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Navigating the Interior Life: Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God
What is spiritual direction and my spiritual direction? What are my “blind spots” and how can I uncover them? What keeps me from all the spiritual riches Christ has for me? How can I better understand where I am in my spiritual progress?
Daniel Burke’s Navigating the Interior Life will give you the tools you need to understand how and why we grow and die in the spiritual life and what we can do about it.
Daniel Burke’s Navigating the Interior Life will give you the tools you need to understand how and why we grow and die in the spiritual life and what we can do about it.
161 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2012
124 people are currently reading
610 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Burke
49 books9 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 10, 2013
This book was provided to me by Emmaus Road in exchange for an honest review. I try to be fair and review books in the order I am sent them, but I have to admit that it was hard for me to wait for this book because the cover kept drawing me in. It was a real test of patience not moving this up in my queue.
For those of you unfamiliar with Daniel Burke, he runs a website entitled Roman Catholic Spiritual Direction and also writes and is the Executive Director of National Catholic Register. The primary aim of this book is a call to holiness and drawing closer to God through spiritual direction. I would attempt to explain to you what spiritual direction is, but I would not do Mr. Burke justice. One should just know that people find this spiritual direction under a spiritual director, generally a religious but sometimes a lay person. The book stresses repeatedly that one should not attempt to be their own spiritual director.
This book is intended to be read slowly, prayerfully, and if possible in front of the Blessed Sacrament. However, this is hard to do as a lot of the chapters are short and all of them leave you longing to read more. In this book, you will find advice on who to find as a spiritual director, questions to ask of your spiritual director, evaluation (to be done under spiritual guidance) of your root sin and where you are at in your spiritual journey. These last two can be done by yourself on a superficial level, and if you are honest with yourself, the answer will probably humble you at how far away you are from God and how much closer you could be.
Although this book is a Catholic book, it has a very Eastern Orthodox feel, not that that is a bad thing. Our Orthodox brothers and sisters in Christ place more emphasis on spiritual direction than we do in the West. Hopefully, we will see more good Catholic spiritual directors emerge as we are all in need of guidance on how to draw closer to God. I give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars, and the 0.5 star deduction is because there were several typos in the book. It is still a great book though and worth reading, and as the book said, pray that you may find a spiritual director to guide you.
For those of you unfamiliar with Daniel Burke, he runs a website entitled Roman Catholic Spiritual Direction and also writes and is the Executive Director of National Catholic Register. The primary aim of this book is a call to holiness and drawing closer to God through spiritual direction. I would attempt to explain to you what spiritual direction is, but I would not do Mr. Burke justice. One should just know that people find this spiritual direction under a spiritual director, generally a religious but sometimes a lay person. The book stresses repeatedly that one should not attempt to be their own spiritual director.
This book is intended to be read slowly, prayerfully, and if possible in front of the Blessed Sacrament. However, this is hard to do as a lot of the chapters are short and all of them leave you longing to read more. In this book, you will find advice on who to find as a spiritual director, questions to ask of your spiritual director, evaluation (to be done under spiritual guidance) of your root sin and where you are at in your spiritual journey. These last two can be done by yourself on a superficial level, and if you are honest with yourself, the answer will probably humble you at how far away you are from God and how much closer you could be.
Although this book is a Catholic book, it has a very Eastern Orthodox feel, not that that is a bad thing. Our Orthodox brothers and sisters in Christ place more emphasis on spiritual direction than we do in the West. Hopefully, we will see more good Catholic spiritual directors emerge as we are all in need of guidance on how to draw closer to God. I give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars, and the 0.5 star deduction is because there were several typos in the book. It is still a great book though and worth reading, and as the book said, pray that you may find a spiritual director to guide you.
May 24, 2014
I loved Daniel Burke’s Navigating the Interior Life and only wish I’d had it years ago. It is chock-full of excellent resources including many links (especially helpful if you have the kindle version) which are all thoroughly in keeping with the magisterium of the Church. To his credit, he’s also not afraid of the competition. Although founder of Roman Catholic Spiritual Direction, which offers Spiritual Formation instruction through the Avila Institute, Burke includes contact and background material for other programs in his book as well.
That said, at times I did find some of his approach a little too checklist-y. Perhaps some will find comfort in this structure and for them I say this is exactly the book for you.
Where the spiritual life is concerned, I lean more to personal contact and fluidity as opposed to books and courses, however admirable they may be. Here I am envisioning souls in crisis seeking spiritual direction, who, if they were to try to follow the complicated program described in this book would be quickly overwhelmed. Even under the most ideal circumstances spiritual direction is an intricate process. My own experience of the past 10 years with two SD’s—and many friends who serve as informal ‘spiritual advocates’—has been to stumble along, bumping off corners, falling often and yet usually ending up on my feet thanks to the Mercy of God and the many who pray for me.
Spiritual Directors do require training, but training does not necessarily make someone a fit instrument of the Holy Spirit. Much more could be written about this entire topic but for the purposes of this review:
PROs: thoroughly orthodox, up-to-date, reference brimming with useful information which I will retain on my shelf for years to come and recommend to select individuals
CONs: might be less applicable for neophytes and those in crisis unless also augmented; additional help could be obtained through Roman Catholic Spiritual Direction
That said, at times I did find some of his approach a little too checklist-y. Perhaps some will find comfort in this structure and for them I say this is exactly the book for you.
Where the spiritual life is concerned, I lean more to personal contact and fluidity as opposed to books and courses, however admirable they may be. Here I am envisioning souls in crisis seeking spiritual direction, who, if they were to try to follow the complicated program described in this book would be quickly overwhelmed. Even under the most ideal circumstances spiritual direction is an intricate process. My own experience of the past 10 years with two SD’s—and many friends who serve as informal ‘spiritual advocates’—has been to stumble along, bumping off corners, falling often and yet usually ending up on my feet thanks to the Mercy of God and the many who pray for me.
Spiritual Directors do require training, but training does not necessarily make someone a fit instrument of the Holy Spirit. Much more could be written about this entire topic but for the purposes of this review:
PROs: thoroughly orthodox, up-to-date, reference brimming with useful information which I will retain on my shelf for years to come and recommend to select individuals
CONs: might be less applicable for neophytes and those in crisis unless also augmented; additional help could be obtained through Roman Catholic Spiritual Direction
March 16, 2013
The great Dominican St. Vincent Ferrer once said: “A person who has a director by whom he allows himself to be guided, whom he obeys in all actions, great and small, will more easily and quickly arrive at perfection than he ever could by himself, even were he gifted with an extraordinary degree of intelligence and supplied with books explaining the nature of all virtues and the means of acquiring them.”
