This episode of Living Centered Podcast features an interview with Jonathan Merritt about how engaging with spirituality in new ways (including the practice of spiritual direction) supported him in healing from spiritual trauma. He recounts how establishing safety, learning to trust his experience, exploring new practices and traditions, and reading the Bible through the lens of trauma were as important to his process and therapy and taking meds.

Here are some quotes from Jonathan:

“The kind of spirituality I was given growing up said you cannot trust your experience. That can open the door to a lot of trauma and it can close the door to a lot of healing. Our experience in a powerful, trustworthy way of knowing and being in the world. For example, when I have alarm bells going off when I’m around someone, I should listen to that. It’s not a logic formula, it’s not hard evidence, it’s an experience; it’s a feeling. You should listen to that. There’s wisdom in our experience. There’s wisdom in our bodies. Rather than trusting some sort of esoteric, amorphous, objective truth or some interepretation of a text that was given to you by someone else and saying that is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and any knowledge that we receive outside of that should be dismissed, I’ve learned that listening to my experience is deeply spiritual.”

“You’re able to begin to notice that God speaks to us, God comes to us in our experience, that God becomes known; God becomes flesh in our everyday experience.”

“The voice of God always brings peace, love, kindness, compassion.”

“God is always with us. We are always in the presence of God. Can we be present to the Presence?”

Would you like some company or gentle guidance as you listen for wisdom and explore new ways of engaging with your soul? Kirsten offers spacious accompaniment and trauma-informed spiritual direction. I’d love to hear what’s stirring in you and meet with you for a free exploration session.