“As a spiritual companion, I join the lineage of healers in my cultural and ancestral traditions.”
One of the most profound ways I have stayed grounded over the past several years was engaging in the practice of Spiritual Direction. It was a requirement for first-year seminary students, and after completing my first year of rigorous courses I understood why. My monthly virtual meetings were a place of pause, reflection, wrestling, and connecting to God, myself, and eventually my Pacific Island heritage.
Spiritual Direction was deeply impactful for me in that first year, so much so that I continued the practice into my second year and beyond on my own time and at my own expense. I have continued to meet with my Spiritual Director every month ever since.
After completing my Master of Arts in Spiritual Formation, I decided to explore the possibility of becoming a Spiritual Director. I enrolled in a certification program through the seminary and began my training. Along the way, it became clear that this was a path I was being invited to travel and I completed my certification program.
If you have never heard of Spiritual Direction before now, I invite you to continue scrolling. If something piques your interest, or if you have questions not answered here, I’d love to hear from you.
What is Spiritual Direction
Spiritual direction is a monthly rhythm of pausing to notice and reflect on the movement of God, or a perceived absence of God, in your life. It is a time to be curious and wonder about how and why we are connected to God and the world around us.
What is a Spiritual Director?
As a spiritual director, I’m committed to honoring your spiritual journey and holding space with you as your understanding of God ebbs and flows. I ask questions to help draw you deeper into your experiences and maintain a curious posture alongside you as you explore how God is moving in your life.
“Your sources of knowledge are correct in accordance with the wisdom and teachings of your ancestors.”
It is common to practice spiritual direction monthly, allowing time and space for you to notice your life between meetings and process things that arise during a spiritual direction session.
In between sessions, I find it helpful to pay attention to themes that come up frequently, jot down questions I ponder regularly, or notice emotions as they rise up within me. I try to pay close attention to my body and how and where my emotions or feelings show up physically.
Spiritual direction sessions are centered on material or questions you bring. It is a time to reflect on how God is moving in your life. Even though I am a Spiritual Director, it’s good for us to remember that God is the true Director of our time together. I hold space for you and God holds space for us both.
I will not assign homework, reading, practices, etc. I will invite you to think about what you’d like to bring to your spiritual direction session the week prior to our scheduled meeting if that helps you feel prepared for our time.
I offer spiritual direction in-person (local to the Santa Barbara, California area) or virtually (local or out of area). Sessions last one hour and we meet once a month.
In the future, I hope to offer groups spiritual direction, where it is possible for 3-5 people to meet together around a common theme. In group spiritual direction, we practice holding space for one another as others hold space for us.
Let’s Connect
If you still have questions or would like to schedule an introductory or exploratory conversation, please fill out the form below. It’s a great way to discover if spiritual direction might be a good fit for you at this time in your spiritual journey. All requests to connect will be kept confidential. I look forward to connecting with you. If you’re from Oceanhills, Westmont College, or UCSB, please include that in your message.