As Catholics, we know that there is nothing more important in our present life than that of preparing for our future life. This is exactly what Dan Burke’s new book, Navigating the Interior Life: Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God helps us do. In Navigating the Interior Life, Burke prepares us for the next life by leading us to holiness in this life.
Navigating the Interior Life is a comprehensive guide to spiritual direction, which answers all the questions one might have on the topic in a concise manner. In a clear, candid, comprehensible style, using the teachings of the Catholic Church, the Scriptures, and the wisdom of the saints, Burke leads us on the path to holiness by explaining exactly what spiritual direction is, how to find a spiritual director, and how to get the most out of spiritual direction. Sharing from his own experiences, as well as the teachings of the spiritual masters, Father Garrigou-Lagrange and St. Louis de Montfort, Burke emphasizes the necessity of Marian devotion and consecration in developing sanctity. Through self-evaluation charts, he helps us identify our predominant faults and root sins. Sharing the teachings of some of the Doctors of the Church, including St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and St. Catherine of Siena, and others, he defines and demonstrates the three ways of the spiritual life: the purgative way, the illuminative way, and the unitive way. He also enables us to determine where we are in our spiritual journey and then makes practical suggestions on how to progress from one level to the next. He even helps us develop a rule of life – a daily spiritual schedule – to keep us on the path to sanctity.
As someone who has had spiritual direction from three different spiritual directors in my adult life, I found Navigating the Interior Life to be an excellent book, which provided new insights and information on spiritual direction. To me, the most interesting bit of information in the book was the affirmation that lay “spiritual mentors” are equipped to provide spiritual direction and that even Pope John Paul II had a lay “spiritual mentor” prior to becoming the Bishop of Rome.
Most importantly, Burke’s book helped me to realize that, as a Catholic, if I am not progressing in the spiritual life, I may actually be immobile, stuck in a state of apathy or even worse, I may be backsliding due to spiritual or emotional blind spots, which could result in serious sin and alienation from God. On the other hand, if I am involved in spiritual direction, my spiritual guide can help me move forward by diagnosing the difficulty, interpreting it for me, and by helping me overcome the difficulty. Also, if I am going through a period of dryness, the spiritual director can recommend ways to rekindle the fire of love I have for Jesus in my heart.
In summary, I found Dan Burke’s Navigating the Interior Life to be a clear, concise, candid, and comprehensive guide to understanding the interior life that every Catholic should have in their hands, particularly during this Year of Faith. It provides step-by-step instructions on how to cultivate an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, how to nurture that relationship, and how to grow in that relationship through spiritual direction. I highly recommend it.
~ copyright Jean M. Heimann March, 2013.
As Catholics, we know that there is nothing more important in our present life than that of preparing for our future life. This is exactly what Dan Burke’s new book, Navigating the Interior Life: Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God helps us do. In Navigating the Interior Life, Burke prepares us for the next life by leading us to holiness in this life.
Navigating the Interior Life is a comprehensive guide to spiritual direction, which answers all the questions one might have on the topic in a concise manner. In a clear, candid, comprehensible style, using the teachings of the Catholic Church, the Scriptures, and the wisdom of the saints, Burke leads us on the path to holiness by explaining exactly what spiritual direction is, how to find a spiritual director, and how to get the most out of spiritual direction. Sharing from his own experiences, as well as the teachings of the spiritual masters, Father Garrigou-Lagrange and St. Louis de Montfort, Burke emphasizes the necessity of Marian devotion and consecration in developing sanctity. Through self-evaluation charts, he helps us identify our predominant faults and root sins. Sharing the teachings of some of the Doctors of the Church, including St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and St. Catherine of Siena, and others, he defines and demonstrates the three ways of the spiritual life: the purgative way, the illuminative way, and the unitive way. He also enables us to determine where we are in our spiritual journey and then makes practical suggestions on how to progress from one level to the next. He even helps us develop a rule of life – a daily spiritual schedule – to keep us on the path to sanctity.
As someone who has had spiritual direction from three different spiritual directors in my adult life, I found Navigating the Interior Life to be an excellent book, which provided new insights and information on spiritual direction. To me, the most interesting bit of information in the book was the affirmation that lay “spiritual mentors” are equipped to provide spiritual direction and that even Pope John Paul II had a lay “spiritual mentor” prior to becoming the Bishop of Rome.
Most importantly, Burke’s book helped me to realize that, as a Catholic, if I am not progressing in the spiritual life, I may actually be immobile, stuck in a state of apathy or even worse, I may be backsliding due to spiritual or emotional blind spots, which could result in serious sin and alienation from God. On the other hand, if I am involved in spiritual direction, my spiritual guide can help me move forward by diagnosing the difficulty, interpreting it for me, and by helping me overcome the difficulty. Also, if I am going through a period of dryness, the spiritual director can recommend ways to rekindle the fire of love I have for Jesus in my heart.
In summary, I found Dan Burke’s Navigating the Interior Life to be a clear, concise, candid, and comprehensive guide to understanding the interior life that every Catholic should have in their hands, particularly during this Year of Faith. It provides step-by-step instructions on how to cultivate an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, how to nurture that relationship, and how to grow in that relationship through spiritual direction. I highly recommend it.
~ copyright Jean M. Heimann March, 2013.
January 31, 2013
This is about Spiritual Direction. It covers every aspect and both makes me desire one and terrifies me with the depths to which spiritual direction goes. If you are serious about growing in holiness, read this book!
October 7, 2016
I found this book particularly helpful in several different ways. Not having a spiritual director before, but wanting to grow in the spiritual life, I felt like I needed something to help me with the basics.
I feel that Dan Burke’s book was the right book for an introduction to growing in the spiritual life, and many practical details around the need for and approach to finding a spiritual director. It was very helpful that he described what types of things to think about and how to be considerate of potential spiritual director’s time.
Not only did it give the practical steps to preparing for and finding a spiritual director, but it also has a helpful activity to help identify your root sin, so that you can move from that to the virtue that is it’s opposite.
This will be a go-to reference book for me on spiritual direction.
Highly recommended!
I feel that Dan Burke’s book was the right book for an introduction to growing in the spiritual life, and many practical details around the need for and approach to finding a spiritual director. It was very helpful that he described what types of things to think about and how to be considerate of potential spiritual director’s time.
Not only did it give the practical steps to preparing for and finding a spiritual director, but it also has a helpful activity to help identify your root sin, so that you can move from that to the virtue that is it’s opposite.
