Experience and convergence in spiritual direction.
The practice of spiritual direction concerns the human experience of God. As praxis, spiritual direction has a long tradition in Western Christianity. It is a process rooted in spirituality with theology as its foundation. This paper explores the convergences between aspects of philosophy (contemplative awareness), psychology (Rogerian client-centered approach) and phenomenology. There are significant points of convergence between phenomenology and spiritual direction: first, in Ignatius of Loyola's phenomenological approach to his religious experience; second, in the appropriation by spiritual directors of concepts of epochē and empathy; third, in the process of "unpacking" religious experience within a spiritual direction interview.
Mercy Center, 2300 Adeline Drive, Burlingame, CA, 94010, USA, jeanmercy@ymail.com.
Jean
J
Evans
D002835:Christianity; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004645:Empathy; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D064866:Mindfulness; D009629:Person-Centered Psychotherapy; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012072:Religious Philosophies; D029181:Spirituality