SPIRITUAL DIRECTION A HOLY LISTENING PRESENTATION BY TAMARA

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION: A “HOLY LISTENING” PRESENTATION BY TAMARA R. FLINCHUM (WITH GUEST LINDA FLYNN) SC SOCIETY OF CHAPLAINS OCTOBER 14, 2016

SESSION ONE: WHAT IS SPIRITUAL DIRECTION?

MY JOURNEY INTO SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

INTO GREAT SILENCE, 2005 GRAND CHARTREUSE MONASTERY, CARTHUSIAN ORDER FRENCH ALPS

MONASTERY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, CISTERCIAN ORDER (TRAPPIST) CONYERS, GA

INTEGRATIVE CHAPLAINCY CERTIFICATION BRYNA BOZART FOUNDING DIRECTOR, CHARLOTTE SPIRITUALITY CENTER

CHARLOTTE SPIRITUALITY CENTER “Our desire is that everyone who comes to the Charlotte Spirituality Center experiences the joy of community whether they are exploring spiritual formation for personal growth or training for a vocation in spiritual direction or spiritual companioning. Everyone belongs at the CSC, all are welcome!” http: //charlottespiritualitycenter. org/ https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=g 9 WMRDo. T-EM

SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR MARLA FULLER, MINISTER OF ADULT DISCIPLESHIP AND COMMUNICATIONS ST. MARK UMC, SENECA, SC Find a Spiritual Director http: //www. sdiworld. org/maps/? map=seekfind

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION IS. . . Companioning another on the journey into an ever- deepening awareness of the presence of God. Spiritual Direction is the process of affirming that relationship.

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION IS. . . “not about telling people what to believe or how to act but working with the Spirit to discover, surface, name for themselves, and engage in what God is doing. ” Rev. Kenton Smith, Presbyterian

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION IS. . . “to cultivate one’s ability to discern God’s presence in one’s life —to notice and appreciate moments of holiness, to maintain and awareness of the interconnectedness of all things, to explore ways to be open to the Blessed Holy One in challenging and difficult moments as well as in joyful ones. The director serves as a companion and witness, someone who helps you to discern the divine where you might have missed it and to integrate that awareness into your daily life, your tefillah, your tikkun olam work, your study, your ritual practice. ” Rabbi Jacob Staub, Jewish

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION IS. . . expressed in the word “Islam, [which] means to surrender to God in peace. The journey of surrender is the lifelong work of transforming the ego, opening the heart and becoming conscious of God. We need to bring Divinity into the center of our lives. The guidance, inspiration and support of a spiritual director, spiritual teacher or spiritual friend is crucial in this process. The thirteenth-century sage Rumi says that whoever travels without a guide needs two hundred years for a two-day journey. ” Imam Jamal Rahman, Muslim

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION IS. . . “in reality, nothing more than a way of leading us to see and obey the real Director—the Holy Spirit hidden in the depths of our soul. ” Thomas Merton, Trappist monk

PRINCIPLES OF SPIRITUAL DIRECTION ØWe may not all be “religious”; however, we believe we do have a spiritual component. ØListening to the movements of the heart, desires, emotions, and inner self is central to our work. ØDirection is often like being a midwife. ØIt is necessary to be open to a Presence believed to be authentic (Divine Spirit, God, Eternal Being, Christ)

IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY Who was St. Ignatius? As told by Fr. James Martin, SJ, in “Who Cares About the Saints? ”. https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=h 4 ZLuk_X 8 u 0

ELEMENTS OF IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY It begins with a wounded soldier daydreaming on his sickbed. Ignatius, who founded the Jesuits, gained many insights into the spiritual life in the course of a decades-long spiritual journey during which he became expert at helping others deepen their relationship with God. Its basis in personal experience makes Ignatian spirituality an intensely practical spirituality, well suited to laymen and laywomen living active lives in the world. http: //www. ignatianspirituality. com/what-is-ignatian-spirituality/10 -elements-of-ignatian-spirituality