This will be a go-to reference book for me on spiritual direction.
Highly recommended!
August 25, 2013
This is an outstanding book which gives insightful, practical advice for finding a spiritual director and how to get the most out of this relationship. The second half of the book is very helpful as well in finding your root sin and developing ways to conquer it, understanding the various levels of the spiritual life and how to know where you are, and how to make and use a rule of life. It's one of the clearest guides to the spiritual life and how to actually move forward within it that I have ever read. Full marks!
November 6, 2017
If you are thinking about seeking out spiritual direction in your life, I suggest you start with this book. Daniel Burke does a fantastic job to get you prepared to understand the goal and meaning of spiritual direction as well as the incredible need for it in each one of our lives.
I took my time on this book because I found that when I tried to move forward to the next part of this book, I was not ready in my life. I had to stop and take time to meditate and work on what Burke calls for in each chapter before moving onto the next section. There would be times that I would forget the book and then have a calling to it only to find that the book was speaking to exactly what I was needing to continue moving closer to God.
Excellent work. A must read for all.
I took my time on this book because I found that when I tried to move forward to the next part of this book, I was not ready in my life. I had to stop and take time to meditate and work on what Burke calls for in each chapter before moving onto the next section. There would be times that I would forget the book and then have a calling to it only to find that the book was speaking to exactly what I was needing to continue moving closer to God.
Excellent work. A must read for all.
August 11, 2013
This was a great book! What a wonderful resource, both for those just beginning their journey into deepening their spiritual life as well as those that are already on the journey. It has guidance on how to find a spiritual director, what to expect as part of that process as well as other great tools navigating the interior life, like developing a rule of life. For someone with so many questions and at times who doesn't know what to do next on the journey, this really helped me begin to map out my path and helps center me back on what is important in life when I get stuck. I would recommend it to anyone interested in progressing in their spiritual life, but especially those that are apprehensive or who don't know how to get started.
Disclaimer: While it did not influence my review, I did receive a complimentary copy of this book from the author.
Disclaimer: While it did not influence my review, I did receive a complimentary copy of this book from the author.
December 11, 2012
RECEIVED FREE FROM GOODREADS FRIST READS. If you have any desire to deepen your relationship with God, this is the book to help you do just that. Navigating the Interior Life walks you through where your relationship is with the Lord and then shows you what you need to do to strengthen that relationship - step by step. And, the book shows you how you can reach out to others so you don't have to venture on that journey alone.
Whether you have studied scripture before or just know the basics of the Mass, you attend Mass daily or going only for Easter or Christmas, you were born Catholic or have converted to Catholicism, you have an understanding of Spiritual Direction or you have never even heard of the term before, this book is an enlightening outlook on how you can deepen your relationship with the Lord - all you need is the desire to do so.
Whether you have studied scripture before or just know the basics of the Mass, you attend Mass daily or going only for Easter or Christmas, you were born Catholic or have converted to Catholicism, you have an understanding of Spiritual Direction or you have never even heard of the term before, this book is an enlightening outlook on how you can deepen your relationship with the Lord - all you need is the desire to do so.
September 27, 2015
It took me three tries to read this book (look at when I started to read it - 2012). It was not because the authors did not create a simple and actionable guide to the spiritual life. Rather, I knew that once I finished it, I would no longer have any excuses not to use this guidebook to grow closer to God.
So if you do not want to learn a way to grow closer to God, then do not read this book!
On the other hand, if you seek practical advice to understand the basics of spiritual direction, how to find a spiritual director, and a process to identify your own root sin(s) please do yourself (and your soul) a tremendous favor and read this book. I also suggest the companion study guide.
So if you do not want to learn a way to grow closer to God, then do not read this book!
On the other hand, if you seek practical advice to understand the basics of spiritual direction, how to find a spiritual director, and a process to identify your own root sin(s) please do yourself (and your soul) a tremendous favor and read this book. I also suggest the companion study guide.
April 14, 2013
This was the best introduction to spiritual direction that I have seen. The author succinctly demystifies spiritual direction and how to proceed to find a spiritual director. He generously provides sample interviews for potential spiritual directors, questionnaires to help identify where to begin in spiritual direction, and a brief overview of the three major stages of prayer. This book in an indispensable tool for those seeking spiritual direction for the first time. Hats off to you, Mr. Burke!
December 27, 2013
A basic-but-excellent introduction to Spiritual Direction. Very helpful.
December 19, 2025
The direct he would be better compared to an athlete, and the Director, a personal coach, specifically a spiritual fitness coach.
He hires a personal coach to help achieve otherwise elusive goals and perspectives.
Spiritual direction is likened to a wellness program, or a long-term exercise and diet commitment that will result in maximum health.
If a person is not ready to work diligently and consistently on the relationship with God, the Director is likely unable to assist in any substantive way.
Wondering around is the opposite of a deliver it journey in a specific direction.
A spiritual direction that lacks direction is not direction at all.
The desired end is union with Christ and a specific path for the directee to follow in order to better know and love, Christ and others.
God has chosen to use human instruments to shape, mould and bring us closer to him.
Spiritual direction should include the pursuit of virtue and action in faith.
Love for God in the form of prayer or adoration could very well be a false love if it does not result in tangible expressions of love for those around us.
The main focus of spiritual direction is union with God. The central aim of spiritual direction is to help guide the direct tea to purposefully, consistently, and substantively grow in their relationship with God and neighbor.
This will happen by discovering God‘s presence, and work in our souls, and embracing his will through the fruitful embrace of prayer and virtue. The ultimate and a spiritual direction is, as Jesus commanded, to love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor, as yourself. Spiritual direction is about developing a love relationship with God that inevitably spills into all other areas of our lives.
Spending time with another soul that is aggressively pursuing Christ, and has some experience that exceeds yours can be very beneficial.
As Saint Jerome, once noted, “do not be your own master, and do not be set out upon a way that is entirely new for you without a guide; otherwise, you will soon go astray“
Saint Augustine said, “as a blind man cannot follow the good road. Without a leader, no one can walk without a guide.“
Saint Vincent Ferrer taught “… he who has a Director will reach his goal more easily, and more quickly than if he acted as his own guide, even if he is very intelligent, and have the very best of spiritual books.”
The notion that we can be our own spiritual, Director, (or the “me and the Holy Spirit“ approach) is untenable. God works through people. In all of human history, the incarnation is the most spectacular illustration of this.
Jesus submitted himself to his mother to rest, and her protection.
