Listen with Love

We’re back! Mary and Suhail catch up after season one, reflect on significant moments in their personal lives, and share what’s new in season two of Listen with Love.Then, they return to a familiar question at the heart of their work: what is spiritual direction? Sharing their current definitions, they explore how spiritual direction emerged from early Christian communities, what it means to listen deeply, how each person’s spiritual journey is unique, and why God’s active presence and love are central to the practice. Along the way, they discover both common ground and distinct emphases, inviting listeners to reflect more deeply on how they understand and articulate spiritual direction themselves.SHOW NOTESPlaces* Land Acknowledgement — Winnipeg, where we gather and record, is on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabe, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the national homeland of the Red River Métis. We acknowledge that our water is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation. We respect the treaties that were made on these territories, and we acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past. Recognizing that we are all treaty people, we dedicate our efforts towards a more loving and compassionate world as we all move forward in a spirit of reconciliation and collaboration.People* Sister Gerarda (Sophie) Pura, OSBMusic* Intro: “Fleurie”; First Segue: “Halcyon”; Second Segue: “Fields of Green (Instrumental)”; Outro: “Undercurrent” by Tony AndersonReferences* Supervision — a reflective practice in which a spiritual director meets individually with a supervisor or participates in a group to explore their experience of working with directees.* Suhail’s [current] definition: “Spiritual direction is a Christian tradition and ministry where one person (a “director”) is graced with the desire, calling, and gifting to accompany, listen to, and guide another person (a “directee”)—similarly graced with the desire to seek, invite, and trust the director—in sharing about their life and especially discerning their current experience of and response to the love of God and unique journey toward loving union with God.”* Mary’s [current] definition: “Spiritual direction is a service offered by one person who is trained in the art of listening to another person who is seeking wisdom for his or her current journey in life. This practice has its roots in the early Christian community, where men and women went out into the desert to find peace and others followed them to seek their guidance. Spiritual direction respects the uniqueness of God’s work in a person’s life and encourages it to come to flourish.”* Loving Union — a profound expression of the spiritual journey in which the soul is united with God through love rather than understanding alone. Mystics such as St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Ávila describe it as a transforming intimacy in which a person’s will rests completely in God.* Enneagram (Type Four) — a personality framework that describes nine interconnected personality types. Both Mary and Suhail identify as Type Fours.* Suhail talks about the primacy of love in the Christian faith and in the vocation of spiritual direction, in allusion to To Love as God Loves: Conversations with the Early Church — Roberta C. Bondi (1987)Prayer* Pray as You Go* Lectio Divina — a slow, prayerful way of reading Scripture rooted in the Christian monastic tradition. It traditionally moves through reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation.* Centering Prayer — a receptive form of contemplative prayer developed by Trappist monks Thomas Keating, William Meninger, and Basil Pennington in the 1970s. Practitioners choose a sacred word as a sign of consent to God’s presence and gently return to it when thoughts arise.* Divine Office / Liturgy of the Hours — shaped in early monastic life, especially by St. Benedict of Nursia in the 6th century, the divine office/liturgy of the hours is the Church’s daily rhythm of praying the Psalms at set times, sanctifying the hours of the day.Tradition* Desert Fathers and Mothers / Sayings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers — In the early centuries of Christianity, “abbas” and “ammas” withdrew to the deserts of Egypt, Syria, and Palestine to seek God in solitude and simplicity. Others sought them for guidance, and their short, earthy “sayings” were gathered into collections that still bear spiritual relevance today.Help Us Out!If you find the Listen with Love meaningful, here are a few things we’d appreciate:* ❤️ Support the podcast via Buy Me a Coffee* 📣 Share the podcast with others* 🌿 Follow us on Substack* ⭐ Rate or review the podcast (especially on Apple) - this helps others find us* 💬 Comment with your responses and questions - we love hearing from you! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit listenwithlove.substack.com

Recorded at St. Benedict’s Monastery in Winnipeg and hosted by good friends Suhail Stephen and Mary Coswin, OSB—both seasoned spiritual directors and teachers of spiritual direction—Listen with Love explores the ministry of spiritual direction within the Christian tradition.Through personal stories and meaningful (often humorous) conversation, the podcast aims to deepen understanding of spiritual direction, encourage the vocation of spiritual directors, and reflect how spiritual direction feels in its listening, pacing, and attention to the experience of God—all with a view toward helping individuals, communities, and the Church flourish.Season Two includes ten episodes (including some guests!), and episodes are released every second Tuesday of the month.Music: “Luminous” by Tony AndersonIf you find the Listen with Love meaningful, here are a few things we’d appreciate:* Comment: send us your comments and questions - we love hearing from you!* Share: let others know about the podcast* Follow us on Substack* Rate or review (especially on Apple Podcasts) - this helps others find us* Support the podcast via Buy Me a Coffee This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit listenwithlove.substack.com

Season finale! In this episode, Mary and Suhail reflect on the podcast and find themselves smiling—grateful for the joy, light, and sense of purpose these episodes have brought. They also explore why spiritual direction is resonating with so many people today, and what this growing interest might reveal about the desire for a deeper, more personal engagement with God.Mary and Suhail also offer practical guidance for those interested in finding a spiritual director, including where to look, what questions to ask, and what qualities to consider. Along the way, they reflect on how spiritual direction has shaped their own lives and vocations, and share particularly memorable moments from season one that continue to remind them of the power of presence, listening, and God’s work in ordinary lives. The episode concludes with a moving and unexpected moment—one that left them in awe and silence, savouring the grace and love of God.SHOW NOTESAnonymity* At times, we share anecdotes about our directees. Anytime we do so, in keeping with typical ethical practice in spiritual direction, we keep their identity confidential and modify personal details. The directees to which we allude would likely not even realize the anecdotes are about them.References* Spiritual Directors of Manitoba — a network of Manitoba-based spiritual directors that meets regularly, maintains an online directory, and raises public awareness about spiritual direction.* Spiritual Directors International (SDI) — one of the biggest learning communities “for spiritual directors, spiritual companions, and anyone curious about cultivating spiritual practice.”People* Father Joseph Tetlow, SJBooks* Holy Listening: The Art of Spiritual Direction — Margaret Guenther (1992)Traditions* Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius — a classic Christian prayer and discernment resource created by St. Ignatius of Loyola (the founder of the Jesuits) in the 16th century, intended to form “contemplatives in action.”* Ignatian Spirituality* Office of Ignatian Spirituality This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit listenwithlove.substack.com