ELEMENTS OF IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY “The world is charged with the grandeur of God. ” This line from a poem by the Jesuit Gerard Manley Hopkins captures a central theme of Ignatian spirituality: its insistence that God is at work everywhere—in work, relationships, culture, the arts, the intellectual life, creation itself. As Ignatius put it, all the things in the world are presented to us “so that we can know God more easily and make a return of love more readily. ” Ignatian spirituality places great emphasis on discerning God’s presence in the everyday activities of ordinary life. It sees God as an active God, always at work, inviting us to an everdeeper walk. http: //www. ignatianspirituality. com/what-is-ignatian-spirituality/10 -elements-of-ignatian-spirituality

GOD’S GRANDEUR GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS, 1844 - 1889 The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod? Generations have trod, have trod; And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil; And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod. And for all this, nature is never spent; There lives the dearest freshness deep down things; And though the last lights off the black West went Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs-Because the Holy Ghost over the bent World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

ELEMENTS OF IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY It’s about call and response— like the music of a gospel choir. An Ignatian spiritual life focuses on God at work now. It fosters an active attentiveness to God joined with a prompt responsiveness to God calls; we respond. This call-response rhythm of the inner life makes discernment and decision making especially important. Ignatius’s rules for discernment and his astute approach to decision making are well-regarded for their psychological and spiritual wisdom. http: //www. ignatianspirituality. com/what-is-ignatian-spirituality/10 -elements-of-ignatian-spirituality

DISCERNMENT TERMS INTRODUCTION TO DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS St. Ignatius of Loyola began to learn about the discernment of spirits while convalescing from serious battle injuries. He noticed different interior movements as he imagined his future. In his autobiography, Ignatius writes (in the third person): He did not consider nor did he stop to examine this difference until one day his eyes were partially opened and he began to wonder at this difference and to reflect upon it. From experience he knew that some thoughts left him sad while others made him happy, and little by little he came to perceive the different spirits that were moving him; one coming from the devil, the other coming from God (Autobiography, no. 8). http: //www. ignatianspirituality. com/making-good-decisions/discernment-of-spirits/introduction-to-discernment-of-spirits

DISCERNMENT TERMS GOOD AND EVIL SPIRITS Ignatius believed that these interior movements were caused by “good spirits” and “evil spirits. ” We want to follow the action of a good spirit and reject the action of an evil spirit. Discernment of spirits is a way to understand God’s will or desire for us in our life. Talk of good and evil spirits may seem foreign to us. Psychology gives us other names for what Ignatius called good and evil spirits. Yet Ignatius’s language is useful because it recognizes the reality of evil. Evil is both greater than we are and part of who we are. Our hearts are divided between good and evil impulses. To call these “spirits” simply recognizes the spiritual dimension of this inner struggle. http: //www. ignatianspirituality. com/making-good-decisions/discernment-of-spirits/introduction-to-discernment-of-spirits

DISCERNMENT TERMS CONSOLATION AND DESOLATION The feelings stirred up by good and evil spirits are called “consolation” and “desolation” in the language of Ignatian spirituality. Spiritual consolation is an experience of being so on fire with God’s love that we feel impelled to praise, love, and serve God and help others as best as we can. Spiritual consolation encourages and facilitates a deep sense of gratitude for God’s faithfulness, mercy, and companionship in our life. In consolation, we feel more alive and connected to others. Spiritual desolation, in contrast, is an experience of the soul in heavy darkness or turmoil. We are assaulted by all sorts of doubts, bombarded by temptations, and mired in self-preoccupations. We are excessively restless and anxious and feel cut off from others. Such feelings, in Ignatius’s words, “move one toward lack of faith and leave one without hope and without love. ” http: //www. ignatianspirituality. com/making-good-decisions/discernment-of-spirits/introduction-to-discernment-of-spirits

DISCERNMENT TERMS The key question in interpreting consolation and desolation is: where is the movement coming from and where is it leading me? Spiritual consolation does not always mean happiness. Spiritual desolation does not always mean sadness. Sometimes an experience of sadness is a moment of conversion and intimacy with God. Times of human suffering can be moments of great grace. Similarly, peace or happiness can be illusory if these feelings are helping us avoid changes we need to make. http: //www. ignatianspirituality. com/making-good-decisions/discernment-of-spirits/introduction-to-discernment-of-spirits

