David Gormong

How does a queer man come alive? How does he find the compassion and wisdom to heal and thrive?

I believe the world needs what we queer men can contribute, perhaps now more than ever. Many of the old structures of society and religion are crumbling around us. We bring a perspective and a way of being that is critically needed. The world needs GBTQ+ men to dig deep, catch fire with a passion for life, and help give birth to new ways of doing life on this beautiful planet. How do you contribute to the world that wants to come to birth through us?

Coming alive in this way requires us to develop a strong sense of self and a love that leads us beyond ourselves. This is spiritual work. This is what I’m here for.

I’m David. I’m a spiritual mentor. I mentor men in living contemplatively, including especially queer men. I provide a safe space where you might, for instance, want to

develop the self-compassion to heal from internalized homophobia;
grieve the losses that often go with coming out, or those that go with losing a partner;
unlearn harmful beliefs and rebuild a sense of meaning;
find the spiritual practices that nurture your individual spiritual life;
explore how your gifts and passions can make a difference in the world; or
continue the lifelong adventure of spiritual growth and personal development.

These are challenges I’ve faced and continue to work on. Every one of them. I came out later in life, at age 50. And when I did, it blew my world apart. I have a lot of compassion and understanding for men who walk this brave path of being true to ourselves, true to the life we’ve been given. I’m here to provide a safe space, a space where you can learn to meet yourself with compassion, a space where your insight and wisdom can emerge.

I hear you into hearing yourself.

Spiritual guidance is not about following someone else’s guidance. I’ll be happy to make suggestions, of course, and I happen to know a lot of resources and practices that you may find useful. But at the end of the day what you need to hear most is not my words. What you need to hear most is your own “inner voice of love,” as one gay spiritual writer put it. You need to hear that voice inside you that knows you are loved. You need to hear the wise voice that’s always whispering in your depths. That wisdom and that love become the gifts you give others. Your purpose in being here is quite simply to be you, deeply and authentically.

I’m a mentor. I mentor men in living contemplatively. Being contemplative is about seeing yourself and all of life clearly, compassionately, and insightfully. Living contemplatively brings joy and vibrancy, though to be honest, it means facing the parts of ourselves that are anything but joyful and vibrant. We slowly learn how to be with it all. We begin to see how awareness transforms sufferning. We learn how to swim in this ocean of interconnection in which we live. We begin to glimpse why and how our lives matter.

We belong to the world, and all the world’s wisdom supports us on this journey. I’m interspiritual. I draw on the resources of several spiritual traditions. My deepest roots are in Christian spirituality, with an MA in Spirituality from St. John’s University (MN) and doctoral coursework at Catholic University (DC). I draw insights and practices from other traditions too – Hinduism, Buddhism, Sufism, Daoism, and more. I incorporate the understandings of science, history, and psychology, including Jungian psychology. I hold a Certificate in Interspiritual Guidance from the Spiritual Guidance Training Institute.

The first session is free. I’ll want to hear what brings you to spiritual guidance, and answer any questions you have. Most clients meet with me once a month, some more frequently, for an hour or so by video. You are asked to give $75 per session in reciprocity. If this is not feasible, we can make alternative arrangements.

To learn more, email dgormong@gmail.com. We can set up a video chat to explore what would serve you best. You can learn more about spiritual guidance as a practice at SDI Companions. As a member of SDI, I subscribe to their Guidelines for Ethical Conduct. I’ll be happy to tell you more about my training and supervision when we talk.

Feel free to follow me on Instagram: @davidgormong. And don’t hesitate to set up a time to talk.

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It is no mean consolation in this life
to have someone in whom your spirit may rest,
to whom you can pour out your soul.
~ Aelred of Rievaulx

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