Author: Jonny N
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Journaling, self-reflection & preparing for spiritual direction
Spending time in self reflection can play a significant role in your spiritual journey. It can also be helpful before meeting for spiritual direction. A regular practice of journaling can provide a space for you to record your spiritual journey — recording your prayers, requests, interior movements and insights Self-reflection can also help when deciding what to…
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Learning not to be quick to uproot
To the wild flowers To the small patch of wild flowers I ripped up thinking you were weeds: I’m sorry. I had not seen your bloom Only leaves. I rushed to judge you And your value. Return to this soil. I welcome your seeds. This poem was written as I looked out on my…
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Responding to the divine Lover
“Prayer has far more to do with what God wants to do in us than with our trying to “reach” or “realise”, still less “entertain”, God in prayer… What we think of as our search for God is in reality, a response to the divine Lover drawing us to himself. There is never a moment…
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Unresolved and incomplete
Many circumstances in life put us in close contact with things that are unresolved and incomplete. It could be a work task, a move from one place to another, a relational disagreement. These things are part of the fabric of our lives, and often uncomfortable realities we face. Not only do we live with unresolved…
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Spiritual direction is it like counselling or coaching?
Many people when first hearing about spiritual direction wonder how it compares to counselling/therapy and coaching. Each of these practices are so valuable and there are some similarities between them. You will notice that all three place an emphasis on conversation and intentional listening. In each case, the process is assisted by the host asking you…
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Listening to love
I keep returning to this quote from Henri Nouwen: Many voices ask for our attention. There is a voice that says, “Prove that you are a good person.” Another voice says, “You’d better be ashamed of yourself.” There also is a voice that says, “Nobody really cares about you,” and one that says, “Be sure…
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Eastertide meditation
There’s something about hearing the things of God in another language which warms my soul, touches my heart and expands my vision. It reminds me that I do not have the monopoly on God with my small understanding of the world. So it was a blessing to see this beautiful video meditation (with its use of…
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Longing / Home (after Köder)
How can we discern our hearts desire? How can we bring before God what is on our hearts. Prayer and meditation in their various forms can be part of this process. I’ve also found that creative expression can also play a role alone side prayer, meditation and reflection. This drawing (below) resulted from a time of…
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A quiet joy / being human
Where does rest fit in our lives as human beings? How are we giving time to being present in the world and attentive to the gifts around us? This photographic combination was produced after reading a poem in the summer of 2015. The words are from the poetry anthology ‘Being Human’ (p159); the poem is ‘A Quiet Joy’…
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Who we are to become
Rowan Williams’ Silence and Honey Cakes is a joy to read and a real source of wisdom. He encourages to engage in the “patient, long-term discovery of what grace will do” to us. It is a work that “requires the kind of vulnerability to each other that can only come with the building up of trust…