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SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

are intentional about incorporating spiritual practices in cesses of disruption which have occurred due to a traumatic
their life, may assume that with the right guidance by an experience. As a consequence, the pain we encounter in life,
appropriate expert, be it a spiritual director, counsellor or its traumas, disappointments, and our brokenness, are not
psychologist, they will naturally (and quickly) move on viewed negatively, as they might be by a medical profession-
5
to the next stage, only to find that what has occurred is a al, but as opportunities for personal and spiritual growth.
significant life-changing event which affects them deeply Why is there hope in a difficult and possibly hopeless situa-
tion? Because the spiritual director works with an overarch-
and for an undetermined period of time. There is the possibility, if this diagram is operating as a frame of reference, that the residual
However, spiritual directors differ from the physiothera- ing theology that God is working life in the midst of death
emotional disturbance and pain upon a person’s spiritual life will be ignored by either the person “in
recovery” or the spiritual guide. The diagram is essentially, a “medicalised” paradigm which does not
pist or other health professional treating sprained liga- and that resurrection comes out of a place of death. This
acknowledge or recognise the integration of the body and soul, spirit and mind, but focuses on one
ments or muscles in spasm. The deep issues of those who theology alerts the spiritual director to the value of sitting
aspect (usually the presenting physical illness or trauma), at the exclusion of the other components
come with brokenness and the effects of trauma are not with the person in their place of physical and emotional dis-
which constitute the person. Spiritual directors, in contrast to the medical professional, see all of life
as the locale of God’s ongoing redemptive activity and that God is present in some way, in and
usually amenable to having a biomedical model of healing turbance. From his or her own flesh-and-blood journey with
through the processes of disruption which have occurred due to a traumatic experience. As a
applied. The spiritual director’s role is more like a captain God, the spiritual director is aware that this recovery often
consequence, the pain we encounter in life, its traumas, disappointments and our brokenness, are
of a pilot boat who guides the person through the swirling requires considerable amounts of time—God’s time—and
not viewed negatively, as they might be by a medical professional, but as opportunities for personal
emotions and depths of the soul; spiritual directors are as such the spiritual director brings an attitude of patience,
and spiritual growth.
aware of the shoals and shallows on which a person can love, and acceptance into the relationship. The spiritual
Why is there hope in a difficult and possibly hopeless situation? Because the spiritual director works
become stranded as they make their way toward the har- director is prepared to wait and will resist the temptation to
with an overarching theology that God is working life in the midst of death and that resurrection
bour where they seek peace, wholeness, and above all else, hurry the person who has come seeking to understand or
comes out of a place of death. This theology alerts the spiritual director to the value of sitting with
the person in their place of physical and emotional disturbance. From his or her own flesh-and-blood
God. Unlike many health professionals, who are focused seeking to be heard through a process toward a desired goal.
journey with God, the spiritual director is aware that this recovery often requires considerable
on solutions, outcomes, or healing, spiritual directors are The spiritual director sits with the awareness there are many
amounts of time—God’s time—and as such the spiritual director brings an attitude of patience, love,
focused on being with a person in their place of difficulty. rich experiences and insights to be discovered in this place of
and acceptance into the relationship. The spiritual director is prepared to wait and will resist the
temptation to hurry the person who has come seeking to understand or seeking to be heard through
An additional shortcoming and difficulty with the four- recovery (and their affect upon the person’s spirituality) that
a process toward a desired goal. The spiritual director sits with the awareness there are many rich
part model (if it is influencing people who have experi- could not be uncovered and experienced without the pain,
experiences and insights to be discovered in this place of recovery (and their affect upon the
enced trauma) is that it may lead to an understandable disruption, and loss the trauma has brought. Thus, for those
person’s spirituality) that could not be uncovered and experienced without the pain, disruption, and
desire by spiritual directees (and sometimes spiritual direc- seeking a return to normality, there is a box missing in the here is a box missing in
loss the trauma has brought. Thus, for those seeking a return to normality, t
the paradigm which accounts for their experience. So another paradigm must be constructed which
tors) to hasten the healing process and a desire to push paradigm which accounts for their experience. So another
recognises this place of recovery. The following figure incorporates the process of being “in
through what emotional obstacles have been encountered. paradigm must be constructed which recognises this place
recovery.”
If spiritual directees have had contact with a church or of recovery. The following figure incorporates the process of
religious community in which healing has been empha- being “in recovery.”
sised, they may feel guilt that they have not been healed
from the trauma and pressured into submitting to various
forms of prayer and healing ministries, which add to their
Trauma
confusion and pain of dealing with the trauma. d Trauma &
“Normal” and disruption
There is the possibility, if this diagram is operating as a N n
frame of reference, that the residual emotional disturbance
and pain upon a person’s spiritual life will be ignored by
either the person “in recovery” or the spiritual guide. The ddd Acceptance of Emotional
diagram is essentially a “medicalised” paradigm which does d incompleteness, responses,
e.g. fight,
not acknowledge or recognise the integration of the body reclaiming what grief,
has been lost.
and soul, spirit and mind, but focuses on one aspect (usually x sadness,
denial
the presenting physical illness or trauma), at the exclusion of
Recovery phase,
the other components which constitute the person. Spiritual ambivalence
directors, in contrast to the medical professional, see all of
life as the locale of God’s ongoing redemptive activity and
that God is present in some way, in and through the pro-
Volume 20 No. 3 • September 2014 37