I’ve been thinking some lately about “spiritual direction” as a career path. Here are some scattered thoughts:

1. Anyone know of a good spiritual direction blog, preferably from a liberal/ecumenical/interfaith perspective? I haven’t gotten to blog searches yet, but the websites I’ve found so far tend to be ugly, incomplete, and outdated. (Or perhaps I’m not being spiritual enough?)

2. The dominant metaphor for spiritual direction seems to be anamchara, a Celtic term for “soul friend.” There is an intimacy of friendship to spiritual direction that you don’t see in therapy or pastoral counseling, for example. And a vulnerability in the spiritual director that would be too revealing for the therapist or pastoral counselor.

I’m probably being entirely too Aristotelian about this, but one definition of friendship requires a certain equality between the two friends, without which there would be power dynamics which would interfere. But a spiritual “director” would seem by definition to be on a more expert level than the spiritual “directed.” In a for-pay situation, this only more so.

Perhaps a more fitting understanding would be soul mentor? Or, more pedestrian, soul coach?

3. Why would the spiritual direction community be so intent on the metaphor of “soul friend” and its egalitarian nature (if I’m not getting out of hand here) when it is more clearly a relationship between a greater-than and less-than? What does this say about that community?

4. Spiritual direction seems a predominantly Catholic and Episcopalian practice, although all traditions participate. These are both denominations that are historically comfortable with tradition, ritual, and greater-than-less-than relationships. What does this say about the possibilities for UU spiritual direction? Would that be so much herding of cats?

5. Is it even true that spiritual directors are more into spiritual rituals and spiritual retreats than other persons, or is this no more meaningful a measurement than saying that dentists are more into brushing and flossing than other persons? In other words, is this a predominant personality trait of spiritual directors or simply a sign of the trade?

6. Why are there no certification or licensure protocols for spiritual directors? Would this also be like so much herding of cats? Or is that something that’s on its way but hasn’t got here yet?

That’s probably enough for now. Please answer if you have thoughts.