoenix Center for Spiritual Direction. The sun shines not on us but in us. The rivers flow not past, but through us, thrilling, tingling, vibrating every fiber and cell of the substance of our bodies, making them glide and sing. – John Muir “This!” my brother, John said making a large sweeping motion with his arm as we walked... Read more

Recreation, Outdoors and Religion

Home and Religion

nature

Uncategorized

2025-07-09T14:24:44-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Accepting the Easy Task

Last updated on: July 9, 2025 at 2:24 pm By Teresa Blythe

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Not everything we do needs to be so hard. When you think about what God may be asking of you, allow yourself to believe it might be the easier road. Consider ease Spiritual directors sometimes see people who assume God wants them to suffer, or at least break a sweat, when they consider God’s invitation. That could be the case, but then there’s the story of Naaman (2 Kings 5), the military man with leprosy. When his predicament came to... Read more

Education and Religion

discernment

healing

peace

2025-06-09T11:23:55-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What is our Core Self?

Last updated on: June 9, 2025 at 11:23 am By Teresa Blythe

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In many books on spirituality you see the terms True Self, Core Self or Higher Self referring to the part of us connected to the Divine. In this post, I want to share what I’ve learned from my Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist, Mike Phillips, about the Core Self (my favorite term). Internal Family Systems Therapy and Core Self IFS is a therapy model created in the 1980’s by Richard C. Schwartz, that works with various parts within us–some which... Read more

Uncategorized

2025-05-12T11:03:22-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Saving One Life

Last updated on: May 12, 2025 at 11:03 am By Teresa Blythe

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Spiritual direction has the potential to save lives. I’m not talking about religious salvation but literally saving a person from personal destruction. Listening Saves Lives What good spiritual directors do–the very act of prayerfully and deeply listening to someone as they share their joys, their challenges and suffering in life–might be all an individual needs to keep their chin up and keep going. I’m thinking especially of people who have been abused, shunned or marginalized by churches who decide “who’s... Read more

Progressive Christian

2025-01-09T12:49:07-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Choosing a Spiritual Direction Training Program

Last updated on: January 9, 2025 at 12:49 pm By Teresa Blythe

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People wanting to become spiritual directors need training. So how does one find the right training program for themselves? Before searching for programs, ask yourself a few questions: Why do I want to be a spiritual director? What has been my experience of being in spiritual direction? (Traditionally, programs have required applicants to have significant experience as a directee). How much time am I willing to devote to training? How much money am I willing to spend to become trained?... Read more

Careers, Workplace and Religion

spiritual direction

spiritual direction training; formation and training; online spiritual direction

2024-12-03T12:40:25-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Gifts of Consolation and Desolation

Last updated on: December 3, 2024 at 12:40 pm By Teresa Blythe

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An important part of any spiritual journey is remembering consolation, appreciating the joy and experiencing the gratitude we have for our relationship with the Divine. It’s also helpful to reflect on our “valley” experiences of disconnectedness from God, known as desolation. Both principles offer opportunities for spiritual growth. The terms consolation and desolation to describe our spiritual condition come from the writings of Ignatius of Loyola—cofounder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), an order of the Roman Catholic Church, around... Read more

spiritual discernment

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