Spiritual Direction

Spiritual direction, or perhaps better said spiritual accompaniment, is a process of engaging with another person to explore one's relationship with the Sacred, with the Divine, with the Transcendent, with God. It can be an important aid in understanding the work of the Spirit in our lives and in our overall growth toward wholeness.

In general, the meetings occur monthly and is considered an ongoing process in the work of being turned by and our turning to God. There are many approaches to spiritual direction, and as Benedictines we would approach spiritual direction as we do all aspects of our life: in the context of the essential wisdom of the Rule of St. Benedict. Anchored in the ancient practice of what Lectio Divina, or holy reading, we expand this to include Lectio of Life, that is, seeing all that happens with and to us and around us as capable of revealing God’s presence and involvement in our lives. Anchored in the stability of an ongoing relationship, and attentive to our growth in seeing the presence of Christ in all around us, the work aims to help us come to a deeper knowledge of ourselves and others and God. This contributes to our ongoing transformation and growth in the Spirit. We welcome anyone who would like to explore the process of spiritual direction and see if it is something that might enrich their lives.

Although we do see some individuals for no charge, we do ask for a donation since this is one of the primary ways in which the monks support themselves at Incarnation Monastery.

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Father Bede Healey

Besides attending to the administrative responsibilities and addressing the needs of the monastic community here, Bede provides spiritual direction and offers retreats focused on monastic and contemplative issues, as well as the intersection of spirituality and psychology.

He enjoys cooking, gardening, a wide variety of music, and is a voracious reader. He is also the go-to guy for anything to do with computers.  Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he brings a “down home” presence and sharp sense of humor to his interactions with others, and is known for his ready smile.

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Brother Ivan Nicoletto

An avid walker, Ivan has explored all the ups and downs of the Berkeley Hills and San Francisco. He says he is most alive when he is near the ocean. He has written a number of books that bring together his main interests: spirituality, arts, evolution, cosmology, and ecology. His most recent book is Journey of Faith, Journey of the Universe. The Lectionary and the New Cosmology.

More about Ivan

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