Creating Space: A Contemplative Advent Evening for Spiritual Directors
December 7, 2023
By Nancy Small
Creating space for the sacred is an important spiritual practice in any season. It’s especially important during Advent, when we are called to create space for Christ’s coming in a season often crowded with Christmas preparations. For spiritual directors, the invitation is twofold: creating space within themselves while holding space for those they accompany.
During the first week of Advent, a group of Ignatian spiritual directors gathered virtually for a spacious, contemplative evening offered by the Ignatian Spiritual Direction Initiative at the Office of Ignatian Spirituality. Led by author and retreat leader Christine Marie Eberle, the group savored the spaciousness of prayer and poetry, poignant imagery, music and contemplation. Together they experienced a taste of what poet RabindranathTagore calls “the bare infinity of [God’s] uncrowded presence.”
After the evening drew to a close, participants described it as a restful and beautiful Advent experience that was just what they needed. The grace of awe and wonder they experienced will be a gift they carry throughout the Advent season.
