Bio-Spirituality: Focusing As a Way to Grow

by Peter A. Campbell, Edwin M. McMahon

Two Jesuit priests, pioneering a kind of Western "yoga", offer a spiritual way of knowing--not with our minds alone, but with our bodies as well. Although grounding itself in the Judeo-Christian tradition, the "bio-spirituality" approach is not denominational but promises new experiences of personal unity and wholeness for anyone.

213 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1997

Reviews

[Adam Carnehl · Rating 3 out of 5]

As of 2022 this book is still the classic, standard text in the field of bio-spiritual focusing - that is, the experiential, 'felt' process that is human spirituality, including the practical methods to explore this felt process in individual and group work. Two Jesuit psychologists, McMahon and Campbell, were inspired by the body-focusing ideas of American philosopher Eugene Gendlin (d. 2017), the Christian evolutionary thought of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (d. 1955), and contemporary Process Theology (though the authors were and still are Catholic priests). This book briefly explains the background of bio-spirituality, including its indebtedness to Eugene Gendlin, and it gives instructions on how to conduct a bio-spiritual focusing session. Throughout there are also reflections on the relationship between science and religion, as well as musings on what non-dualistic spirituality might look like in the Christian tradition.

I was familiar with many of the ideas and methods in this book from several readings and exercises during a spiritual direction program at St John's University and Abbey in Collegeville, MN. Personally I benefited from bio-spiritual focusing and believe that there are many benefits to it. However, I don't always agree with McMahon and Campbell in their bold, exploratory, Teilhardian theologizing, and I cannot see how bio-spiritual focusing will end nuclear war, unite all of humanity, and mend the modern fracture between reason and faith (which they hint at throughout the entire book). I simply think that bio-spiritual focusing, if done under the guidance of well-trained practitioners, can lead to immense healing and pave the way for incredible self-discoveries.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am trying to understand the connection between focusing and Ignatian contemplation. The latter looks at one's feelings that surface during prayer. Focusing also asks a focuser to look at the "feel", a body-felt sense. Interesting read.

[BT · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this cheap from a second hand bookstore's sale bin. I enjoyed the perspective from a bygone era when "nuclear devastation" was the most pressing issue of the times which the authors chose to mention a few times.
Focusing, which I'd heard of before, certainly seems to be a practice with a lot of potential benefit, and I was interested in the authors' perspective on the potential for a more embodied Christianity. (When thinking of Christianity, "embodied" is not really one of the first words I would use.)
I found a number of passages to be beneficial and thought-provoking even as a non-religious person and I think there is benefit in here for people of any spiritual belief or even lack thereof.

[Scott McRae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It takes the psychological theory of focusing and maps its flowering into an evolutionary spirituality. This book is the one I’ve been waiting for. I’m sad that it’s out of print!

[Jonathan Hobdell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good points well made but at the point where the difference between "just" focusing and bio-spirituality is starting to be made, the language descends into a very hippie-like esoteric gibberish.

[LuAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I'm not sure about all the theory behind focusing, and the language feels dated, I believe that, because our bodies, souls and spirits are integrated, the practicing of focusing as taught in this book does yield insights that help us understand ourselves better that lead to growth.

The prayer technique itself which is summarized in the appendix, is very helpful and can probably be learned without reading the whole book.