Spiritual Discernment
Spiritual Practices of Discernment
Vocation does not mean a goal that I pursue. It means a calling that I hear. Before I can tell my life what I want to do with it, I must listen to my life telling me who I am. I must listen for the truths and values at the heart of my own identity, not the standards by which I must live—but the standards by which I cannot help but live if I am living my own life. – Parker Palmer in “Let Your Life Speak”
For many of us, there is a spiritual aspect to the question of vocation. Since what we do for a living encompasses so much of our time and energy throughout our lives, it is best to find a vocation that truly utilizes our gifts in the best way possible. Some of history’s greatest theologians and mystics took the subject of discernment very seriously, and uncovered spiritual practices to help a person delve into the process. Overall, they found that the key to discernment is listening.
The Chinese character for “to listen” is composed of the characters for ear, you, eyes, undivided attention, and heart. It means that in order to listen, we must use our eyes, our ears and our open heart, together with our undivided attention. True listening is a spiritual discipline that can help us lead lives that are inspired by our faith.
here are some suggestions on ways to engage in spiritual discernment as you begin or continue your own process:
- Talk with a mentor, such as a pastor or professor.
- Find a Spiritual Director. A Good resource for finding spiritual directors is Spiritual Directors International.
- Walking prayer. Take a walk around the block, or in a park, or around the house. Listen to the voice of God within and around you. If you are interrupted, note the interruption; there may be a message for you.
- Centering Prayer. Find a quiet place to sit and pray. Take a comfortable position and relax. Close your eyes or softly focus them on the floor in front of you. Clear your mind and just listen. If a thought interrupts you, acknowledge it and move back to a clear mind. Start with five minutes at a time, and keep doing it regularly, going longer when you feel ready.
- Lectio Divina. This is a method of reflection that uses scripture. Choose a scripture passage that speaks to you, or find one randomly. Bring yourself into a prayerful state and read the passage. Read it again, and look for a word, phrase or image that speaks to you. Sit for a moment with whatever comes up for you for five minutes. Then find a way to express the experience, be it writing, drawing, painting, dancing, etc.
- Conversation with God. Sit in a chair and have another chair facing you. You can have another person sit in the chair, or put an object there. This is God’s chair. Ask God your question, giving all the relevant details about what is leading to the question. Then switch chairs and sit in the God chair. Now try to take on the mantle of God and let God speak through you and respond to your question. Switch chairs and respond to what God has told you. Continue switching back and forth until the conversation is over. You may want to record the conversation or have someone take notes, if you feel comfortable.
- Petitionary Prayer. Say a prayer that asks for clarity in your discernment. Then wait for a response. Remember that the response can come in any way, shape or form, and at any time.
These are just a few ways that one might engage in spiritual methods of discernment. None of these are guaranteed to work; just as everyone’s spirituality is different, everyone’s discernment process will be different. Yet if these practices do not yield an answer, they may at least yield the next step on the path. Remember to look for an answer, and not necessarily the answer you want to hear.
As you go through your discernment process, please feel free to contact our office at sthadmis@bu.edu or 617-353-3036. We would be glad to be of assistance to you.