Listening For Joy

  

Finding Your Spiritual Direction

Listening with you to deepen your spiritual growth, sense of meaning, and joy.

I believe every person has a light within, ready to radiate and find meaning on a spiritual path. Whatever your religious or spiritual history, tradition, or practice-- I welcome you. Whatever your background, belief, orientation, or life situation-- I honor your truth. I believe you have a creative spirit longing to grow and find meaning, purpose, and joy.

My spiritual listening skills help souls bloom and shine. I would be honored to be your spiritual ally if you’d like to experience your life as a sacred journey, and to engage spiritually with the challenges you face. Consider using my gifts and training to support your becoming more alive with wonder and compassion.

 

    

Kinds of Support

  

In our sessions, I will be:

  • Coaching your wisdom into its fullest and freest expression.
  • Guiding your spirit and curiosity into richer spiritual practices.
  • Compassionately engaging your barriers, griefs, wounds, or “stuck places.”
  • Encouraging your intentions for growth.
  • Supporting your transitions, decisions, or transformations.
  • Creating space for “aha!” discoveries.
  • Sharing art images, poetry, and scriptures to inspire your journey.
  • Nurturing your creativity and vocation.
  • Noticing the movements and openings in your everyday life.
  • Celebrating you as a wonderful, beautiful reflection of God.

 
     

Melanie's Experience

 

  

I deeply enjoy my contemplative spiritual practice, grounded in the Quaker Christian universalist tradition. I’ve been listening to God as long as I can remember, and to others’ spiritual stories for most of my life. I’m in my late thirties, but have an “old soul” to share with you.


I pursued my training in spiritual listening, traditionally called “spiritual direction,” in a Master of Divinity degree from the Earlham School of Religion, a Quaker seminary, and in a Certificate in the Art of Contemplative Listening from the Namasté program. I’m a member of Spiritual Directors International, and a worshipping member of West Hills Friends (Quaker) Meeting, Portland, Oregon.

My creative life as an artist and poetry-lover enriches my spiritual listening work.

 
     

Spiritual Listening Sessions

 

  

We will shape your sessions together, using the rhythms and kind of conversation that best supports your development. Appointments can last 1 to 2 hours, can be held weekly to monthly. Your first one-hour session is free of charge, so we can get to know each other and test our “fit.” For future sessions, I offer a sliding fee scale, from $70-100 per hour, with scholarship possibilities. We meet at my home in SW Portland.

When you are listened to, it brings you into being. Listening unfolds you, expands you, and helps you discover who you are. If you’re looking for a place to be truly, deeply heard into yourself and into a connection with the Holy, let’s meet to see if I can serve as a spiritual support for you.

 
     

How Do We Start?

 

  

Please contact me to make an appointment:

Melanie Weidner
www.ListenForJoy.com
melanie@listenforjoy.com

I look forward to hearing from you! --Melanie

 

 
     

Related Work

 

In addition to spiritual direction work, I use my listening and art gifts in many ways:

  • Art and spirituality workshops
  • Wisdom/art circles
  • Inspirational speaking
  • Worship leadership
  • Retreat Leadership
  • Various events at colleges, seminaries, and faith communities.

Contact me for information and event dates. Thank you.