For many people in our postmodern age, the idea of Spiritual Direction or Spiritual Guidance is a strange concept. People speak about being “spiritual” but not religious and seek to find a meaningful purpose in their lives. Some people have a sense of the “holy” in special events and experiences and long for this sense in the challenges of everyday life.

However, there is often a feeling that if life is to be lived to the fullest, then this sense of the “sacred” needs to be nurtured in some way. All around we can see that the institutional churches and organised religion are struggling to survive, particularly where tightly bound communities are giving way to individualization.

I find that to nurture the sense of the sacred, many people look for what makes sense for their individual selves. The ways include an appreciation for nature, yoga, mindfulness meditation, journaling, and reading, listening to music, movement and dancing or simply taking time out each day. For some, sharing with a worshipping community (no matter what the denomination) continues to be important.
 
This is where the value of spiritual guidance or spiritual companionship or “tending the sacred” comes into play.  It’s about sharing with another seeker to discover what is the “sacred” for you and where it is working in your life.
There are boundaries and distinctions between “spiritual guidance” and “counselling”. The materials from Spiritual Directors International   are useful in addressing such issues and in giving more information if you find these concepts a bit confusing. See Spiritual Directors International.

I am a member of Spiritual Directors International and see spiritual guidance as a mentoring relationship between a seeker and a spiritual guide. As a member, I work in accordance with the SDI Guidelines for Ethical Conduct. I am registered as an “Interfaith” Spiritual Director. This means that I am available to work with people of all faiths and with people who see themselves as having none .