Up to this point you have formed your working definition, description, and image of spirit. You have experienced your own spirit and that of others directly for yourself. You have named different conditions of your own spirit and that of others. Now it is time for the next step.
The next step is far more challenging than the first three combined. It is far more challenging because it involves more than attending to spirits. It involves interacting with and influencing your own spirit and that of others. More specifically, it involves developing your ability to guide either your own or another's spirit from one condition to another. In other words, the next step is about developing you skill of spiritual guidance.
For many, spiritual guidance is the act of talking with another person in order to help them deal with a religious, spiritual, existential, philosophical, ethical, or axiological concern.
For example, someone might be concerned about what to believe, wanting to deepen their intimacy with their Higher Power, expand their consciousness, strengthen their faith, or develop their spirituality. They might be concerned about a doubt, going through a transition, or making sense of their own or a loved one's suffering.
In such instances, spiritual guidance is often about helping them resolve their concern and feel better emotionally. It includes establishing rapport, being therapeutically present, active listening, suspending judgment, asking open-ended questions, verbal validation of thoughts, feelings and actions, verbal normalizing, perhaps quoting or alluding to sacred or other writings, and perhaps praying with the person or engaging in some other kind of ritual. It might also include making recommendations to take certain actions.
However, in the context of what we're doing, spiritual or spirt-related guidance is altogether different. In this context, spirit-related guidance is the act of leading someone to a condition of spirit that is better in her or his current situation.
In order to help lead the person's spirit to a different condition, the spiritual guide co-attends to the person's spirit with the intention of-
1. Assessing its condition in the person's current circumstances
2. Determining, in collaboration with the person, what a better or more effective
condition of spirit would be
3. Helping to guide the person to that improved condition of spirit.
For example, if the other person is overly spirited for her current situation, spiritual guidance would involve the act of leading her to a calmer condition of spirit that is more appropriate in her current situation.
If the person was under-spirited for his current circumstances, spiritual guidance would involve the act of leading him to a more spirited condition of spirit that is more appropriate in his current situation.
When you are able to guide your own spirit and that of others from one condition to another more appropriate one, you are well on your way toward mastering how to care for your own spirit and that of others. You're on your way to mastering spiritual guidance.
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