What Is a Contemplative Practice?
At its heart, a contemplative practice is any intentional activity that quiets the mind, opens the heart, and creates space for the sacred to emerge. Contemplative practices are doorways to deeper awareness—of ourselves, of others, of the Earth, and of the divine. These practices come in many familiar forms, such as silent prayer, meditation, or journaling. They are less about achieving a particular goal and more about being fully present in the moment, allowing the experience to unfold and speak.
Spiritual Direction is, by nature, a contemplative practice. While it may not immediately come to mind alongside meditation or centering prayer, it shares the same qualities of intentionality, attentiveness, and openness to the sacred. As a spiritual director, I enter into a unique state of intuitive consciousness during a session, one that is grounded in contemplative spiritual practice.
Spiritual Direction as a Contemplative Practice
The Ritual of Beginning
Before each session, before the directee arrives, I begin with a ritual to center myself and prepare for the sacred work ahead. This usually includes a moment of prayer, breath work, and a period of silence. These practices are not perfunctory; they are my way of symbolically and spiritually removing my sandals before stepping onto holy ground. They remind me that this time and space—this encounter—is sacred, like Moses standing before the burning bush.

At the beginning of each session, we start with a similar opening ritual. Early on, we usually start with prayers, silence, and lighting a candle. But I leave space for my directee to shape or even lead this opening as time goes on and as they feel comfortable. After all, I believe that Spiritual Direction is a shared spiritual practice—one in which both participants are "spiritual directing" or spiritual detecting together.
These beginning rituals create the container for what follows: a shift into an altered state of consciousness that allows me to fully attune to the person before me. It helps me that I am naturally an introverted intuitive with mystical tendencies. However, this particular transformation is not an act of magic or a supernatural gift. It is the fruit of intention, prayer, and trust in the Spirit’s presence.
Deep Listening
Once the session begins, I enter into what I call a spiritual state of deep listening. This is not the everyday listening we practice in casual conversation, which often involves formulating our responses or offering advice. Deep listening is an act of agendalessness. My role is not to fix, judge, or direct but to receive—to be fully present to the directee's story, emotions, and experiences.
This state of consciousness feels both intuitive and expansive. It feels like it is coming from within me and from beyond me at the same time. It requires stepping aside from my own assumptions and creating an open space where the directee’s voice and the Spirit’s voice can rise to the surface. In this space, I become attuned not only to what is spoken but also to what is unsaid—the pauses, the longings, the sacred undercurrents running through their words, their face, their silence.

Reflecting Sacred Insights
From this place of deep listening, I am able to reflect back to the directee what I hear and sense. These reflections are not my interpretations or solutions but mirrors held up gently and reverently, allowing the directee to see their own truth more clearly. It is a collaborative process, one in which the Spirit often surprises us both, offering insights or shifts in perspective that neither of us could have anticipated.
I think of this process as sacred dialogue, not unlike the encounters described in scripture where individuals find themselves face-to-face with the divine. The Spirit moves in the space between us, guiding the conversation and revealing the next steps for the directee on their spiritual journey.
Standing on Holy Ground
For me, Spiritual Direction is a profound privilege. Each session feels like stepping into a sacred encounter, a moment where the divine is present and at work. It is an experience that deepens my own faith and calls me to a posture of humility and awe. The ground beneath us truly feels holy, not because of something specific I bring but because the Spirit is present in the mutual vulnerability, trust, and seeking we create between us.
When we approach Spiritual Direction as a contemplative practice, it transforms both the directee and the director. It becomes a space where grace unfolds, where the sacred is encountered, and where lives are gently and powerfully shaped by the Spirit. In a world that often prioritizes action and outcomes, this practice reminds us of the beauty and power of simply being present, listening, and waiting for the deep to speak.
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