Spiritual Director |
Embodied Practice | Retreats
Online and Darug and Gundangara Country, NSW, Australia
Group Spiritual Direction
One of the phrases that has become part of my life in the last few years has been; "Naked and unashamed". I don't mean literally (well, that's good too! But that is a conversation for another time), I mean spiritually.
To be spiritually naked. To be fully seen and know, by God yes, but also by soul companions: those who are alongside us walking us home towards Divine Love. In many spiritual communities, it is often not safe to be fully seen and known. Those of us who have spent anytime in the traditional church, know that to tell the honest truth about the state of our souls will render us judged, corrected, rebuked or even removed.
Group Direction is a small group of soul companions gathering to hold each other's journeys, storys, questions, doubts, sorrows and joys. It is a group that bears witness to the each others spiritual life. In this place we can be raw, we can be honest, we can be spiritually 'naked and unashamed' in front of each other. Here we deeply listen to each other, with compassion and not judgement. Everything is held as sacred and in the strictest confidence. There is no advice given here, no verses, no correction – we bear witness, and give space for Spirit to mend, speak, move, guide and comfort.
If you have struggled to find a place where you can be really honest about the spiritual life. If you have struggled to find a community where you can be YOU. If you are hungry for more of God but simply do not know where to even look since you left a spiritual community, can I invite you? To dare to be seen and known and held and loved in the presence of God.
Open to people of all faith traditions. This is a fully safe and inclusive space.
"Group Spiritual Direction teaches harvesting silence, spiritual deepening, learning to listen to another, coming to see more clearly how "Spirit" is the animating force behind all private and public activities, the value of intercessory prayer, and the rewards of intimate community." - Rose Mary Dougherty
What does it look like?
Each session will begin with a guided meditation, reading, or blessing to draw our attention to the Divine with us and to begin preparing the 'ears of our heart
to listen deeply to each other and to God.
A participant will then share what Spirit is raising in their heart.
They will have our full attention.
We will then hold the silence for them, bringing what they shared before God and listen attentively to Spirit.
Each participant will then have an opportunity to share a short response; one or two sentences. Each person has a chance to offer what prayer/blessing/words of hope that might have risen in the silence for the person who presented. (Silence can be a sufficient response. This is not a time for advice or correcting, but communal holding.)
We will then repeat for the next person.
At the closing of the circle I will lead us in another time of reflective Spiritual Practice and meditation together.
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"Sometimes, when we feel like we have the answers, we stop listening. If community is core to our faith there is this relationality that requires us to stay open. We need to keep our ears open and listen to each other, especially those, who are different from us" - Jared Byas
Group Direction 2023
Guided by Spiritual Director, Naomi Pryde, you will meet regularly for 2-hour sessions with four to six other participants.
Each session will include a guided meditation, spiritual practices and ample space for each person to be seen and heard, their spiritual life witnessed to and held with tenderness and reverence.
2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month for 3 months (January - March 2023)
7:30-9:30pm AEDT
3:30-5:30pm Thai Time
*If there is interest from my USA friends let me know and we will find a time
** If there is interest in In-person groups in the Bellingen Shire, Australia, I am also happy to find a time.
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Investment:
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AUD$269 for 6 sessions (twice a month for 3 months)
*there will be an invitation to continue after this period