On the road to Damascus Paul had a profound encounter with Christ that was to completely change the direction of his life. Even with that powerful personal encounter, Paul did not have all that he needed to understand the next steps he should take. Instead, Jesus directed Paul to a person, Ananias, to whom God revealed what Paul should do. Why did God work this way? It is a mystery, but it is clear that in his providence and provision, he works through people to help us to him.
Jesus told Saint Catherine of Siena, “gifts and graces , virtues, and other spiritual gifts… I have distributed them all in such a way that no one has all of them. I wanted to make you dependent on one another.”
Pope John Paul, the second wrote, “to be able to discover the actual will of the Lord in our lives, always involves the following: a receptive, listening to the word of God and the church, fervent and constant prayer, recourse to a wise and loving, spiritual guide, and a faithful discernment of the gifts and talents given by God.”
Spiritual direction as a gift at the serious spiritual pilgrim cannot do without.
We all have an internal tendency towards self deception in sin. Without some external help to clean the windshield, we are headed for a crash.
Sometimes it is just a nagging lack of peace that says, there has to be more to life than this.
This sometimes subtle draw to find something more in faith and relationship with God is a clear sign of God’s ever present invitation to go deeper
Spiritual direction, because it deals with the deepest, and most substantive issues of life, is never easy; the believer is now entering into territory, that the enemy of souls fears most, and will pose with great force and frequency.
The seeker must make a lifetime commitment to fight their way to God, they must commit to rising every time they fall, taking full responsibility for their spiritual life and growth, and never letting go of the idea that God is always ready to receive, and strengthen us when we turn to him; even when our falls are severe.
Recognition of the need for a guide, coupled with sufficient tenacity to deal with the requirements of honesty and vulnerability, is the beginning of a new journey deeper into Christ.
Pride is a bondage over the eyes of our spirit. It prevents us from wishing to be instructed. Or it promises not to except direction without argument. It is the single greatest hinderance to progress in spiritual direction.
Spiritual practice pursued for the wrong reason will produce or reinforce blind spots that are then even more severe, because they are solidified in pride, shallow, or merely human virtue, and self justification,
Because we naturally want people to revere us, and to think highly of us, we often seek to manage their perceptions of us. We must fight this battle and be open and transparent. You wouldn’t take serious health challenges to your doctor, and then hide the symptoms. Yet the spiritual journey is far more consequential than our physical one. When we seek out a spiritual Director we need to work diligently to bear our souls as openly and honestly as we can.
We are called to move deeper in our union with Christ until the day we see him face-to-face.
The seeker must be prepared to focus energies toward the preeminent goal of dynamic union with Christ.
If we develop our understanding of the one true faith, we are far less likely to except a counterfeit.
Are doctor of the church is a special title, recorded by the church to certain Saints, which indicates that third teachings are exceptionally useful to Christians in any age. These men and women are particularly known, both for their timeless depth of understanding, and the orthodoxy of their teachings.
Recommended reading: Fr Thomas Dubay‘s prayer primer: igniting a fire within.
To better understand the magisterial authority of the church, you will find MYSTERIUM ECCLESIAE, in defence of the Catholic doctrine on the church, to be helpful.
We are looking to adopt a rule of life. That is, we are looking for a specific spiritual path that can help to focus our spiritual disciplines, and practice of virtue
A good resource to determine the faithfulness of any group like this can be found in Catholic cultures reviews of the website of various organizations. Www.catholicculture.org/culture/reviews.
In Jean – Baptiste chautard’s book, the soul of the apostolate, he lays out the topics that should be covered in each spiritual direction session:
1.Peace. Find out if the soul has genuine peace.
2.A high ideal. Breaking down the obstacles that hinder the development of grace in it. We want here to get the soul to aim higher all the time.
3.Prayer.
4.Self denial.
we should always maintain our freedom to act according to our own will, and our submission to God, and we should maintain an equal readiness to humbly except the insight and direction of any Director, who is worthy of our trust.
Docility is a humble readiness to follow God’s will for our lives. This is sometimes expressed in the willingness to listen to, and follow, imperfect council from an imperfect person, and at times, even when we disagree or don’t completely understand.
Even if our Director is wrong, on a particular matter, assuming the direction is not something simple, we will most assuredly benefit from heading down paths that we would not have chosen on our own.
It can be a profound act of holiness to obey your spiritual Director, particularly when they are suggesting some thing that is very difficult, but may nonetheless lead us to a deeper relationship with Christ. God never usurps our free will; neither should a spiritual Director.
An attitude of humility is absolutely essential to an effective spiritual direction, relationship
I am impatient, because I am arrogant. That’s some thing to consider
It is not necessary to invent new points in every spiritual direction; sometimes simply changing a word or two on a previous phrase, can refresh it for you, or sharpen it
Asking the Holy Spirit for light, analyze the following areas, making notes, where, relevant, (e.g., I really made progress on this point. I made no progress here, and I am not sure why, this crisis came up, and totally derailed me…) always include the question why? As part of your analysis. The analysis will leave you with things to report and questions to ask. This will be the agenda for your spiritual direction.
Things that may be discussed in spiritual direction:
1. The general state of your soul, since last spiritual direction
2. difficulties or failures in your moral life since last spiritual direction.
3. The effectiveness of your desired progress phrases from last spiritual direction
4. Progress on and results of the concrete actions chosen after your last spiritual direction
5. The main points of your plan of life, if they are not covered in three and four
6. Challenges in progress in your prayer life, if they were not covered in three and four
7. The quality of the key, relationships and responsibilities of your state in life, if they were not covered in three and four.
Call to mind the real goal of all spiritual direction: to discover more clearly God’s action in your life, and to equip you to respond generously to whatever he is asking of you.
Regarding the sacraments and spiritual direction, God has chosen these avenues, as means of grace for his people. To be clear, the grace is received in spiritual direction are not comparable to those , God provides through the sacraments. However, good spiritual direction always results in a richer participation in the sacraments of the church. As with exercise, regularity is critical to develop spiritual, momentum and strength.
When your spiritual Director does not return your call or deal with you efficiently, rather than being frustrated, see this as part of your sanctification and growth in humility and patience.
Our generosity is a reflection of the health of our souls, and for the health of our souls, we should be particularly generous with anyone, willing to invest their time in our spiritual well-being. Regardless of whether or not, they charge a fee, our disposition should be one of generosity .
The process of self evaluation, preparation, and seeking are almost as important as the spiritual direction relationship itself.
