Hajja Salesjana September October 2017

1 2 wisdom. These elders, referred to as abbas, gerons or  starets were “charismatic” and prophetic figures. St Anthony of Egypt and St Pachomius are considered to be the pioneers of this movement towards solitary life in the desert. [Helen Waddell, The Desert Fathers, (London: Collins, 1965), 14.]Spiritual Direction was considered a charismatic gift and there was no training. Spiritual Directors could be ordained or non-ordained. Spiritual guides were ordained, not by human hands, but by the hand of God. While the Eastern deserts gave birth to monasticism as an essentially “lay” vocation with the elders drawn predominantly from the ranks of the lay monks, in the West; Priestly orders per se came to be viewed as an adequate criterion for offering spiritual direction, and the context was largely reduced to the hearing of sacramental confessions and the granting of absolution. [Joseph J Allen, The Inner Way (Michigan MI: Eerdmans Pub Co, 1994), 17.] Spiritual direction in the West was characterised by a close association with the confessional, especially in the period of the mendicant friars. The development of Spiritual Direction in the West was characterised by two main developments. The first development was the monastic communities in Continental Europe. Abbots like Benedict gave spiritual guidance to their orders through the establishment of a rule of life. The other development was that of the Celtic Christians of the fifth century which looked more at the formation of the lay and encouraged believers to find a soul friend. Today the ministry of spiritual direction within the churches continues to enjoy a renaissance at the beginning of the twenty-first century. The rediscovery of this ministry is reflected in the increasing emphasis given to it by prominent Christian leaders. Pope Benedict XVI states: “To go towards the Lord we always need a guide, a dialogue. We cannot do it with our thoughts alone.”[Benedict XVI, Pope, Symeon, the New Theologian, (16 th September 2009)] Spiritual Accompaniment Today: Some core concepts In recent years various authors have attempted to offer insights on Spiritual Direction and what it is all about. Here are some concepts which recur frequently. A) Process and Journey In the spiritual life, the trip itself is as significant as the destination. What happens along the way really matters. By savouring each moment one becomes alive and alert to what God is doing in one’s life. B) The Midwife Image The image of themidwife is often used to explain the nature of spiritual accompaniment. The midwife is the one present to another in a time of vulnerability. Just as a midwife facilitates the birth of a child, the spiritual companion accompanies and encourages spiritual growth in the client.[Margaret Guenther, Holy Listening, The Art of Spiritual Direction (London: Cowley Publication, 1992), 88.] C) Discernment and the Contemplative attitude Discernment is the art of listening to our inner selves and learning to recognize (discern) movements that arise from the Holy Spirit (our true selves) from