Colette Lafia is a spiritual director, retreat facilitator, and writer who invites people to see themselves as a manifestation of Divine love.
I have always felt the purpose of my life is to love. My journey has been one of growing in love and connecting more deeply to the Source of Love.
If you’re anything like me, perhaps you've also been seeking to live more fully in and from flow of Divine Love.
I've devoted my writing and my spiritual teaching to this journey.
The Christian contemplative and mystical tradition has formed who I am today. I practice and teach lectio divina, visio divina, and quiet prayer (Centering Prayer, Prayer of the Heart, Breath Awareness). I study and share the teachings of both Christian mystics and contemporary spiritual teachers.
My path is one of weaving together contemplation, creativity, and community.
Creativity has always been a spiritual path for me. As a girl, I loved to make crafts and color for hours, and I also felt a deep connection in myself and a joy when I was being creative. As a young adult I began writing, finding a voice within that felt inspired by the Divine. Later in life, I also began painting, tapping into a deep well. When I create, I touch a great source of Love and it's healing for me.
My work as a spiritual director, a retreat leader, and writer invites people into seeing themselves as a manifestation of Divine Love.
Becoming a trained spiritual director through Mercy, Center Burlingame was a turning point for me. In my training, I learned so much about the movements of the spiritual path, about how deeply listen, and how to allow people the freedom for discovery and not knowing on their spiritual journey.
From individual spiritual direction to both in-person and online retreats, I accompany people as they seek to connect more deeply with the presence of the Divine–in their hearts and in their lives. I cultivate a safe and intimate space where I invite people to trust their spiritual intuition, let prayer be intimate and expressive, and connect in community in a genuine and heartfelt way.
I am a graduate of the Spiritual Directors’ Institute at Mercy Center in Burlingame, California, and completed the "Living School" program in the Christian contemplative and mystical traditions at the Center For Action and Contemplation, guided by Fr. Richard Rohr, Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault, and Dr. James Finley. I'm also a commissioned Center Prayer presenter through Contemplative Outreach.
My good friend, Suzanne Buckley, describes me as a boutique teacher. I love that! She finds the elements of my offerings embody the beauty of: Intimacy, deep reflection, real connections, transparent learning, and unique and Spirit led experience.
My greatest joy is sharing the journey with people and sharing in the sacred mystery of love, life, and the Holy.
Colette’s books are filled with ways to support your spiritual life!
Leaving the Shore: Experiencing Poetry as Prayer (Monkfish Press 2025) is a contemplative collection of poems accompanied by sacred practices of Lectio Divina and journaling prompts. With a foreword by James Finley, the book invites readers to experience poetry as a form of prayer, drawing them into reflection, surrender, and intimacy with the Divine. Endorsed by Richard Rohr as a work that reveals “how God's enduring love is present in all we experience,” Leaving the Shore offers readers an entryway into seeing their own lives as sacred texts.
The Divine Heart: Seven Ways to Live in God's Love, came out in May 2021 (Monkfish Press), and book events and readings have reached an international audience.
Comfort & Joy: Simple Ways to Care for Ourselves and Others (Conari, 2008) was given the honor of being named one of the best spiritual books of the year by Spirituality & Practice.
Seeking Surrender: How My Friendship with a Trappist Monk Taught Me to Trust and Embrace Life (Sorin Books, 2015) was featured in Presence, the publication for Spiritual Directors’ International, and was called, “A beautiful and honest book,” by Father Richard Rohr.
Some of my guiding principles:
- We need to trust our spiritual intuition and authentic experiences.
- The more we can be love in the world, the more we fulfill our purpose in life.
- Divine love is a healing force in ourselves and in the world.
- Honesty and authenticity are the foundation of a meaningful relationship with ourselves, others, the world around us, and with God.
- The Divine presence is available to all who have the willingness to open their hearts and see it and receive it.
- Contemplative practices help us to step into social action with more love, compassion and a willingness to serve from the heart.
- Gratitude is a spiritual path, inviting us to see life as a gift.
- There is a fullness to love that is available to those who are committed to learning the ways of love.
10 Ways To Practice Surrender Today