Recorded on a sunny afternoon with light streaming into the monastery, Mary and Suhail begin talking about stained glass, wood-sculpted Stations of the Cross, and beauty as a pathway to God.The focus of the episode is the practical rhythms and dynamics of spiritual direction—from how often people meet and where sessions take place, how directors and directees prepare (or don’t prepare!) for their time together, to how sessions conclude. Along the way, Mary and Suhail share personal (somewhat embarrassing!) stories from their own practices, reflections on prayer, silence, online direction, and the many ways spiritual directors create space for people to notice God’s presence in their lives.SHOW NOTESAnonymity* At times, we share anecdotes about our directees. Anytime we do so, in keeping with typical ethical practice in spiritual direction, we keep their identity confidential and modify personal details. The directees to which we allude would likely not even realize the anecdotes are about them.References* St. Benedict’s Monastery — a Benedictine community of prayer and hospitality in Winnipeg, where this podcast was recorded. Before moving to its current location in St. Boniface in 2023, the monastery housed a girls’ academy, retreat centre, retirement community, and spiritual direction training program.* Stations of the Cross — a series of fourteen images or moments that trace Jesus' journey from his condemnation to his death and burial. For centuries, Christians have used them as a prayerful way of reflecting on Christ's suffering, walking spiritually alongside him through each step of the Passion.* Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions — “part of an international community of Catholic Sisters who live and work in twenty countries around the world. In Canada, [they] principally reside and work in the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan.”Quotes* “Beauty will save the world.” — Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot (1868)Traditions* Jesuit — refers to members and the spirituality of the Society of Jesus, a Catholic religious order founded in the 16th century by St. Ignatius of Loyola. The Spiritual Exercises grew out of this tradition.* Ignatian Spirituality* Office of Ignatian Spirituality This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit listenwithlove.substack.com

In a second installment on scriptural foundations for spiritual direction, Mary and Suhail sit with a post-resurrection story in Luke 24 as a lens for how people experience God in real life.They notice how Jesus comes alongside the disciples with patience and intention—joining their journey and conversation, listening, asking questions, and letting things unfold before offering clarity or instruction.And then there’s the strange, tender theme of recognition—how God can be present and still unrecognized, sometimes in ways that feel hidden or withheld. Even when people feel they’ve moved “away” or are considered to be in the “wrong” direction, they are still accompanied. “God does not know how to be absent,” meets and loves us wherever we are, and it often takes time to recognize the presence of the Risen Lord already there.The conversation ends with a brief discussion of lectio divina and how this practice shapes the kind of attentiveness that lies at the heart of spiritual direction.SHOW NOTESTraditions* Jesuit — Refers to members and the spirituality of the Society of Jesus, a Catholic religious order founded in the 16th century by St. Ignatius of Loyola. The Spiritual Exercises grew out of this tradition.* Ignatian Spirituality* Office of Ignatian Spirituality* Benedictine — Refers to the monastic tradition and spirituality shaped by St. Benedict of Nursia in the 6th century. The Order of St. Benedict (O.S.B.) and the Rule of St. Benedict grew out of this tradition, emphasizing stability, prayer, work, and attentiveness to God in the ordinary rhythms of life.* Communio Internationalis Benedictinarum (CIB)* OSB DOG ORGPeople* St. Ignatius of Loyola — Founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits); developed a spirituality centred on discernment, attentiveness to inner movements, and learning to notice God’s presence in all things.* St. Augustine of Hippo— A 4th–5th century Christian theologian and bishop whose writings (like “Confessions” and “The City of God”) deeply shaped Western Christianity. Known for his reflections on grace, desire, and the restless human heart, he emphasized that God is the source of true rest and that human beings are drawn toward God even in their wandering.References* Spiritual Desolation — In Ignatian spirituality, an interior spiritual state characterized by darkness and disturbance of soul, disquiet, and ultimately a lack of faith, hope, and love in relationship to one’s experience of God.* Lectio Divina — A Benedictine practice of praying with scripture through slow, attentive reading, reflection, prayer, and contemplation, with openness to what God may be communicating personally here and now through the text.* “God meets us where we are.” — A summary expression rooted in Ignatian spirituality, especially the approach of St. Ignatius of Loyola, which emphasizes that God is encountered in the concrete realities of a person’s lived experience. It reflects the conviction that discernment begins not by escaping one’s present state, but by noticing how God is already present and active within it.Quotes* “God does not know how to be absent. The fact that most of us experience throughout most of our lives a sense of absence or distance from God is the great illusion that we are caught up in; it is the human condition. The sense of separation from God is real, but the meeting of stillness reveals that this perceived separation does not have the last word.” — Martin Laird, Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation (2006)* “He was seen but wasn’t recognized. They were walking along dead with Christ alive.” — St. Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 235.2-3.5* “Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person they are almost indistinguishable.” — David W. Augsburger, Caring Enough to Hear and Be Heard (1982) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit listenwithlove.substack.com