Saint Teresa of Avila sought a spiritual Director for over 20 years. She continued seeking until she encountered several who offered life-changing perspectives on prayer and sanctity.
Imagine if she had grown frustrated and quit seeking a spiritual Director during those 20 years.
Keep looking, keep striving, keep seeking, and keep working on yourself as best you can as with Saint Theresa Christ will meet you and your seeking and help you to advance ,
Spiritual direction can be likened to a good rearview mirror and a clean windshield. The rearview mirror provides a healthy perspective of white lies behind us and the windshield, a clear view of white lies before us.
With respect to the spiritual life, the challenge for many is that they don’t recognize the need for a clean windshield, a clean rearview perspective on the past, or Sideview mirrors to help them with blind spots.
There are tools in the spiritual life that are very helpful for safe and effective travel
Only in a state of quiet reflection can we begin to really hear the voice of God and evaluate our lives in a meaningful way.
Sit before the Blessed Sacrament in silence. Spend as much time as you can in that sacred silence. Think about your life, about your death, about what will happen when you see God face to face. Will he say, well done ? Will you be ashamed? Will you be joyful? Will you suffer? Sit in silence and invite the Holy Spirit to help you evaluate your life.
Regarding Marion devotion, Romans 13 says to give honour to whom honour is due. If we are called to give honour to whom honour is due, and the archangel under God‘s command, gives honour to Mary, then we are honouring God if we reflect that same disposition. We are honouring God by honouring Mary. We are not in any way Robin God of devotion due to him ; we are in fact, giving him our worship by doing so
Mary offers us invaluable assistance and helping us to know and love Christ.
Many do not see clearly enough the necessity of having recourse to Mary that they may attain an intimacy with Jesus we lack humility. If we neglect the mediators, and God has given us because of our frailty. Intimacy with our Lord and prayer will be greatly facilitated by true and profound devotion to Mary.
The saints were moulded in Mary
Mary conducts and directs her servants, according to the will of her divine son. Mary, who is the star of the sea, leads all her faithful servants into a safe harbor. She shows them the paths of eternal life. She makes them avoid the dangerous places. She conducts them by her hand along the paths of justice. She studies them when they are about to fall; she lifts them up when they have fallen , she reproves them like a charitable mother, when they fail; and sometimes she even lovingly chastises them. St. Bernard said, “if you follow her, you cannot wonder from the road.”
Take his blessed mother, and his saints, as intercessors that these intercessors may fight for you.
Spiritual self evaluation, my spiritual heritage, one way to write out a spiritual heritage is to take a few pieces of paper and create sections for each major period of your life from 0 to 9 years old, from 10 to 18, from 19 to 25, and so on , then highlight key moments that have significance in your spiritual journey. For the time you live with your parents, jot down key elements of their spiritual influence. It may be helpful to recall any history you know about their spiritual journeys. What were their beliefs about? God, how did they live? What did they tell you about god? What did their lives tell you about god? Fort Worth a saddle are unwritten rules about faith in your home? What were the overt beliefs about faith? As we reflect, on these, we need to seek to understand the connections to our attitudes, beliefs, dispositions, and struggles with faith.
Once you complete this rearview mirror, look at your life, move into the present, and begin by asking yourself what has triggered your current interest in spiritual direction, or the desire to move deeper into your relationship with God.
Take a minute and indicate for you find yourself in each of these foundational areas of your faith-habits and faith-life; my relationship with Christ , my spiritual/intellectual development, my sacramental participation, my prayer life, my root sin.
The key is simply to identify where you are now so that you can effectively move forward in your spiritual quest.
An older writings on the spiritual life, you might come across this idea of root sin, called ruling passion, predominant, fault, dominant defect, or dominant passion . Regardless of what we call it, if you understand the phrase, “getting to the root of the problem,” then you have the basic idea.
when there are problems at the root of a tree, these problems often manifest themselves in the fruit of the tree. The condition of the fruit is merely a symptom of the condition of the roots.
If we limit our problem-solving to a focus on symptoms, we are not likely to get to the root of the problem, and really find a meaningful solution. This is sometimes by Catholics a goodwill can find themselves frequently falling into and confessing the same serious sands over and over again. The value of root sin identification is in diagnosing and solving the root problem , instead of wasting time focussed on the symptoms. There are three basic categories of route sin: pride, vanity, and sensuality. First John 2:16.
The field, the soul, that we desire to plough and plant is riddled with rocks, sins, that need to be removed in order to make progress.
The predominant fault, easily excites all our passions.
The admonition for external input is a strong one. This can’t be over emphasized because the human person has an infinite capacity for self deception.
The human heart rarely works in perfectly clear distinctions of vice and virtue.
Lord, help me to see the obstacles in me that get in the way of my growth and love and service to you and others. Help me to see the things that I have chosen that keep me from you. Help me to be courageous and ruthless in rooting out the darkness, and allowing your light to heal me and draw me firmly onto the right path . Help me to know my deeds and myself without deception or duplicity. Make me grow strong, holy and honest, with pure intention. I ask with Grace to know the clarity of how I have sinned, how I have failed you and others. Help me to be led by you to live a better and more holy life. Help me also to be completely sorry for all the ugly, hateful, and unspeakable past evil of my life. Make me sorrier for it than I have ever been before.
Saint Paul tells us that he was glad that they were made sorrowful into penance. For the sorrow that is according to God works penance.
It is not enough to merely recognize our sin, or even to experience remorse about it. We also need to reject it, turn away from it, and choose a new path.
Truly, godly sorrow leads to real and complete repentance that includes, at minimum, confession, and penance.
A true, turning to God, involves more than just recognizing and saying no to sin and the appetites of the flesh. An incomplete repentance is a very dangerous spiritual state.
The Bible says produce fruit as evidence of your repentance. Saint Catherine of Siena said: it is not enough for eternal life to sweep the house clean a deadly sin. One must fill it with a virtue that is grounded in life.
True repentance has three parts: one, the recognition of and the sorrow for sin; two, turning away from sin Dash if we are on the right path, the first two stages bring us to the sacrament of confes
He hires a personal coach to help achieve otherwise elusive goals and perspectives.
Spiritual direction is likened to a wellness program, or a long-term exercise and diet commitment that will result in maximum health.
If a person is not ready to work diligently and consistently on the relationship with God, the Director is likely unable to assist in any substantive way.
Wondering around is the opposite of a deliver it journey in a specific direction.
A spiritual direction that lacks direction is not direction at all.
The desired end is union with Christ and a specific path for the directee to follow in order to better know and love, Christ and others.
