First steps

Mentoring teens and twenties is the first step in being open to the big questions teens and twenties ask based on my experience as a seeker, a spiritual coach, and a dad of teenagers. I am not offering canned answers or a closed mind, i hope to learn as much from those asking the questions.


What is a mentor or spiritual coach?

The word mentor comes from the character "Mentor" in Homer's epic tale, The Odyssey. Mentor was a trusted friend of Odysseus, the king of Ithaca. When Odysseus fought in the Trojan War, Mentor served as friend and counsel to Odysseus' son Telemachus. So in simple terms a mentor is someone a bit older and more experienced who shares what they've learned with younger people with the aim of helping them grow positively as a person.

My particular interest is in spiritual coaching. This is based on the biblical idea that every person is made up of three parts: body, soul and spirit. We often develop our physical strength (work out at the gym, do Pilates) sometimes we develop our emotional health (psyche is the Greek word for soul which is where the word psychology comes from) but we often neglect our spiritual well being. I believe that our spiritual part is the core of our being and that without its development we suffer and hinder our full potential.

What is the aim of this blog?

This blog is a discussion space and invitation to be mentored, it is also a place to challenge and be challenged. The discussions will springboard from some of the ideas I will put forward. I hope other people will contribute, suggest YouTube links, articles, viral ideas, other blogs. I hope this space will be organic, i don't have a big agenda so if its seems random and unstructured that is why.