About Aelea

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So far Aelea has created 124 blog entries.

Who is Spiritual Direction for?

This blog is part of a series on Spiritual Direction designed to answer questions about the practice of Spiritual Direction. Click here to see the full FAQ Series.   How do I know if I should see a spiritual director? Do I need to be at a certain point in my faith journey? Is it just for people new to faith? Or is it just for people who have been [...]

What are the benefits of meeting with a Spiritual Director?

This blog is part of a series on Spiritual Direction designed to answer questions about the practice of Spiritual Direction. Click here to see the full FAQ series.   When we first start a new practice, it’s often because there’s a result we are seeking; when we start a meditation practice, we may be seeking a sense of calm. When we start a movement practice, we may be seeking heart [...]

What is a session of Spiritual Direction like?

This blog is part of a series on Spiritual Direction designed to answer questions about the practice of Spiritual Direction. Click here to see the full FAQ series.   Entering into a new experience can be stressful. Whether you’re excited, nervous, or a mixture of both, having a baseline of what to expect can be helpful to find a sense of calm as you arrive.   I remember entering into [...]

Common Misconceptions about Spiritual Direction

This blog is part of a series on Spiritual Direction designed to answer questions about the practice of Spiritual Direction. Click here to see the full FAQ series.   What IS spiritual direction; Do you just tell me what to do? Will you just answer all my questions about faith and God? Do I just ask you all my big questions and you tell me the answers or tell me [...]

Spiritual Direction, Therapy/Counselling, and Life Coaching

This blog is part of a series on Spiritual Direction designed to answer questions about the practice of Spiritual Direction. Click here to see the full FAQ series.   When we first hear the words spiritual direction, and perhaps begin to engage in a conversation about this practice with others, questions of how it fits into a spectrum of care offerings emerges. Is it similar to life coaching but specifically [...]

Why have a spiritual companion?

This blog is part of a series on Spiritual Direction designed to answer questions about the practice of Spiritual Direction. Click here to see the FAQ full series.   There is an old celtic phrase that is said to have originated in Irish monasticism where it was applied to a monk’s teacher, companion, or spiritual guide. The heart of the phrase has its origins back even further to the early [...]

Soul Nourishing Practice: Breath Prayer

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.   The natural rhythm of the breath is a perpetual cycle of inhale and exhale keeping us alive and animated. It is often wild for me to think that this necessity of life happens, for most of us, without a conscious thought toward it at any point in the day. We breathe, we live, and we don’t have to intentionally focus on our breathing in order [...]

Aligned + Designed Reflections

As with everything I create and put out into the world, I like to take time to sit in both the afterglow and the reality of a few days past to reflect on what unfolded. Reflecting on the logistics of how it all came together, reflecting on the day of happenings, reflecting on the marketing, the 'what could be better next time' and the 'what lessons have I learned?'.   [...]

How to discover your word for 2023

When you think of entering into a new year with intention, what comes to mind?   Perhaps, it’s taking some time away from social media, getting cozy with a cup of tea and a notebook, and writing out the goals you have for the upcoming year. Perhaps, it’s refining your priorities so you can step into 2023 with renewed focus and passion. Perhaps, it’s dusting off the list of resolutions [...]

Peace on Earth Reflections

As I sit here to write a reflection to share about Peace on Earth, thoughts begin to swirl yet my fingers are frozen, unable to begin to take those thoughts swirling above my head and pluck them out, one at a time, into a practical order and begin to type to take you through the first in-person event since January 2020.    The FIRST in-person event since January 2020… no [...]