Here is a helpful reflection for spiritual directors to use after offering spiritual direction.

After offering spiritual direction, take some time to pray with what transpired. Begin by opening yourself to Christ’s presence. Descend with your mind into your heart and look into Jesus’s eyes. See his delight in you. This depiction of Jesus by Jack Jewell might help. Remember that Jesus isn’t interested in measuring your performance; he only desires to actively love you.

1. Consolation: When did you experience consolation during the direction session? Consolation draws you toward God and is often experienced as a feeling of joy, peace, or wholeness. However, unpleasant feelings, such as sadness, boredom or helplessness, can also draw us closer to God. Take a few minutes to be with Jesus savouring your consolation. Talk with him about it. Is there anything else Jesus would like you to notice or receive?
2. Desolation: When did you experience desolation during spiritual direction? Desolation draws you away from God and is often experienced as an unpleasant feeling such as anger or frustration. However, a pleasant feeling such as confidence or elation can also draw us away from God. Talk with Jesus about was going on in the session that evoked this desolation. How would Jesus like to be with you in this?
3. Dialogue: If you prepared a verbatim, look closely at your part of the dialogue. Circle the statements or questions that drew the directee into their hearts and opened them to God. Underline what did you said that drew them into their heads or got them thinking about life or God. Take a few minutes to be with Jesus as you consider what you underlined. Invite the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what was going on for you in those moments. Talk with Jesus about it. Allow Jesus to speak or reveal himself to you in some way. If you become aware of an unfreedom or fear, ask Jesus for the grace you need or consider talking about this with your spiritual director.
4. Gifts for your directee: Notice what the Holy Spirit did for your directee in the session. Give thanks for the grace you were given to lead your directee deeper. Give thanks that God will use whatever you did to deepen God’s love for your directee.
5. Gifts for you: Name something you received from God in this direction session. Perhaps an image or insight that was given to your directee was particularly meaningful to you as well. Why might God be giving this to you now? What is God’s invitation?
6. Let go; give thanks: Now, let go of all happened and didn’t happen. Give thanks for gifts received and God’s loving kindness for your directee and for you.

 Credits
“Risen Christ by the Sea” by Jack Jewell, 1985.
Special thanks to Father Richard Soo, SJ who has led me through something like this at a JSAV retreat.

© Esther Hizsa, An Everyday Pilgrim, 2015.
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