Spiritual Direction (in a Shattered World)

What is spiritual direction, really? In this episode, Jeff and Michael explore the practice not as a professional technique or spiritual luxury, but as a vital response to living in a fragmented, disenchanted world. Drawing on their own experiences as directors and directees, they talk about the invisible agreements that shape the space, the role of intuition, the balance between presence and expertise, and what it means to create a container where something deeper—call it spirit, God, or presence—can actually show up. Along the way, they touch on remote viewing, trickster dynamics, compensation anxiety, and the loneliness of being an intuitive in a culture that doesn't quite know what to do with people like that.

For anyone curious about the mechanics and mystery of spiritual direction—and how it might matter in this moment—this one's for you.

Gnostic Town Hall:

Thursday, July 10th at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET

This is your time to share. We want to hear your stories, experiences, and spiritual desires. What are you seeking? What does authentic spiritual practice mean to you? 

To receive the Zoom invite RSVP to [email protected] or use the form on the website.

Episode Highlights:

[00:01:35] Discernment Through Direction

• Jeff shares a session with a high‑school senior using prayer, readings, and a random Gospel of Thomas prompt to foster courage, demonstrating how spiritual direction creates a container for confident decision‑making beyond conventional guidance.

[00:07:56] Framing the Sacred Space

• Michael outlines the minimal outer (time, money) and inner (trust, devotion) agreements that define spiritual direction, and they discuss cultural commitment phobia and the challenge of compensating for sacred labor.

[00:19:32] Evocative vs. Directive

• The hosts explore the balance between eliciting the directee’s self‑reflection and gently guiding the process. Michael introduces Metis—intuitive navigation of spirit signals, body cues, and synchronicities—and unpacks countertransference in the director‑directee dynamic.

[00:28:59] Excavating a Lost Culture

• Jeff likens modern spiritual seekers to shamans walking through the charred remains of indigenous traditions. He reflects on recovering buried inner gifts and the vulnerability of reclaiming mystical identity in a dismissive culture.

[00:37:56] Essential Practice Defined

• Michael offers a definition: spiritual direction is making space for an unseen source striving to emerge. Ignoring that reality risks individual and cultural harm, framing the practice as vital amidst the collapse of materialistic worldviews.

[00:52:38] The Remote‑Viewing Analogy

• Drawing on CIA psychic protocols, Jeff compares the director to a handler who asks precise, intuition‑unlocking questions. They discuss how this double‑blind approach mirrors tuning into and articulating the directee’s inner experience.

[01:04:38] Integration & New Containers

• The hosts examine how directors must balance open receptivity to spirit’s signals with pastoral training to reintegrate insights into life. They liken this to finding new “skins” capable of holding transformative “new wine.”

[01:10:28] Closing Definition & Call to Practice

• Michael distills spiritual direction as recognizing a deeper reality and inviting it into shared space. He warns that neglecting this sacred container can unleash destructive forces, urging listeners to relearn ancient practices of bearing witness to spirit.

Continue the Conversation

What did you think about this conversation? Tell us at [email protected] or reach out at: https://www.gospelofdirectexperience.com/#contact.