Browse new releases, best sellers or classics & find your next favourite book. Low prices on millions of books. Free UK delivery on eligible orders
Navigation Links:
Search results
- ‘Conversation in the Spirit’, or Spiritual Conversation, is an ancient practice of the Church and a key tool of Synodality. A prayerful method, it allows for space for the spirit as well as voices usually not heard and can be used for faith sharing, difficult conversations, or when lots of creativity or ideas are needed.
People also ask
What is a spiritual conversation in a group?
How do I start a spiritual conversation in a group?
Why is spiritual conversation important?
What is conversation in the spirit?
How do you engage in a spiritual conversation?
What is the difference between spiritual conversation and contemplative silence?
Spiritual conversation opens our hearts to the journey of another. It gives us the chance to be vulnerable in our sharing. It prompts us to ask questions and to build intimate friendships. Ignatius gave guidelines to those engaging in spiritual conversation. Don’t take sides, he said.
- Friendships
The Spiritual Exercises. The Daily Examen. Retreats. Prayers...
- Relationships
The Spiritual Exercises. The Daily Examen. Retreats. Prayers...
- St. Robert Bellarmine
Jim Manney is the author of highly praised popular books on...
- Best Ignatian Songs: Holy Darkness
Jim Manney is the author of highly praised popular books on...
- Friendships
A plan for spiritual conversation in a group is set out below: Spiritual conversation begins and ends with silence. Silence creates the space for listening. Silence also allows one to simply be, simply be in the now, simply be in the presence of the other. Contemplative silence is simply being in the presence of God.
- What Area of Your Faith Are You Feeling Most Challenged in currently?
- Who Do You Think We Could Encourage Or Serve Together?
- What Are The Areas You Think I Can Grow in?
- Is There Anything You Are Feeling Guilty About?
- What Can I Pray About For You?
- What in Your Life Is Most Encouraging to Your Faith Right Now?
- What’s Something You Really Want, But Are Afraid to Pray for?
- What’s Something You Would Do If You Weren’T Afraid of Failure?
- What Are Some Things That Have Been on Your Mind The Most Today? Why?
- How Are You Doing?
Sometimes talking about an area of unbelief with a friend can help us take it on. Discussing it can lead to new perspectives that we couldn’t see ourselves, in turn helping us attack it in a fresh way. We can’t fight spiritual battles alone; everyone needs help in some area of their lives: As these verses tell us, two people are better off than one...
How to serve someone else is a great topic of discussion among friends. It can get our minds off ourselves and our own problems, focusing us on how to help another person. When you pool your ideas, you might come up with a really creative and unique way to meet a need in your community or brighten someone’s day together. You’ll also learn a lot abo...
It’s very easy to get insecure in our relationships and wonder what other people think of us. One way to head off this insecurity is to just ask. Initiate asking for your friends’ feedback about areas you could grow. They’ll appreciate you opening the door for them to be honest with you and might invite the same feedback themselves. This is a great...
This question is a door-opener to lifting the burden of guilt from a friend. It also presents an opportunity to share your own areas of struggle so you can support each other in openness and change together. The Bible teaches us that everyone has sin (Romans 3:23), and if we tell ourselves we don’t have any sins we are lying to ourselves (1 John 1:...
It’s great to know specific areas of need in friends’ and family members’ lives so we can pray specifically for them. I have found this always makes me feel closer to them and helps me keep my heart attached to how they’re doing. Plus I love it when I hear how things I’ve prayed for come to fruition! Our prayers for each other matter, and one of th...
When we talk about what’s encouraging us, it can help further build our faith. Often we may feel encouraged internally by something, but expressing it to someone else helps us keep it in the forefront, where it’s easier to let problems or challenges take center stage and hurt our faith. The Bible tells us to laugh with our happy friends when they’r...
What a great way to enlist friends’ help in prayer for something you can be intimidated by! And friends can also give you courage to believe it can happen. Sometimes, asking for what you really want feels vulnerable. We get afraid of disappointment, and it’s easier sometimes just to not ask. But Jesus promises that there is great power in two or th...
A spiritual friend helps other people find strength and faith in God, even in situations that seem scary. One way we can do this is ask our friends what they would do if fear of failure wasn’t a factor. This can help us understand the dreams and desires God has put on our friends’ hearts and help them stay focused on what God can do when they are t...
Our thoughts matter a lot. They shape our lives. So if we are going to have a deep spiritual conversation, it’s important to share and get to know each others’ thoughts. Have your thoughts been running negative? Full of self-doubt? Or maybe unbelief or fear? These things matter, and we won’t be able to be close to each other if we don’t share them....
This one may sound obvious, but sometimes the best conversations just start with being interested in how our friends are doing that day and listening to whatever comes out. What did they choose to share with you? What was on their mind? No matter how big or small it seems, you will learn a lot about your friends when you ask this open-ended questio...
May 31, 2024 · Conversation in the Spirit is a strangely practical art. It relies on good communication – being able to hear and understand one another. It can be an excellent tool to ground any conversation in the Spirit, open us to new voices and possibilities, and move us to action when appropriate.
- Sorcha Connell
The focus of spiritual conversation is on the person to whom we are listening, on ourselves, and what we are experiencing at a spiritual level. The fundamental question is: “What is happening in the other person and in me, and how is the Lord working here?” a) Active Listening
Spiritual conversation is a way of listening deeply to one another, allowing all voices in a group to be heard, respecting all opinions and being open to where God is leading us. It was developed from the General Congregation of the Jesuits in 2016.
Sep 29, 2022 · Spiritual conversation is a practice with Ignatian roots that can help guide a group through prayer and dialogue as they grapple with important group discernment and decision making. By carving out intentional, equal sharing and active listening, the process works!