God has chosen to use human instruments to shape, mould and bring us closer to him.
Spiritual direction should include the pursuit of virtue and action in faith.
Love for God in the form of prayer or adoration could very well be a false love if it does not result in tangible expressions of love for those around us.
The main focus of spiritual direction is union with God. The central aim of spiritual direction is to help guide the direct tea to purposefully, consistently, and substantively grow in their relationship with God and neighbor.
This will happen by discovering God‘s presence, and work in our souls, and embracing his will through the fruitful embrace of prayer and virtue. The ultimate and a spiritual direction is, as Jesus commanded, to love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor, as yourself. Spiritual direction is about developing a love relationship with God that inevitably spills into all other areas of our lives.
Spending time with another soul that is aggressively pursuing Christ, and has some experience that exceeds yours can be very beneficial.
As Saint Jerome, once noted, “do not be your own master, and do not be set out upon a way that is entirely new for you without a guide; otherwise, you will soon go astray“
Saint Augustine said, “as a blind man cannot follow the good road. Without a leader, no one can walk without a guide.“
Saint Vincent Ferrer taught “… he who has a Director will reach his goal more easily, and more quickly than if he acted as his own guide, even if he is very intelligent, and have the very best of spiritual books.”
The notion that we can be our own spiritual, Director, (or the “me and the Holy Spirit“ approach) is untenable. God works through people. In all of human history, the incarnation is the most spectacular illustration of this.
Jesus submitted himself to his mother to rest, and her protection.
On the road to Damascus Paul had a profound encounter with Christ that was to completely change the direction of his life. Even with that powerful personal encounter, Paul did not have all that he needed to understand the next steps he should take. Instead, Jesus directed Paul to a person, Ananias, to whom God revealed what Paul should do. Why did God work this way? It is a mystery, but it is clear that in his providence and provision, he works through people to help us to him.
Jesus told Saint Catherine of Siena, “gifts and graces , virtues, and other spiritual gifts… I have distributed them all in such a way that no one has all of them. I wanted to make you dependent on one another.”
Pope John Paul, the second wrote, “to be able to discover the actual will of the Lord in our lives, always involves the following: a receptive, listening to the word of God and the church, fervent and constant prayer, recourse to a wise and loving, spiritual guide, and a faithful discernment of the gifts and talents given by God.”
Spiritual direction as a gift at the serious spiritual pilgrim cannot do without.
We all have an internal tendency towards self deception in sin. Without some external help to clean the windshield, we are headed for a crash.
Sometimes it is just a nagging lack of peace that says, there has to be more to life than this.
This sometimes subtle draw to find something more in faith and relationship with God is a clear sign of God’s ever present invitation to go deeper
Spiritual direction, because it deals with the deepest, and most substantive issues of life, is never easy; the believer is now entering into territory, that the enemy of souls fears most, and will pose with great force and frequency.
The seeker must make a lifetime commitment to fight their way to God, they must commit to rising every time they fall, taking full responsibility for their spiritual life and growth, and never letting go of the idea that God is always ready to receive, and strengthen us when we turn to him; even when our falls are severe.
Recognition of the need for a guide, coupled with sufficient tenacity to deal with the requirements of honesty and vulnerability, is the beginning of a new journey deeper into Christ.
Pride is a bondage over the eyes of our spirit. It prevents us from wishing to be instructed. Or it promises not to except direction without argument. It is the single greatest hinderance to progress in spiritual direction.
Spiritual practice pursued for the wrong reason will produce or reinforce blind spots that are then even more severe, because they are solidified in pride, shallow, or merely human virtue, and self justification,
Because we naturally want people to revere us, and to think highly of us, we often seek to manage their perceptions of us. We must fight this battle and be open and transparent. You wouldn’t take serious health challenges to your doctor, and then hide the symptoms. Yet the spiritual journey is far more consequential than our physical one. When we seek out a spiritual Director we need to work diligently to bear our souls as openly and honestly as we can.
We are called to move deeper in our union with Christ until the day we see him face-to-face.
The seeker must be prepared to focus energies toward the preeminent goal of dynamic union with Christ.
If we develop our understanding of the one true faith, we are far less likely to except a counterfeit.
Are doctor of the church is a special title, recorded by the church to certain Saints, which indicates that third teachings are exceptionally useful to Christians in any age. These men and women are particularly known, both for their timeless depth of understanding, and the orthodoxy of their teachings.
Recommended reading: Fr Thomas Dubay‘s prayer primer: igniting a fire within.
To better understand the magisterial authority of the church, you will find MYSTERIUM ECCLESIAE, in defence of the Catholic doctrine on the church, to be helpful.
We are looking to adopt a rule of life. That is, we are looking for a specific spiritual path that can help to focus our spiritual disciplines, and practice of virtue
A good resource to determine the faithfulness of any group like this can be found in Catholic cultures reviews of the website of various organizations. Www.catholicculture.org/culture/reviews.
In Jean – Baptiste chautard’s book, the soul of the apostolate, he lays out the topics that should be covered in each spiritual direction session:
1.Peace. Find out if the soul has genuine peace.
2.A high ideal. Breaking down the obstacles that hinder the development of grace in it. We want here to get the soul to aim higher all the time.
3.Prayer.
4.Self denial.
we should always maintain our freedom to act according to our own will, and our submission to God, and we should maintain an equal readiness to humbly except the insight and direction of any Director, who is worthy of our trust.
Docility is a humble readiness to follow God’s will for our lives. This is sometimes expressed in the willingness to listen to, and follow, imperfect council from an imperfect person, and at times, even when we disagree or don’t completely understand.
Even if our Director is wrong, on a particular matter, assuming the direction is not something simple, we will most assuredly benefit from heading down paths that we would not have chosen on our own.
It can be a profound act of holiness to obey your spiritual Director, particularly when they are suggesting some thing that is very difficult, but may nonetheless lead us to a deeper relationship with Christ. God never usurps our free will; neither should a spiritual Director.
An attitude of humility is absolutely essential to an effective spiritual direction, relationship
I am impatient, because I am arrogant. That’s some thing to consider
It is not necessary to invent new points in every spiritual direction; sometimes simply changing a word or two on a previous phrase, can refresh it for you, or sharpen it
Asking the Holy Spirit for light, analyze the following areas, making notes, where, relevant, (e.g., I really made progress on this point. I made no progress here, and I am not sure why, this crisis came up, and totally derailed me…) always include the question why? As part of your analysis. The analysis will leave you with things to report and questions to ask. This will be the agenda for your spiritual direction.
