Spiritual direction is holy listening, guiding, and suggesting, from a person who is mature in his or her spiritual journey and who is experienced in the art of spiritual direction. A Spiritual Director (or Companion) normally meets regularly with the person seeking direction once a month. However the meeting frequency depends on the mutually perceived need. Every six months may be an appropriate frequency. Spiritual direction is not commanding, psychological counseling, confession, or psychotherapy. A person providing spiritual direction should also be under spiritual direction.

The focus of spiritual companionship is the person's relationship with God and how that relationship is expressed and discovered in all other relationships. Pastoral counseling, in contrast, focuses on self. An assumption is made that the person seeking a spiritual companion is basically spiritually healthy, and wants to continue to grow towards wholeness and freedom in God, self, and others. Not everyone will feel a need for spiritual companionship at all times. A result of seeking direction is for one to experience a growing ability to discern the Holy Spirit acting in his or her life.