In "To Bring All Things Together: Spiritual Direction as Action for Justice," (the lead article in volume one, number one of Presence: An International Journal of Spiritual Directors, launched in 1995), James Keegan notes in his first paragraph that spiritual directors tend to be "intuitive feelers." In Myers-Briggs terms, many of my classmates at SFTS will likely be INFPs. I am an ENTJ -- although I am less severe (especially in the Thinking-Judging area) that I used to be.

On another note, one of the most helpful parts of his essay is his use of Steve Wirth's "Grid Arenas" and "The Experience Cycle," which details a four-part matrix for evaluating spiritual direction:

(1) The Individual Arena - our relationship with ourselves. This is just one of four total arenas; so, for example, it is insufficient to concentrate exclusively in spiritual direction on integrating, "head, heart, gut, mind, spirit, and body" while neglecting the other three arenas.

(2) The Interpersonal Arena - friendships, at home, and other places, where we find ourselves mutually aware of one another, where we are focused on "being with."

(3) The Structural Arena - families, jobs, faith communities, clubs, professional organizations. Many of us spend eight or more hours a day in these structures; therefore, they are as important a concern for spiritual director as learning to accept ourselves. It may not be the case that we can "transform the structures of [our] life," but we can "explore more contemplatively what God may be doing" in the various structures.

(4) The Environmental Arena - examples include racism, sexism, classism, ageism, and heterosexism.

Spiritual Direction, as its best, periodically evaluates whether the director or directee is neglecting one or more of these arenas. We need to help our directees, "look in the place where God's activity [is] most accessible to them." Supervisors (our own spiritual directors) can "help us notice the ways we habitually perceive and interpret reality. Does my actual practice of direction indicate that I value one or two of these arenas over the others." In light of the answer, we must, "develop skills needed to be contemplative in arenas where [we are] less naturally inclined.