Illuminating Paths

I am excited to announce my new work, Illuminating Paths, a practice of accompanying individuals, groups, and communities on their spiritual journeys. 

I actually began much of this work three years ago with a ministry called "by cloud & fire" which was a home for my work in spiritual direction, retreats, and congregational consulting. The image of by cloud and fire came from the story in the Hebrew Bible about the Israelites wandering through the desert for 40 years, guided by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. My work has always been about listening for and providing guidance to those on a spiritual path.

The name Illuminating Paths came to me while meditating on the top of a mountain at Harbin Hot Springs in northern California. At first I wasn't sure why the name came to me, since I was not planning a name change of my work. But as I sat with it over a few weeks, it became clear that Illuminating Paths described the next part of my vocational and spiritual journey.

For me, the name suggests that the work I do with folks is to both seek paths that are illuminating and to illuminate paths before us. The name is not illuminated paths, because I believe we are always in a process of shining a little more light to see all of reality. Rather, we are moving, uncovering, discovering, peeling away, illuminating. Furthermore, there are many different paths upon which we find ourselves, some explicitly in a religious tradition and others steeped in the energy and sacredness expressed in spirituality.

I am grateful to so many individuals and communities who have shaped me over the years into a minister, spiritual director, friend, lover, companion, and fully alive human being. It is such a joy for me to begin this work anew, trusting that as I live into my call, I also offer care and compassion for those seeking healing.

chris