Things that may be discussed in spiritual direction:
1. The general state of your soul, since last spiritual direction
2. difficulties or failures in your moral life since last spiritual direction.
3. The effectiveness of your desired progress phrases from last spiritual direction
4. Progress on and results of the concrete actions chosen after your last spiritual direction
5. The main points of your plan of life, if they are not covered in three and four
6. Challenges in progress in your prayer life, if they were not covered in three and four
7. The quality of the key, relationships and responsibilities of your state in life, if they were not covered in three and four.
Call to mind the real goal of all spiritual direction: to discover more clearly God’s action in your life, and to equip you to respond generously to whatever he is asking of you.
Regarding the sacraments and spiritual direction, God has chosen these avenues, as means of grace for his people. To be clear, the grace is received in spiritual direction are not comparable to those , God provides through the sacraments. However, good spiritual direction always results in a richer participation in the sacraments of the church. As with exercise, regularity is critical to develop spiritual, momentum and strength.
When your spiritual Director does not return your call or deal with you efficiently, rather than being frustrated, see this as part of your sanctification and growth in humility and patience.
Our generosity is a reflection of the health of our souls, and for the health of our souls, we should be particularly generous with anyone, willing to invest their time in our spiritual well-being. Regardless of whether or not, they charge a fee, our disposition should be one of generosity .
The process of self evaluation, preparation, and seeking are almost as important as the spiritual direction relationship itself.
Saint Teresa of Avila sought a spiritual Director for over 20 years. She continued seeking until she encountered several who offered life-changing perspectives on prayer and sanctity.
Imagine if she had grown frustrated and quit seeking a spiritual Director during those 20 years.
Keep looking, keep striving, keep seeking, and keep working on yourself as best you can as with Saint Theresa Christ will meet you and your seeking and help you to advance ,
Spiritual direction can be likened to a good rearview mirror and a clean windshield. The rearview mirror provides a healthy perspective of white lies behind us and the windshield, a clear view of white lies before us.
With respect to the spiritual life, the challenge for many is that they don’t recognize the need for a clean windshield, a clean rearview perspective on the past, or Sideview mirrors to help them with blind spots.
There are tools in the spiritual life that are very helpful for safe and effective travel
Only in a state of quiet reflection can we begin to really hear the voice of God and evaluate our lives in a meaningful way.
Sit before the Blessed Sacrament in silence. Spend as much time as you can in that sacred silence. Think about your life, about your death, about what will happen when you see God face to face. Will he say, well done ? Will you be ashamed? Will you be joyful? Will you suffer? Sit in silence and invite the Holy Spirit to help you evaluate your life.
Regarding Marion devotion, Romans 13 says to give honour to whom honour is due. If we are called to give honour to whom honour is due, and the archangel under God‘s command, gives honour to Mary, then we are honouring God if we reflect that same disposition. We are honouring God by honouring Mary. We are not in any way Robin God of devotion due to him ; we are in fact, giving him our worship by doing so
Mary offers us invaluable assistance and helping us to know and love Christ.
Many do not see clearly enough the necessity of having recourse to Mary that they may attain an intimacy with Jesus we lack humility. If we neglect the mediators, and God has given us because of our frailty. Intimacy with our Lord and prayer will be greatly facilitated by true and profound devotion to Mary.
The saints were moulded in Mary
Mary conducts and directs her servants, according to the will of her divine son. Mary, who is the star of the sea, leads all her faithful servants into a safe harbor. She shows them the paths of eternal life. She makes them avoid the dangerous places. She conducts them by her hand along the paths of justice. She studies them when they are about to fall; she lifts them up when they have fallen , she reproves them like a charitable mother, when they fail; and sometimes she even lovingly chastises them. St. Bernard said, “if you follow her, you cannot wonder from the road.”
Take his blessed mother, and his saints, as intercessors that these intercessors may fight for you.
Spiritual self evaluation, my spiritual heritage, one way to write out a spiritual heritage is to take a few pieces of paper and create sections for each major period of your life from 0 to 9 years old, from 10 to 18, from 19 to 25, and so on , then highlight key moments that have significance in your spiritual journey. For the time you live with your parents, jot down key elements of their spiritual influence. It may be helpful to recall any history you know about their spiritual journeys. What were their beliefs about? God, how did they live? What did they tell you about god? What did their lives tell you about god? Fort Worth a saddle are unwritten rules about faith in your home? What were the overt beliefs about faith? As we reflect, on these, we need to seek to understand the connections to our attitudes, beliefs, dispositions, and struggles with faith.
Once you complete this rearview mirror, look at your life, move into the present, and begin by asking yourself what has triggered your current interest in spiritual direction, or the desire to move deeper into your relationship with God.
Take a minute and indicate for you find yourself in each of these foundational areas of your faith-habits and faith-life; my relationship with Christ , my spiritual/intellectual development, my sacramental participation, my prayer life, my root sin.
The key is simply to identify where you are now so that you can effectively move forward in your spiritual quest.
An older writings on the spiritual life, you might come across this idea of root sin, called ruling passion, predominant, fault, dominant defect, or dominant passion . Regardless of what we call it, if you understand the phrase, “getting to the root of the problem,” then you have the basic idea.
when there are problems at the root of a tree, these problems often manifest themselves in the fruit of the tree. The condition of the fruit is merely a symptom of the condition of the roots.
If we limit our problem-solving to a focus on symptoms, we are not likely to get to the root of the problem, and really find a meaningful solution. This is sometimes by Catholics a goodwill can find themselves frequently falling into and confessing the same serious sands over and over again. The value of root sin identification is in diagnosing and solving the root problem , instead of wasting time focussed on the symptoms. There are three basic categories of route sin: pride, vanity, and sensuality. First John 2:16.
The field, the soul, that we desire to plough and plant is riddled with rocks, sins, that need to be removed in order to make progress.
The predominant fault, easily excites all our passions.
The admonition for external input is a strong one. This can’t be over emphasized because the human person has an infinite capacity for self deception.
The human heart rarely works in perfectly clear distinctions of vice and virtue.
Lord, help me to see the obstacles in me that get in the way of my growth and love and service to you and others. Help me to see the things that I have chosen that keep me from you. Help me to be courageous and ruthless in rooting out the darkness, and allowing your light to heal me and draw me firmly onto the right path . Help me to know my deeds and myself without deception or duplicity. Make me grow strong, holy and honest, with pure intention. I ask with Grace to know the clarity of how I have sinned, how I have failed you and others. Help me to be led by you to live a better and more holy life. Help me also to be completely sorry for all the ugly, hateful, and unspeakable past evil of my life. Make me sorrier for it than I have ever been before.
