I’m today completing a two year program in Spiritual Direction offered by Meadville Lombard Theological School and taught by Rev. Tandi Rogers. I’ve enjoyed the program very much. It has helped me understand the traditional program of Christian spiritual direction and how Unitarian Universalists are adapting it for our members growth and spiritual development. As part of my program I worked with three people to offer spiritual direction and led a spiritual companionship group. All three were very helpful in my formation.
The challenge for doing spiritual direction for me has been further adapting it to work with people who have a Buddhist mindfulness meditation practice. I practice within the tradition of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts. This meditation is grounded in the Satipatthana Sutta, using the four foundations of mindfulness as a guide. I wondered how I could be a helpful guide combining the key ideas of spiritual discipline and this form of meditation. I found a Japanese Jesuit who was doing this and called it “Christian Vipassana Meditation” (see his book: Not Passing God Over: Introduction to Christian Vipassana Meditation by Toshihiro Yanagida, SJ © 2024 Jesuit Communications) Reading how he brought the two traditions together gave me inspiration for how to follow his lead.
The timeline for beginning my spiritual direction practice is probably in the fall of 2026. While I am happy to work with a range of people, my specific focus is working with those attracted to mindfulness meditation as a way to develop their spiritual life. I’ve been practicing meditation daily since the 1980’s and have gotten much benefit from it. Having spent most of my life in Unitarian Universalist ministry, I don’t see myself becoming a Buddhist teacher but I have much to offer to assist people who are attracted to this form of meditation.