About

I founded Anam Cara Ministries in 2007 as a place of where true soul friendship can be found. ‘Anam Cara’ is an ancient Celtic word meaning ‘soul friend,’ one of the essential qualities of a spiritual director. Celtic  Christianity and its practices form a foundation to the work of Anam Cara Ministries—from spiritual friendship to a fundamental respect for creation to the discipline of the hours.

SharingAnam Cara Ministries and its subsidiary, Anam Cara Abbey, are meant to be places of grace and hope, where a deeper relationship with God can be pursued in a context of hospitality and safety. I’ve been a practicing spiritual director for more than six years, and I’m honored that you’ve chosen to explore a little deeper here with me.

More About The Abbey

Inspired by the monastic communities throughout the history of the church, the Anam Cara Abbey is meant to be a place where spiritual directors and soul care practitioners can come together in community and rest. The practice of spiritual direction is often a lonely one—both the triumphs and the tragedies are closely guarded by the holy bonds of confidentiality. In community, we can nonetheless support and care for one another. This is a place of shared resources, reflections, discussions and growth.

More About Tara

I was born in Montreal to British parents who moved to Canada for a better life for their growing family. Canadian by birth and British by blood, I’ve also lived in Raleigh, North Carolina; Washington, DC; Arlington, Virginia and, now, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

I discerned the call to spiritual direction while completing my Masters of Theological Studies in Spiritual Formation at Tyndale Seminary in Toronto. Like many spiritual directors, I was captured by the incredible privilege it is to companion someone as they discern the voice of the Loving Creator in their lives.

Before pursuing my Spiritual Formation degree, I was a professional print journalist. My love of story drew me to news reporting and then to political journalism. It was that very ear for narrative that God used to bring me to spiritual direction, where I help others make sense of the story in which they are living, and connect it up with the Larger Story of redemption and life that the Trinity is weaving into human history.

In addition to my journey as a spiritual director, I am blessed to marry my love for spiritual formation with my love for the written word as Senior Editor of Conversations Journal. Founded by Larry Crabb, David Benner and Gary Moon, Conversations is a forum for authentic spiritual transformation where authors such as Dallas Willard and Eugene Peterson discuss the patterns and practice of spiritual growth.

Recently, I have also signed a contract with InterVarsity Press to begin work on a book about the connections between body and soul, and the ways that God speaks to us in and through our physicality. The manuscript will be completed by June 2012, and the book should be released late that year or early the next.

Anam Cara Tara

The desire to step in closer to God, whether you are someone hoping to understand the spiritual longings in your own life, a spiritual director longing for community, someone looking for answers to questions about the practice of spiritual direction or a soul-care practitioner, takes an incredible amount of courage. Even exploring the possibility is an indication that God is at work in your soul. So, welcome.

Welcome to a place of spiritual friendship, where your journey will be honored, your heart will be treasured and you will be held in prayer before the God who loves you deeply and completely.


One thought on “About

  1. I read the book Anam Cara when I was in seminary and began the journey to become a Soiritual Director many years ago. I call my ministry Soul Friending! Love your facebook page. Would love to come for retreat some day!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.