Integrate: Conversations to Attend to the Spiritual Journey
Pause.
Breathe.
Notice.
What do you notice first?
Do you notice the glow of sunlight on the tree? Or are your eyes drawn towards the light at the distant horizon? Do you see the coloring of the clouds? What about the “spring green” emerging from the boughs? Do you sense the solidity of the earth? Or feel a movement in the air? Do you notice the shadows and the illumination?
Can you pause and rest for a moment?
How do you feel when you take time to gaze upon this image? When you take time to pause… breathe… and notice?
Of course, however, part of the beauty and the challenge of life is that we are not always able to pause and attend fully to each of our experiences one at a time. More likely than not, at least if you’re at all like me, you are likely “collecting” experiences as you move through your very busy and often over-scheduled days.
Take for example, my recent trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico, to attend the amazing Spiritual Directors International “Engage” Conference. Taking in the scope of ministry, the breadth of diversity, and the depth of insight from the list of speakers alone was overwhelming to process, even as I kept my trusted journal by my side throughout the conference. Adding to their wisdom was my own personal experience of being on my own and away from my partner and children with whom I have largely been sheltered these past few years, exploring a beautiful city for the first time, and having multiple profound and moving periods of prayer. There was a lot of "collecting” of experiences, many of which I still need to attend over the days and weeks ahead.
However, in reviewing my journal and in speaking with my own spiritual director about this confluence of experiences, I have been better able to attend to this week of my spiritual journey. Very often, a person is able to Integrate their outer, lived experience with their soul’s inner knowing through conversations that attend to the spiritual journey. This is the process of spiritual direction, or what I like to call Soul Presence or Spiritual Companionship. In fact, during the past week alone, I have had multiple conversations of soul presence with individuals of varying backgrounds, ages, and familiarity with spiritual companionship. On more than one occasion this week alone, I have had the opportunity to repeat back something that a companion has said that had the “spark” of divine wisdom in it. Upon hearing their own words in the light of spiritual companionship, they have said, “Wow. I didn’t know I knew that until I said it out loud.”
“Wow. I didn’t know I knew that until I said it out loud.”
It’s as if the Divine sunlight of God’s grace is shining on the person’s life, highlighting their beauty and insight, just as the sunlight is shining on the tree at the top of this post.
Sometimes all we have to do is:
Pause.
Breathe.
Notice.
And talk about it.
If this month’s reflections about Attending to the Spiritual Journey have been interesting for you and you’d like to Integrate your outer, lived experience with your soul’s inner knowing, please consider engaging in spiritual conversation with a trained spiritual director. While of course I’d be delighted for you to choose me as your spiritual companion, I would invite you to explore the Spiritual Director International “Find a Spiritual Director” guide on their website. You can input parameters or traits that you are looking for in a spiritual companion and receive suggestions of people to consider. Or, you can simply give me a call. With the gift of video-conferencing, I am now offering spiritual direction both in person and remotely.
God’s grace is not limited my geography. And I’m so very privileged to be walking with you already.
With gratitude,
Laura
P.S. You can expect more posts on social media as I continue to sort through (and share!) my learnings from the SDI “Engage” conference and pay attention to the spiritual journey of my own daily life. If you haven’t yet followed Soulcare MKE on Buy Me a Coffee, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, please do so!
