Nouwen, Henri -- Spiritual Direction

[Anita F. Henck]

As the title says, this is a book on spiritual direction. It is the work of Michael J. Christensen and Rebecca J. Laird (Point Loma alumni, recently honored by their alma mater). They were both Nouwen students in graduate school and beyond and have taken materials from his classes on spiritual direction and supplemented it with other unpublished Nouwen writings.

In true Nouwen style, this is a book that is both a quick and slow read. One can quickly read it (as I've done since receiving it as a Christmas present) but then will want to go back and slowly re-read it, savoring the thoughts, ruminating on the applications, and being prayerful about how to be obedient to the call to be transformed.

I'd be wrong to imply I know all about the book as I've not had the months and years needed to be truly reflective of the process of spiritual direction that this book advocates. But, I wanted to bring the book to the attention of others who might like to begin the reflective journey it affords.

Thanks, Andrew, for the Chistmas gift!

[Mike Schutz]

Anita,
Greetings!
Thanks. The book is a recent addition to my "to-be-read" list, and you have encouragd me to move it up the list.
Thanks.

Grace and peace,
Mike

[Anita F. Henck]

From Nouwen ...
Once, quite a few years ago, I had the opportunity of meeting Mother Teresa of Calcutta. I was struggling with many things at the time and decided to use the occasion to ask Mother Teresa's advice. As soon as we sat down I started explaining all my problems and difficulties -- trying to convince her of how complicated it all was! When, after ten minutes of elaborate explanation, I finally became quiet, Mother Teresa looked at me and quietly said: "Well, when you spend one hour a day adoring your Lord and never do anything which you know is wrong ... you will be fine!"

When she said this, I realized, suddenly, that she had punctured my big balloon of complex self-complaints and pointed me far beyond myself to the place of real healing. Reflecting on this brief but decisive encounter, I realized that I had raised a question from below and that she had given an answer from above. At first, her answer didn't seem to fit my question, but then I began to see that her answer came from God's place and not from the place of my complaints. Most of the time we respond to questions from below with answers from below. The result is often more confusion. Mother Teresa's answer was like a flash of lightning in my darkness.

Seeking spiritual direction, for me, means to ask the big questions, the fundamental questions, the universal ones in the context of a supportive community. Out of asking the right questions and living the questions will come right actions that present themselves in compelling ways. To live the questions and act rightly, guided by God's spirit, requires both discipline and courage: discipline to "ask, seek, knock" until the door opens (see Matthew 7:7-8).

Spiritual Direction, p. 5