What is Spiritual Direction?
and
Group Spiritual Direction Cohorts 2025
“Spiritual direction is a journey towards more freely and deeply choosing to surrender to God.” –
Dr. Gerald May, Care of Mind, Care of Spirit.
The ultimate goal of spiritual direction is to deepen your connection with God. This is attained primarily through the act of Christian listening. Listening occurs through prayer, times of silence, spiritual disciplines, and through sharing with your spiritual director about your relationship with God.
What is a spiritual director?
A director will have certification in spiritual direction which includes: deep knowledge of Christian faith and tradition, scripture, and theology, human and spiritual development, adhere to the Professional Ethics and Guidelines prescribed by Spiritual Directors International and participate in a Peer Supervision Group for Spiritual Directors
Recognizing that the Holy Spirit is the true director in this relationship, a spiritual director will pray, support, and encourage you as you listen and respond to God. Spiritual direction is not therapy. There may be therapeutic elements in direction sessions, but the purpose is to work together in discerning God’s presence and leading in your life.
Enneagram Harmony and
Group Spiritual Direction Cohorts
MONTHLY JAN-MAY 2025
ONLINE
The Enneagram Trinitarian Harmony Model is a tool for transformation,
changing the way you live, lead, and relate, as well as deepening and broadening your faith.
Here’s a new way for you to dive deep into the Enneagram and transform your understanding of yourself and others.
Clare and Scott Loughrige are offering something NEW but familiar
FIVE new Enneagram Trinitarian Harmony Model teachings paired with
FIVE Group Spiritual Direction (GSD) sessions via Zoom to create
FIVE opportunities to experience growth, connection, and deeper purpose
Each month the Loughriges will expand on the Enneagram Trinitarian Harmony Model.Through these teachings, along with reflection questions and spiritual practices, you will be invited to consider how to move deeper into life with the Trinity. These monthly teachings and reflections will prepare you to be present with your GSD community where profound insights and practical tools will emerge.
Cohorts will be guided by seasoned spiritual directors. Each spiritual director is an International Enneagram Association (IEA) accredited professionals and certified in MOS. You will be in good hands!
Not sure what is group spiritual direction (GSD)? Let me tell you. GSD is a unique and beautiful experience where you have a specific time to share, while the community attentively holds you in their prayers. Then one by one the spiritual director and community members offer a word, phrase, or image. Participating in group spiritual direction benefits the participants by fostering empathy, developing listening skills and practicing discernment. The group becomes a beautiful community.
Session FLOW: Each session is 2 hours
Welcome (5 minutes);
Clare teach (30 minutes);
Break (10 minutes) write down some thoughts from the teaching, what do you wonder about, what happened in your head/heart/gut; did you notice any resistance? What might that be about?
GSD (70 minutes each person gets 11 minutes); 1 min. silence; 5-6 min. share; silence (30 seconds); 5 minutes participants input; 1 min. silence/prayer/ song “Sacred is the call, awesome indeed the entrustment, tending the holy, tending the holy” now we turn our thoughts and prayers to _______ (name student) and you when you are ready you can begin. REPEAT
Close and depart in silence.
3 individual Group Spiritual Direction Cohorts to choose from
Morning, afternoon and evening cohorts available. You choose one and remain with that community. Cohorts are NOT interchangeable. There are no refunds for missed sessions; however, you will have access to the recorded session.
- Wednesday EVENINGS – 7-9pm EST
January 22, 2025
February 19, 2025
March 19, 2025
April 16, 2025
May 21, 2025
or
2. Friday MORNINGS – 10-noon EST
January 24, 2025
February 21, 2025
March 21, 2025
April 25, 2025 (NOTE change: April 18 is Good Friday, so we will meet a week later)
May 23, 2025
or
3. Friday AFTERNOON – 12:30pm -2:30pm EST
January 24, 2025
February 21, 2025
March 21, 2025
April 25, 2025 (NOTE change: April 18 is Good Friday, so we will meet a week later)
May 23, 2025
Participants: YOU
Whether you’re a curious beginner or an experienced Enneagram practitioner you are invited to join this group. Some ministry leaders, some young moms and dads, some business owners, some students, BUT all committed to their own spiritual growth.
Our plan is to have 5-6 participants in each cohort, so please let me know if you are interested in participating or not. If you know someone who would be interested in participating, you are welcome to invite them to join.
To register go here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1MX1hffcWpumzSPM1hnKKbnpjH-gEh3vv-mCQdWonbf8/edit
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See Scott or Clare in Spiritual Direction
then to teach or lead in your setting.
Group Spiritual Direction/Teaching/Guiding and retreats
Clare and Scotts’ teaching of spiritual disciplines followed by practice are designed for a group’s unique stage of faith. While spiritual practices are classic, creating the time for your group will be customized. You can email Clare here and Scott here.
Spiritual direction can help you
- pay attention to how God is moving in your life right now
- lead from a healthy soul
- discover God-given essence and false self-patterns
- observe attachments that keep you from being free to experience and express God in your life
- move you toward faith hope and love
- move you toward interior freedom
- discern the will of God
Some topics for a first time in Spiritual Direction
- Understanding of spiritual direction
- Purpose of the directee/director relationship
- Prayer for participant/s between meetings
- Spiritual direction as a spiritual exercise, not an intellectual exercise
Individual Sessions
- 50 mins in length
- Who participates in spiritual direction?
Individuals
There is much diversity in an individual who is looking and listening to God – if there is a search for meaning, a desire for deeper life, a movement toward reflection, a willingness to live with profound questions, a longing to know and love God (again) then spiritual direction may be for you.
Groups or teams
Clare and Scott teach spiritual practices, followed by classic exercises and guided active listening. Individuals listen to the movement of the Holy Spirit for themselves and with each other. All are experienced in God’s presence through silence, reflection, and shared responses.
See Scott or Clare in Spiritual Dierction
then to teach or lead in your setting.
Group Spiritual Direction/Teaching/Guiding and retreats
Clare and Scotts’ teaching of spiritual disciplines followed by practice are designed for a group’s unique stage of faith. While spiritual practices are classic, creating the time for your group will be customized. You can email Clare here and Scott here.
A note from Clare and Scott
“Spiritual Direction has been practiced in the church for centuries, especially by those who served in ministry. Those who long to engage with God more intimately and want someone to listen to God’s leading with them will engage in spiritual Direction as a regular discipline. We feel specifically called to offer spiritual Direction to Christian leaders. The danger for Christian leaders is losing their close connection to God in the call to serve others. Spiritual Direction is a necessary rhythm that can help you pay attention to your soul and your soul’s desire for an authentic relationship with God.”
Clare and Scott are Christ-followers, spiritual directors, contemplative activists, and authors on the spiritual life who are convinced that all sustainable action in the world must emerge from a Holy Spirit-centered life. Gratefully married since 1981 and co-lead pastors since 1991, they are deeply blessed with four children and seven grandchildren. As a ministry team and individually, they desire to help individuals and communities navigate the journey home. You can email Clare here and Scott here.