Someone new to the St. Paul’s Monastery, someone just beginning to get to know the rhythms of our Benedictine way of life, might wonder why the sisters and oblates have continually supported the ministry of spiritual direction through the Benedictine Center for decades. What is it about this particular ministry that lends itself to the monastic way of life?
Those familiar with spiritual direction (or spiritual companioning as some prefer to call it) know that the practice has grown tremendously in the last thirty years, becoming more and more popular and diverse, with many different religious faiths embracing the practice. Along with Benedictines, there are Franciscan, Carmelite, and Ignatian approaches to spiritual direction. Now many Protestant denominations, and even Islamic, Jewish, and Humanistic communities are embracing the practice. This is a welcome sign of hope for today. And so, with so many different forms of spiritual direction present, one might also begin to wonder what actually makes spiritual direction sponsored by a Benedictine community, Benedictine? What is unique here? The answer to both of these questions, why the monastery has continually supported this ministry for so long, and what makes spiritual direction as offered through the Benedictine Center Benedictine, can be discovered in zooming in to three classic monastic dispositions. These dispositions, these foundational ways of living the monastic life, are woven into and seamlessly flow from the lived Benedictine tradition into supporting and shaping the ministry of spiritual direction. They are a listening disposition, a life devoted to contemplation, and a commitment to continual conversion.
Listening In the Prologue to the Rule of St. Benedict the community members are directed to “Listen with the ear of your heart.” This can happen in many forms. One example within the community occurs daily in the shared prayer of the daily Office as members chant the psalms. Of even greater aesthetic importance as a sister having a gifted voice is the intentional practice of listening to the other community members chanting. This listening is what enables the community to blend their voices in prayer to sound as one. Without listening, communal chanting is not possible. Listening also occurs in the daily process of doing Lectio Divina (holy reading), and in the countless daily interactions with other human beings.
By making listening a way of life, members of the community can understand and live into what is essential, can tune their hearts to go deeper in understanding, and can set aside the noise of one’s own presumptions and self-assertions to humbly take in how God is showing up in that moment.
This deep listening is also the work of spiritual direction. Spiritual directors set aside their own egos, they “hold space” for the story of another and wait in humility to recognize the Spirit’s work in the directee’s life. For the directee, sharing one’s heart with someone is not easy, but with the honesty and love of a spiritual director the two can mutually work together to recognize the presence of God in their lives.
A contemplative life. Contemplation has been defined as “a long loving look at the Real.” It is a seeing deeply into all of creation and letting God’s presence come to us through stillness, waiting, and connecting. Contemplation is also inextricably woven into the life fabric of a Benedictine. Likewise in spiritual direction both the director and the directee work together to cultivate the awareness of the presence of God. We wait in faith and welcome Christ to show up as we share our hearts. According to the Rule of St. Benedict, Christ is to be welcomed, recognized and even adored in other human beings. Welcoming Christ in others through contemplation is essential to both the Benedictine way of life and in spiritual direction.
Continual Conversion (conversatio morum) In the Benedictine tradition, conversion does not happen all at once, but rather it is a daily practice that continues for one’s entire life. The monastic who lives into the spirit of the Rule of St. Benedict steadfastly strives to let go of all that hinders her from real communion with God. Accepting one’s humanness, which includes one’s own brokenness and helplessness, in God’s presence and in the presence of others, creates a strong desire for the deep and lasting joy that comes with continual conversion. Humility makes true discernment possible and therefore faithfulness to God’s call. Continual conversion is clearly the work of spiritual direction as well: it is essential that the director and directee enter into the shared space with humble hearts, open to continual conversion in order to make room for the consolation that comes as they encounter the living Christ in each other.
It is with tremendous gratitude that we hold up this vital ministry of spiritual direction sponsored by the St. Paul’s Monastery. Through the years it has provided so much grace and hope in the lives of the many many people who have come to the monastery for spiritual direction. This ministry lets the Benedictine charisms, especially a listening disposition, a life dedicated to contemplation, and the continual conversion of the heart emanate from the lived monastic community into the daily lives of so many.
Peter Watkins, M.Div. is a certified spiritual director and retreat leader at the Benedictine Center. He holds a certificate in spiritual direction from Sacred Ground Center for Spirituality where he teaches and accompanies people through the Ignatian Exercises. He is a life-long runner, father of three sons, and a bluegrass banjo player.