Kything: The Art of Spiritual Presence

by Louis M. Savary, Patricia H. Berne

Introduces and explains the communion skill of kything, a spirit-to-spirit loving presence which can bring about a deep sense of peace and communication.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished reading this book as my husband drove us north towards our Mini-Vacation in North Arkansas. I wish I could say that I enjoyed this book about Spiritual Presence, but I found it was much more New-Age than I like my Spiritual books to be.

Essentially, the book promotes and encourages the concept of "kything", or of being in a conscious state of Spiritual Communion with someone else. To do this (always in a spirit of love), one first must get centered; one then focuses on the Other (another person, God, a geranium, one's dead grandfather, Stephen Hawking), and, one then establishes Connection or Union.

I do not doubt that there is a spiritual world all around us, not accessible by one's five senses (or four senses, in my case, since I'm anosmic, with no sense of smell), but I object to establishing connection or union with people or entities who cannot be contacted through normal channels. Or, to put it differently, just how can one be sure that one has contacted one's target in kything? Just because one thinks or feels that one has established communion or union with some other entity is no assurance that one has actually done so.

While this book provided good information about centering one's soul, I found the wish-fufillment potential of kything not ever addressed, and so I really did not enjoy this book. (Take that, all those who wondered if I love all the books I read. Perhaps I should have tried to kythe with the book itself.)

[Apryl Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I wouldn't consider this a life-changing read, the concepts presented are changing my life. Simply holding this 2nd-hand edition carried me back to 1988. The typeface is iconically New Age, which challenged my perception of what I believe spirituality—namely Christianity—ought to be. Twenty-two-year old me wouldn't have ventured inside these covers for the fear of what I might catch. Praise our Lord of expansive growth, I can laugh and trust that 30 years of meditating on Scripture has done heaps for my discernment. This is a book to encourage intimacy of souls, even beyond time and space. I can see why our dear aunt Madie (L'Engle) would endorse it, "for people who are willing to open themselves in love." Our spirits weren't created to be caged. Flight takes practice and an ultimate trust on the wind beneath our wings. We may be broken, but we needn't remain crushed. In my case, Vincent van Gogh hasn't finished speaking. I hope that I might continue his communications, and now I have new tools for receptivity.

[Scotty Marinara · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was an interesting book i decided to read it because this week i start death doula training and its in the right wheelhouse i was shocked that kything is an old word i thought madelaine l'engle made it up its really neat not crunchy woo woo give it a shot if it interests you!

[Lori Neff · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea. More woo-woo than I had hoped it would be.

[Kristie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason I picked up this book was because my favorite author, Madeleine L'Engle, had a quote on the cover. Good decision on my part. Such a beautiful book! I'm sure I will re-read and reference it often in the future.

[Steve · Rating 1 out of 5]

More bullshit. Concentrate hard and you can communicate with animals.

[Anne · Rating 1 out of 5]

The concept is interesting but the writing is rather bogs it down.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

For me this was an introduction to healing touch - even though healing touch is separate.

I liked the concept of spiritual presence and read this book to explore what that was and how it played out.