Author: Teresa Blythe

Addiction recovery can be a deeply spiritual process. Whether it is addiction to alcohol, narcotics, gambling, food, sex, codependency or debt (the list can get long), accepting help from your Higher Power as you refrain from the addictive behavior can sometimes make the difference between life and death. Spiritual directors ...

Spiritual direction is especially helpful in times of great transition. One of the most common and emotion-laden times in life is when a person exits a career and begins retirement.  It is a rich time to explore identity, new callings and spiritual gifts. I have worked with individuals as they ...

Spiritual directors are seeing more and more people these days who live out their call in the marketplace. Most spiritual directors understand the working of God’s spirit in all walks of life—no more separation of secular and sacred. Individuals are called to be ethical and caring entrepreneurs and business ...

Although spiritual direction is for anyone who wants it, there are special populations that seem to find the practice almost essential. Such as people preparing for, attending or just coming out of theological seminary. Seminarians have special needs because they are confronting content that challenges and enriches their faith life ...

Lots of congregations sing “Lord of the Dance” on Sunday mornings, but really, what would most of them do if someone lost their inhibitions, took the song literally and began to “dance, dance,” right there in worship? It is so rare to see a real outburst of spontaneous celebration of ...

While reading the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book the other day I was stopped in my tracks.  In it, the writer says an alcoholic should never pray for himself or herself only, but should only pray to know God’s will and the strength to carry it out.  While I understand ...

When a pilgrim begins the 800 kilometer trek along the legendary Camino de Santiago, they are asked to announce the purpose of their walk. Their choices are spiritual, religious or adventure. Which is a beautiful question to ask in spiritual direction since we are all on this pilgrimage called life. What ...

For one of the most jarring and accurate depictions of the stages of freedom, I recommend spending 89 minutes one day watching the documentary The Wolfpack (streaming now on Netflix).  It’s an exploration of the lives of six Angulo brothers—exceptionally bright and creative—who were homeschooled by their mother in ...

I have not always been sure of what I wanted to do with my life, but I have an uncanny ability to know deep within what I do not want---especially after what you might call “defining moments” in my life. Lesson #1 - Don't crawl under the holy robe Like the ...

It took an experience of mysticism a few years ago for me to understand pluralism—the peaceful co-existence of different religions, theologies and spiritualities. Once, while walking down a tree-lined street on a sunny, warm day in Marin County, I had that mystical experience of “oneness” with the Holy—the kind of ...