Spiritual Directors Lethbridge
Companions to Meaning, Freedom, Connection, Silence
Such wisdom is not likely to be discovered in a fortune cookie. But I did find this quote in my lunch bag. This past summer, The Martha Retreat Centre here in Lethbridge offered an outdoor Peace-at-Lunch-Programme on their beautiful grounds two days a week over the course of about eight weeks. As a fund-raiser for… Continue reading God is closer to us than water is to a fish
The nest appeared overnight. A couple of robins built it solidly on top of the porch light beside our front door. Mrs. Robin spent a lot of time sitting on the nest. I could often see the top of her head and her bright, steady eye looking forward. Before long, with the aid of a… Continue reading The Robin Story
In much of my life, I’m the one offering spiritual companionship, or guidance, or facilitating a small group. Yet in another very important part of my life, I’m the one sitting in the other chair, the one looking for companionship, for witnessing, maybe even for a divine word or two. I thought it might be… Continue reading In the other chair–some reflections on going for spiritual direction
On a recent visit to Ottawa, I was delighted to glance toward a street corner and see a life-size bronze statue of Canadian Jazz virtuoso Oscar Peterson seated at his piano. He was depicted as if he had just finished playing and had turned toward his audience. It was clear that the sculptor had succeeded… Continue reading Summer Reflection 2019
We have 3 apple trees. Teresa and I like the idea of eating apples from our own trees. Last summer I realized that we grow apples mostly for the birds, who know exactly when they are ready to eat, and usually get to them before we do. With that realization much of the anxiety, frustration… Continue reading For the birds
The other morning I was taking the long way to breakfast when I spotted the bobcat off to the right, 20 metres up the road, half hidden in the prickly pear cacti. I stopped walking to watch it, and the bobcat did the same to me. We studied each other for 2 or 3 minutes.… Continue reading Spirit of the Bobcat
For as long as I have been coming to Desert House of Prayer, this iconic pair of saguaro cacti, affectionately called the "old friends," have welcomed me each time I arrive. A few years ago limbs started falling off the standing giants. In 2017 it was apparent the two old friends were dying in each… Continue reading Impermanence in the Sonoran desert
Shortly after arriving at the Desert House of Prayer outside Tucson, AZ I was sitting in the chapel, Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, and noticed the reading from the works of Dorothy Day (part of the evening prayer for Wednesday): We do the minute things that come to hand, we pray our prayers, and beg… Continue reading Desert House of Prayer
A poem has a great power to name the experience of a directee. I let the Spirit choose the piece. For example, someone described the pressure of expectations on his/her life like a huge rock. Should the rock be moved, all that would remain would be a flat puddle of water. As we closed our… Continue reading Poetry as Empathy in Spiritual Direction
metaphor >noun 1 a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable (e.g. food for thought). 2 a thing symbolic of something else. -ORIGIN from Greek, from metapherein 'to transfer.' As preparation for an initial spiritual direction meeting, I usually ask the spiritual… Continue reading What are your metaphors of what God is like for you?