Saint Paul tells us that he was glad that they were made sorrowful into penance. For the sorrow that is according to God works penance.
It is not enough to merely recognize our sin, or even to experience remorse about it. We also need to reject it, turn away from it, and choose a new path.
Truly, godly sorrow leads to real and complete repentance that includes, at minimum, confession, and penance.
A true, turning to God, involves more than just recognizing and saying no to sin and the appetites of the flesh. An incomplete repentance is a very dangerous spiritual state.
The Bible says produce fruit as evidence of your repentance. Saint Catherine of Siena said: it is not enough for eternal life to sweep the house clean a deadly sin. One must fill it with a virtue that is grounded in life.
True repentance has three parts: one, the recognition of and the sorrow for sin; two, turning away from sin Dash if we are on the right path, the first two stages bring us to the sacrament of confes
October 19, 2018
EWTN had an interview with the author, who had so many interesting things to say, that I went out and bought this book. It was not what I was hoping for.
I think this is a good book for those in spiritual direction and for spiritual directors ... and those who have a good chance of finding a spiritual director maybe. For the rest of us poor slobs who can't find a spiritual director because priests are so busy, etc, there are a few helpful bits, but not enough to justify the price. I see people love this book, I just want to give a shout out to those who are on the fence and may not have unlimited funds.
I did appreciate the chapter on making a rule of life for oneself, and identifying your own core sin. Be aware, this is a very small part of the book though.
I think this is a good book for those in spiritual direction and for spiritual directors ... and those who have a good chance of finding a spiritual director maybe. For the rest of us poor slobs who can't find a spiritual director because priests are so busy, etc, there are a few helpful bits, but not enough to justify the price. I see people love this book, I just want to give a shout out to those who are on the fence and may not have unlimited funds.
I did appreciate the chapter on making a rule of life for oneself, and identifying your own core sin. Be aware, this is a very small part of the book though.
February 16, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. It took me a while to read it all because I would put it down for extended lengths of time. However, whenever I resumed reading it, I would find many little nuggets of insight and wisdom that I would then spend some time reflecting on. Certainly, this book is well written and easily understood, which is helpful for someone who is wondering what Spiritual Direction is and how to begin. Definitely recommended.
February 6, 2025
Such a great book, I've finished listening to the audio version and will certainly read it now on Kindle to make my notes.
I really liked the assessments on identifying the root sin (the main enemy to fight) and the current position on the spiritual journey. Also, I liked the whole process of choosing the spiritual director and how to work with him/her.
I recommend the book to all who are interested in growing in Christ!
I really liked the assessments on identifying the root sin (the main enemy to fight) and the current position on the spiritual journey. Also, I liked the whole process of choosing the spiritual director and how to work with him/her.
I recommend the book to all who are interested in growing in Christ!
August 14, 2017
A profoundly simple yet deep book. At first glance, the book's about finding a spiritual director. The real power of the book begins on page 61 to help us on the "narrow path." Worth reading it in adoration chapel. Will definitely read this book numerous times in the next 5 years. Please read it, keep your copy and buy your friends copies.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2018
Excellent book outlining the need and how tos of spiritual direction. But also a well organized book detailing how to make progress in the spiritual life including finding your root sin and the purgative, illuminating and unitive ways. Really good read.
December 2, 2020
Helpful at times
This book was helpful in a few things like finding your root sin or going back through your earlier life to discover your history of God. I found the book evaluations a bit cliché.
This book was helpful in a few things like finding your root sin or going back through your earlier life to discover your history of God. I found the book evaluations a bit cliché.
November 19, 2018
This book was very clear, super helpful, and I know I will refer back to it often.
July 7, 2019
This book was a great practical resource for getting my spiritual life in order. I highly recommend it.
March 13, 2020
Picked up this book at church and if you are interested spiritual direction this is your book!
September 24, 2020
A great book about Spiritual Direction. Very much like a workbook or a guide to how this should work. I recommend to anyone searching for a Catholic Spiritual Director. Very informative!
January 25, 2021
Excellent, practical, helpful guide to spiritual direction and the journey of growth in the spiritual life.
January 23, 2022
I am still reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2023
Great guide to help understand spiritual direction, the role of the director and directee. Dan really emphasized the importance of a spiritual director to help one navigate the interior life.
December 9, 2023
Read for a second time with my online study group
July 22, 2015
What is Spiritual Direction? Why do I need Spiritual Direction when I'm already growing in my faith? How do I know if I'm ready for it? How do I choose the right Spiritual Director? These are (or should be!) questions that anyone who is serious about discipleship will ask at some point in their journey. Unfortunately, helpful and sound answers to these questions are not easy to come by!
Dan Burke's "Navigating the Interior Life: Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God" is an invaluable resource for disciples of Christ who desire nothing short of total union with Him. This book is especially helpful for those who have reached the point in their spiritual journey where they really want to know the truth about themselves and how to deepen their relationship with God into one of great intimacy.
I especially appreciate the lengthy quotes from great primary sources (saints and classics on spiritual theology). A highly recommended read!
Dan Burke's "Navigating the Interior Life: Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God" is an invaluable resource for disciples of Christ who desire nothing short of total union with Him. This book is especially helpful for those who have reached the point in their spiritual journey where they really want to know the truth about themselves and how to deepen their relationship with God into one of great intimacy.
I especially appreciate the lengthy quotes from great primary sources (saints and classics on spiritual theology). A highly recommended read!
July 3, 2016
Simple but very instructional book on spiritual direction. Starting with describing the reason direction is imperative, it quickly moves to practical matters regarding how to find a suitable director, prepare for a meeting, follow through, and other things. The book wraps up with an outline of the stages of spirituality, leaning heavily on St. Teresa of Avila's The Interior Castle, including the quoting of one long passage. This section includes instructions for a decently thorough self-examination. Unlike many books I read, this one is actually already resulting in a change of behavior on my part.
July 2, 2014
Pretty good. I have been reading this off and on for about two months now and I FINALLY finished it today. Glad I did. It gave me a lot to think about and a lot to research and ponder and pray. I stumbled across this book last year when I was looking for a book on spiritual direction after a conversation with a friend and I'm glad I finally ended up buying it. I need to do another, slow read of the book later on because I know on this first read a LOT went over my head. But this book had a lot of resources and explanations and gave me good starting points so I'm happy I looked into it. It is what I need right now.
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