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Explore your Spiritual Journey with Spiritual Direction

Connect with God, on a deeper level

with a Spiritual Director,

at Milton Keynes Spiritual Direction office or via zoom

Ask Me

07719968356

Explore your Spiritual Journey with Spiritual Direction

Connect with God, on a deeper level

with a Spiritual Director,

at Milton Keynes Spiritual Direction office or via zoom

Ask Me

07719968356

my practice

My Path

My Faith

My name is Ian Pearce. I grew up in the Evangelical Baptist tradition. Over the years, my faith in God has developed and grown. I have learned to appreciate and value all Christian traditions and now worship at Watling Valley Ecumenical Partnership, Milton Keynes which embraces Baptist, Church of England, Methodist and the United Reformed Church. I trained in Spiritual Direction with the SpiDir Network (Berks, Bucks and Oxon) and Pastoral Supervision with the Institute of Pastoral Supervision and Reflective Practice.

My Faith

I believe in the overwhelming love, compassion and forgiveness of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as shown in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and that the Holy Spirit now guides us in our Christian journey. I believe that your journey with God is far more important than your church or denominational allegiance. My role is to allow you to explore your faith, or lack of, in a safe, confidential space.

My Faith

My Offer

Spiritual Direction / Supervision,

Cross Professional Pastoral Supervision

Quiet day and Retreat Leadership and facilitator,

Accompanied week of prayer

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at ipearce@live.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.

Some answers below are taken from the Retreat Association, Spiritual Director Guidelines.

What is Spiritual Direction?

The ministry of Christian spiritual direction involves relationships between God, the person offering this ministry and the person receiving this ministry. In these Guidelines ‘director’ is used to describe the one offering the ministry and ‘directee’ for the person receiving. The terms ‘director’ and ‘directee’ have been used, while acknowledging that they are problematic. Other terms sometimes used are 'accompanier' and ‘companion’. The role of the director is to help the directee focus on their relationship with God and so enable their personal vocation (to become the person they were created to be) to grow and be better lived out through the empowering work of the Holy Spirit. The directee’s life is lived in relationship to God, creation, the world, local and faith communities. Spiritual direction seeks to enable the directee to reflect on the dynamic interaction between their experiences of prayer and life, and theology and spirituality. The director has significant potential power and responsibility which should be exercised with great care to ensure the intention of the relationship and the autonomy of the directee are not undermined. This involves care in the use of language, in the expression of moral judgements and in the handling of decision-making. The director will be offering this ministry as part of their expression of their personal vocation and within the context of their own spiritual life in relationship to their faith community and their own director. The focus of the director is primarily on the inner life of the directee, and attention to this in the context of the experience of life and spiritual activities rather than as a moral guardian or confessor. The director will seek to: listen discerningly to what is shared respond in ways that are conducive to the directee’s discernment of God in their life offer insights and perspectives that are helpful to the directee in their communication and response to God and living this out in their daily lives.

Reproduced from the Retreat Association spiritual direction guidelines.

What is the difference between spiritual direction and counselling?

Like counselling, therapy and coaching, spiritual direction rests on careful listening to the ‘client’. All these helping ministries place value on the confidentiality of the relationship and may lead to increased personal wellbeing and a more fruitful and productive life. What makes spiritual direction distinctive is its focus on listening and responding to the Holy Spirit. While spiritual direction may help someone come to terms with disabling low self-esteem, or help someone make a career choice, or provide a supportive space to work through how to act within a difficult relationship, none of these fruits are its primary focus. Underpinning a spiritual direction relationship is the understanding that both parties seek the same thing: namely to be open to the Spirit’s forming and guiding for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Spiritual Direction enables people to notice, hear and discern the movement of God within their daily experiences, helping them as they seek to draw closer to God and to respond to his work in their lives. The focus of the interaction is between the directee and God. Counselling, Therapy and Life Coaching enable people to work on thoughts, emotions and behaviours that impact their lives and relationships, generally in a more goal-centred and problem-solving way. The focus of the interaction is between the therapist and client.

Reproduced from the Retreat Association spiritual direction guidelines.

What is the nature of the relationship of the director and directee?

This relationship is based upon trust and mutual respect within the awareness that both director and directee are within the gracious love of God. Common and significant areas of exploration in the relationship will include: personal experience and inner (emotional and spiritual) reactions to that experience discerning reflection on that experience, seeking to enable in the directee growing discernment of the movements and leading of God’s Spirit in their life the practice of prayer and the ongoing development of spiritual life, sources of further insights and perspectives, other ways in which their journey might be explored and supported.

Reproduced from the Retreat Association spiritual direction guidelines.

Do you really give free spiritual direction?

The simple answer is yes. It is important to me to offer spiritual direction to everyone who asks for it, regardless of their financial situation. I realise that some spiritual directors do charge and it is a legitimate part of their income. They could not do this valuable work without charging. There is also a view that when someone pays for something, they value it more.

There are also significant cost's incurred; insurance, zoom fees, continuing education, membership fees, website and admin etc.

I am retired and have a small pension. Being a spiritual director is my gift to God and you. If you wish to give a donation as a sign of support and appreciation it is gratefully received and will be used to help cover my cost's.

What Next

Inside a Cathedral looking at a large stained glass window. The sun in shining through.

Spiritual Direction & Pastoral Supervision

Contact me and we can set up the first two meetings. The first is about 45 minutes, to explore what you are seeking and explain how spiritual direction / pastoral supervision works and the difference between the two options. The second meeting and subsequent meetings, lasts 60 to 90 minutes for spiritual direction and 90 minutes for pastoral supervision. After the 2nd meeting, if we both agree, we set up the next appointment. The first 2 meetings are set up within 10 days of each other. Later meetings are normally about every four to six weeks. Pastoral supervision is normally monthly.

Retreats

Contact me, in order to establish your requirements. I am taking bookings for 2023/24. There is not a fee but I ask for expenses, which we agree in advance.

Comments & Testimonials

A women walking away from us towards the rising sun which is being reflexed in the water

"Ian has the ability to create a safe space where I feel comfortable speaking about my inner feelings and questions."

"By the use of simple open questions he allowed me to go deeper and gain greater understanding."

"Created a trusted space."

"I didn't realise the power of silence and being listened to."

"Helped my understanding and see where God was at work in my life."

"The session was a real gift and was blessed to have time to talk with someone, who really listened."

"Thank you, I am looking forward to the next session."

"Ian was very supportive and insightful."

Thank you for today, you always have a way of calming my soul.

I am not sure you will ever know how introducing me to "salvation in the present" has changed my life and healed me from the past.

Find out more

Ian,
Spiritual Director,
Pastoral Supervisor,
Retreat Leader

Explore your Spiritual Journey with Spiritual Direction

Explore your Spiritual Journey with Spiritual Direction

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