"My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. “ Thomas Merton, Trappist monk

ELEMENTS OF IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY “The heart has its reasons of which the mind knows nothing. ” Ignatius Loyola’s conversion occurred as he became able to interpret the spiritual meaning of his emotional life. The spirituality he developed places great emphasis on the affective life: the use of imagination in prayer, discernment and interpretation of feelings, cultivation of great desires, and generous service. Ignatian spiritual renewal focuses more on the heart than the intellect. It holds that our choices and decisions are often beyond the merely rational or reasonable. Its goal is an eager, generous, wholehearted offer of oneself to God and to his work. spirituality heart http: //www. ignatianspirituality. com/what-is-ignatian-spirituality/10 -elements-of-ignatian Image by Geralyn Anderson, “My Image of the Sacred Heart, ” http: //www. ignatianspirituality. com/19363/my-image-of-the-sacred-

ELEMENTS OF IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY “Sum up at night what thou hast done by day. ” The Ignatian mind-set is strongly inclined to reflection and self-scrutiny. The distinctive Ignatian prayer is the Daily Examen, a review of the day’s activities with an eye toward detecting and responding to the presence of God. Three challenging, reflective questions lie at the heart of the Spiritual Exercises, the book Ignatius wrote, to help others deepen their spiritual lives: “What have I done for Christ? What am I doing for Christ? What ought I to do for Christ? ” http: //www. ignatianspirituality. com/what-is-ignatian-spirituality/10 -elements-of-ignatian-spirituality

Pray one time per day for at least ten minutes. Look for the following: • Stirrings • Emotion • Good things/bad things that surprised you • What gave me joy? • For what am I grateful? • Where are my feelings taking me, toward God or away from God? (both are important) • Where is God in the day?

THE DAILY EXAMEN OF CONSCIOUSNESS • https: //youtu. be/l 6 sl. VTINJE 0

ELEMENTS OF IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY A practical spirituality. Ignatian spirituality is adaptable. It is an outlook, not a program; a set of attitudes and insights, not rules or a scheme. Ignatius’s first advice to spiritual directors was to adapt the Spiritual Exercises to the needs of the person entering the retreat. At the heart of Ignatian spirituality is a profound humanism. It respects people’s lived experience and honors the vast diversity of God’s work in the world. The Latin phrase cura personalis is often heard in Ignatian circles. It means “care of the person” attention to people’s — individual needs and respect for their unique circumstances and concerns. http: //www. ignatianspirituality. com/what-is-ignatian-spirituality/10 -elements-of-ignatian-spirituality

ELEMENTS OF IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY Don’t do it alone. Ignatian spirituality places great value on collaboration and teamwork. Ignatian spirituality sees the link between God and man as a relationship—a bond of friendship that develops over time as a human relationship does. Collaboration is built into the very structure of the Spiritual Exercises; they are almost always guided by a spiritual director who helps the retreatant interpret the spiritual content of the retreat experience. Similarly, mission and service in the Ignatian mode is seen not as an individualistic enterprise, but as work done in collaboration with Christ and others. http: //www. ignatianspirituality. com/what-is-ignatian-spirituality/10 -elements-of-ignatian-spirituality

ELEMENTS OF IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY “Contemplatives in action. ” Those formed by Ignatian spirituality are often called “contemplatives in action. ” They are reflective people with a rich inner life who are deeply engaged in God’s work in the world. They unite themselves with God by joining God’s active labor to save and heal the world. It’s an active spiritual attitude—a way for everyone to seek and find God in their workplaces, homes, families, and communities. http: //www. ignatianspirituality. com/what-is-ignatian-spirituality/10 -elements-of-ignatian-spirituality

This is a bit of a caricatured understanding of what it means to be a contemplative in action, where your intellect is engaged as you go about doing the nitty-gritty work of the world. Being a contemplative in action is more than that, and it’s certainly not just for intellectuals. http: //www. ignatianspirituality. com/16166/cont emplatives-in-action

