Oftentimes, Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Direction go hand in hand, but they are not the same thing.  

For the sake of clarity, I turn to other writers and contemplatives for definitions to such a broad and encompassing topic. Contemplative Phileena Nikole, (author of Mindful Silence) offers that Spiritual Formation is “a process whereby we adopt practices that help us deepen our openness and receptivity to God’s presence and action in our lives.”  

I believe Spiritual Formation is less answers-based and more about the internal transformation that happens within us.  In one of the books listed below, Our Unforming, writer Cindy S. Lee articulates it succinctly:  “Spiritual formation includes all the practical ways we try to clear the clutter in our souls in order to meet with—and hear from—God...Spiritual formation is human formation."

One of my callings is to facilitate classes and spaces where we explore various facets of spiritual formation.  I’ve curated a few booklists below with resources that have helped me in my formation journey.