Is spiritual formation navel-gazing?
We're doing a short series on what spiritual formation is, as well as addressing some of the criticisms and concerns around spiritual formation that we've heard in recent years. Some of the very real questions posed to us, and even something we've wrestled with ourselves, are: Isn't spiritual formation just a glorified form of navel-gazing? Isn't the contemplative life just a different version of self-help or self-actualization, the key word being SELF? And don't spiritual practices just promote these ideas?
What is Spiritual Formation?
One of our most popular blog posts over the last few years has been defining spiritual direction, spiritual formation, and the disciplines. We thought we would revisit the theme of spiritual formation and look at a few common questions/objections.
So what is spiritual formation anyway? Is it Catholic? New age? Isn't it just a lot of navel-gazing? What’s the difference between spiritual formation and discipleship? Spiritual formation and sanctification? Do I need spiritual formation? Is it just for the elite?
Have you ever wondered about any of these questions? Or perhaps been asked similar questions? Over the next month, we will do our best to answer them, but first, we’re going to look at what spiritual formation actually is.
Defining Spiritual Formation, Spiritual Disciplines, and Spiritual Direction
Spiritual formation. Spiritual direction. Spiritual disciplines.
These are terms we often use at CURATE, because we are, after all, a spiritual formation and soul care ministry. But we’ve been asked some version of these questions fairly often:
“So....what exactly is spiritual formation? And what’s spiritual direction? And what to you mean by spiritual practices and spiritual disciplines?”
Not only are we asked these questions, but we’ve also noticed that some folks use these terms interchangeably, because they are so very similar and are intertwined with one another when it comes to who we are becoming as people of faith. While related to one another, these three terms are distinct.