ELEMENTS OF IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY “Men and women for others. ” The early Jesuits often described their work as simply “helping souls. ” The great Jesuit leader Pedro Arrupe updated this idea in the twentieth century by calling those formed in Ignatian spirituality “men and women for others. ” Both phrases express a deep commitment to social justice and a radical giving of oneself to others. The heart of this service is the radical generosity that Ignatius asked for in his most famous prayer: http: //www. ignatianspirituality. com/what-is-ignatian-spirituality/10 -elements-of-ignatian-spirituality

PRAYER OF GENEROSITY Lord, teach me to be generous. Teach me to serve you as you deserve; to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for reward, save that of knowing that I do your will. http: //www. ignatianspirituality. com/what-is-ignatian-spirituality/10 -elements-of-ignatian-spirituality

CENTERING PRAYER “Silence is God's first language; everything else is a poor translation. ” Thomas Keating, Trappist monk Invitation to Love: The Way of Christian Contemplation

CENTERING PRAYER METHOD 1. Choose a sacred word used as a symbol of your intention to consent to God’s presence and action within you. (Examples: Abba, Father, Lord, trust, love, Jesus, rest, trust, peace, listen, mercy) 1. Sit comfortably, with eyes closed. Settle in. 2. Introduce the word silently. 3. Engage with your thoughts—physical sensations, emotions, memories, reflection—and return “ever so gently” to your sacred word. (Keating suggests the motion of a feather on absorbent cotton. ) 4. Remain in silence with your eyes closed. Two times per day, 20 minutes each • Early morning to build emotional resources for the day • After 4: 00, when your resources are spent and you’re entering another phase of life—need to refuel

CENTERING PRAYER. . . Is NOT • A technique (result-driven) • A relaxation exercise • A meditation • Limited to the felt presence of God • A methodless method concentrating on a relationship with God • An exercise in faith, hope, and love, by which you gain something just by showing up, something beyond words —communion with God. • A way to get used to the silence of God. Is

SESSION TWO: HOW CAN SPIRITUAL DIRECTION INCREASE MY CHAPLAINCY SKILLS?

LINDA FLYNN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Linda Flynn is Executive Director of the Charlotte Spirituality Center and author of the retreat workbook Praying Twelve Steps With Jesus: A Journey Back to Wholeness. She has been practicing spiritual direction and facilitating prayer groups for over fourteen years in North Carolina. A spiritual director and retreat leader, she specializes in Ignatian Spirituality, discernment, twelve step recovery, the enneagram and veterans’ spiritual care. With a degree in Hospitality Management, she received her spiritual direction training with the Jesuits in Raleigh, her certification from the Charlotte Spirituality Center and her supervisory certificate from “Together in the Mystery Supervision Program” associated with San Francisco Theological Seminary. She also trained with the Enneagram Institute and teaches didactics at various venues in the community. Linda is a member of the Charlotte Emergent Cohort, Mecklenburg Ministries, and Spiritual Directors International. A teacher at the CSC and The Oratory Center for Spirituality, Linda is a progressive, ecumenical Catholic. Christian, a mother of five and loves community! Linda is also the co-founder of the annual event “Blanket Banquet” for the homeless in Charlotte. Her hero is Dorothy Day.

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased. Luke 3: 21 -23 (emphasis added)

THE BELOVED PRAYER, BY HENRI NOUWEN Sit relaxed and at ease. Have confidence that God’s love will show itself in some way. Repeat the following words slowly and fervently as a mantra: Jesus, You are the Beloved. Repeat as necessary. Let your heart fill with nonverbal praise and thanksgiving. Let distractions float by. Simply be with Jesus in this precious moment. Jesus, I am the Beloved. Let your core being soak up God’s favor. Rest in the depth of this prayer until this truth settles in. Jesus, we (all) are the Beloved. Let people come into your heart: a neighbor, a friend, a relative, someone you read about in the morning newspaper. The important thing is that you do not exclude anyone. Trust that your heart will bring to the surface the ones to whom you need to give attention.