In any situation in life, confronted by an outer threat or opportunity, you can notice yourself responding inwardly in one of two ways. Either you will brace, harden, and resist, or you will soften, open, and yield … Spiritual practice at its no-frills simplest is a moment-by-moment learning not to do anything in a state of internal brace. Bracing is never worth the cost.
–Cynthia Bourgeault, Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening
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Spiritual direction, sometimes known as spiritual companioning, aims to create a space in which a seeker can safely “unbrace” and become open to spiritual guidance. The person offering spiritual direction is a space-holder and facilitator, trained in silent awareness, deep listening, and noticing subtle shifts in the inner life. The process is guided by the Spirit, and both participants benefit from an opportunity for deep encounter with its healing, enlivening influence.
As a trained facilitator of spiritual direction, my role is to be attentive to your process, helping you to pause in order to notice, listen to, and celebrate the movement of the Spirit within and around you. As a seeker of spiritual direction, your role is to be willing to enter into such a vulnerable, yet protected space, to become ripe for transformation in accordance with your own life journey.
The spiritual journey – which is the whole of life – is a training in consent to God’s presence and to all reality. … This gradual training in consent is the school of divine love in which God invites us to accept the divine plan to share the divine life with us in a way that transcends all that the human imagination can foresee.
–Thomas Keating, Invitation to Love
Distinct from therapy or coaching, spiritual direction is not a goal-oriented practice. It helps you keep the door open for spiritual guidance to reach your heart, in whatever form that takes for you.
Although spiritual direction is a field without official licensure or certification, a formal training is very helpful in developing the skills involved. I am a graduate of a two-year part-time training offered by the Benet Hill Monastery in Colorado, a women’s monastic community.
In the Benedictine spirit of hospitality, I welcome conversation with seekers from other faiths, as well as those with questions about the very nature of faith and spiritual belief. I do not believe in excluding seekers from conversation for reasons of difference, including different choices regarding gender and sexual orientation. While honoring diversity, I look for what unites us.
Meetings are held online via a mutually agreed videoconferencing platform, or in-person in my home in northwestern Switzerland.
Fees for spiritual direction are on a sliding scale, with $65-100 per session as a suggested amount. If you are unable to contribute financially, that alone should not be an obstacle to pursuing spiritual direction. Please ask about other alternatives.
Language: My primary language is English. I also speak French and German.
If you’d like to arrange an initial consultation, please get in touch!
A 30-minute online conversation is complimentary.
Lory’s educational qualifications
- Benedictine Spiritual Direction, Benet Hill Monastery, 2024
- Distance Learning Program Year, North American Christian Community Seminary, 2021
- Cornerstone Courses, Alcyon Center, 2016-2018
- Diploma in Eurythmy, Eurythmy Spring Valley, 2002
- Benedictine Living Experience, St Benedict’s Monastery in St Joseph, Minnesota, 1998
- Orientation Year in Arts and Anthroposophy, Sunbridge College, 1997
- Part-Time Foundation Year in Arts and Anthroposophy, Sound Circle Center, 1996
- M.Ed. in Education, Smith College, 1992
- B.A. in English, Carleton College, 1991
