Contemplative Space exists to encourage and nurture healthy wholistic living with an openness to the mystery and creative work of God, through spiritual direction and contemplative practices.
Jonny’s work in spiritual direction follows years of exploring the contemplative life and creating spaces for others to explore prayer, formation and creativity. He loves to provide the hospitality of listening; which was slowly formed in him through serving at a poverty aleviation charity and participating in spiritual formation groups.
It was during a dark and desert like season that Jonny became profoundly aware of the great need and value of spiritual direction. This planted a deep desire in him to accompany others in the various seasons of their life.
Several hundred of hours of listening to others in this contemplative practice have followed and Jonny’s enthusiasm to companioning others in their spiritual lives continues.
Personal notes…
Nottingham, England is home for my wife and I — with our two adult-children using it as their base as they venture out into the world. For the last two decades I have been a designer, artist (see JonnyNorridge.com) and university lecturer. This continues to be a meaningful part of my working life alongside my work in spiritual direction.
A good week for me includes: enjoying work and creativity; time to sit with a book; listening to music; good food, drink and conversation; cycling, walking or some other form of exercise; gathering with our faith community; and enjoying prayer, meditation and silence as key daily practices.
Background and upbringing
I was bought up in Oxfordshire, with parents who were pastors and four brothers. This is not the space to go through all the various seasons of my life; save to say, there have been many joys, losses, challenges, grief and graces. All this plays a part in my formation and understanding of what a Christlike life looks like and shaping my desire to live compassionately, contemplatively and creatively.
Good Practice, Accountability & Community
Training
I received my training with Sustainable Faith’s School of Spiritual Direction. Sustainable Faith have many schools around the world — my training was in Amsterdam. See more details on my formational training here.
Over the last seven years, I’ve had the pleasure of being involved in the collective who create spaces of formation for new spiritual directors in the School of Spiritual Direction. This comes out of my desire to see qualitative and quantitive growth in the wider community of spiritual directors.
Supervision
As is good practice for all spiritual directors, I regularly engage in supervision on my work. For me this takes two forms: peer-group supervision and one-to-one supervision with an experienced spiritual director and trained supervisor. I also offer these forms of supervision to other directors.
Faith Community
About two and a half decades ago, I joined a burgeoning Vineyard church plant in Nottingham. Throughout the growth of that community with all the ups and downs, growth pains and celebrations, I have served and led in various ways in the life of the church. This has included voluntary roles with compassion and poverty alleviation, prayer and worship, teaching, theology, spiritual formation, pastoral care and hospitality.
Before, above and within all these communities, relationships and affiliations, I seek to live simply as a faithful follower of Jesus — attentive to the Spirit — open to the Presence of God.