Fear is everywhere—in our bodies, in our headlines, and in the lives of those we accompany. In this webinar recap, we explore how spiritual direction can offer compassionate, courageous presence amid anxiety and trauma. Drawing on metaphors like the “tangled knot,” and practices that name, normalize, and nurture fear, we consider what it means to companion others toward integration and trust, even when certainty is out of reach.

Poetry invites us to the edges of our awareness, guiding us into liminal spaces where we encounter the unseen and unwelcomed within ourselves. Shadow work—acknowledging and integrating the hidden aspects of who we are—requires courage, curiosity, and creativity. This collection of poems serves as a companion on that journey, offering glimpses of insight, moments of tension, and invitations to deeper freedom.

Were I to sit with the setting sun

warm upon my face,

she might cast a long shadow

of the man I want to be.

The dark form waits patiently,

watching, growing

whether or not anyone looks on.

When brightness makes clear

what does not belong,

it shows more clarity and depth

than cold refusal.

The shadow is sure and ever-faithful,

sometimes cloud-hidden,

never truly absent.

Should darkness fall it does not flee

but settles calmly into

grace-filled unknowns.

May I become one such shadow—nearly unnoticed—a steadfast reminder of the sun.