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Learned, Experienced, and Discerning: St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross on Spiritual Direction
The Christian life is a grand journey. And like any pilgrimage along unfamiliar roads, we can benefit from having experienced guides and trustworthy companions along the way.
Through their classic spiritual texts, Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross offer valuable maps of tried paths along the way. At the same time, they were both experienced and sought-after spiritual companions for many others. Their timeless insights into the qualities that should mark a good spiritual director—learned, experienced, and discerning—are the fruit of their own prayer, reflection, and rich personal experience as guides and as people guided by others.
Through their classic spiritual texts, Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross offer valuable maps of tried paths along the way. At the same time, they were both experienced and sought-after spiritual companions for many others. Their timeless insights into the qualities that should mark a good spiritual director—learned, experienced, and discerning—are the fruit of their own prayer, reflection, and rich personal experience as guides and as people guided by others.
- GenresSpirituality
184 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 21, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 29, 2020
As a spiritual director I found this book educational, engaging and thought provoking. These are some of my review thoughts.
GENERAL PROGRESSION OF MATURING PRAYER
Of special concern is the need for the director to have a solid knowledge of the general progression of maturing prayer. P.140 This statement reminded me of the stages of prayer of Teresa: Watering a garden: 1) drop bucket into a well, lots of work, little water; 2) use a crank with the bucket attached by a rope, less work, more water; 3) Divert a stream, even less work, much more water; 5) wait and accept the rain.
She (Teresa) leads her reader through the seven dwelling places of the Interior Castle…there are many rooms in each of these dwellings—signaling, that not everyone’s experience will be the same. P.79 Of particular importance to John are the transitions that can mark the deepening spiritual life…p. 112 …not a one-size-fits all plan..p.152 These statements had me recalling Kubler Ross’ Stages of dying: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. Ross makes a point to tell us that these stages do not happen in any particular order. They also made me wonder if prayer follows successive stages.
DISTINCTIVE NATURE OF EACH PERSON’S JOURNEY.
(John of the Cross and Teresa) “were both aware of the inescapably distinctive nature of each person’s journey.” P.29 Clearly, whatever help a spiritual companion might offer must attend to the particular vocation and actual life situation of the individual person. P.77
The Christian journey that she (Teresa) is laying out for her readers is not simply about prayer but about living, relating to others, and being transformed through prayer, which she defines foundationally as a relationship of friendship with God. P.78 “God doesn’t lead all by one path.” P.79 …the Christian life is more than prayer—as must be the spiritual guidance that supports it.p.87 All of her (Teresa’s) works reveal her active involvement in and concern for relationships, ordinary daily activities, and the broader common life of her nuns. She famously advised her nuns that”the Lord walks among the pots and pans.” P.88 …the active and the contemplative dimensions of our Christian journey—must walk hand-in-hand., each of us according to our distinctive calling.p.89 …not a one-size-fits all plan..p.152 I found myself wondering if the “more than prayer” for John and Teresa moved in the direction of the Center for Action and Contemplation?
This is one of my favorite quotes in the book: “…learned men teach and enlighten us who know little; and, when brought before the truth of Sacred Scripture, we do what we ought. May God deliver us from foolish devotions.”p 51
SOME RANDOM COMMENTS
On page 137 the author writes: In the light of John ‘s teaching on the qualities of a good spiritual guide, “it is not difficult to apply to directors the same challenge he offers to preachers.” My experience in the Catholic Church is that most preaching is lamentable. Further on in the book, page 155, the author in the section, “The Director as Learned” states: “Becoming “learned” for a spiritual guide of today, of course, is not a one time accomplishment but an ongoing journey and there is …the need for continuing education and reading. I believe the lack of this partially accounts for the poor preaching.
There are many more helpful and challenging suggestions in this book. Much is packed into 162 pages.
GENERAL PROGRESSION OF MATURING PRAYER
Of special concern is the need for the director to have a solid knowledge of the general progression of maturing prayer. P.140 This statement reminded me of the stages of prayer of Teresa: Watering a garden: 1) drop bucket into a well, lots of work, little water; 2) use a crank with the bucket attached by a rope, less work, more water; 3) Divert a stream, even less work, much more water; 5) wait and accept the rain.
She (Teresa) leads her reader through the seven dwelling places of the Interior Castle…there are many rooms in each of these dwellings—signaling, that not everyone’s experience will be the same. P.79 Of particular importance to John are the transitions that can mark the deepening spiritual life…p. 112 …not a one-size-fits all plan..p.152 These statements had me recalling Kubler Ross’ Stages of dying: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. Ross makes a point to tell us that these stages do not happen in any particular order. They also made me wonder if prayer follows successive stages.
DISTINCTIVE NATURE OF EACH PERSON’S JOURNEY.
(John of the Cross and Teresa) “were both aware of the inescapably distinctive nature of each person’s journey.” P.29 Clearly, whatever help a spiritual companion might offer must attend to the particular vocation and actual life situation of the individual person. P.77
The Christian journey that she (Teresa) is laying out for her readers is not simply about prayer but about living, relating to others, and being transformed through prayer, which she defines foundationally as a relationship of friendship with God. P.78 “God doesn’t lead all by one path.” P.79 …the Christian life is more than prayer—as must be the spiritual guidance that supports it.p.87 All of her (Teresa’s) works reveal her active involvement in and concern for relationships, ordinary daily activities, and the broader common life of her nuns. She famously advised her nuns that”the Lord walks among the pots and pans.” P.88 …the active and the contemplative dimensions of our Christian journey—must walk hand-in-hand., each of us according to our distinctive calling.p.89 …not a one-size-fits all plan..p.152 I found myself wondering if the “more than prayer” for John and Teresa moved in the direction of the Center for Action and Contemplation?
This is one of my favorite quotes in the book: “…learned men teach and enlighten us who know little; and, when brought before the truth of Sacred Scripture, we do what we ought. May God deliver us from foolish devotions.”p 51
SOME RANDOM COMMENTS
On page 137 the author writes: In the light of John ‘s teaching on the qualities of a good spiritual guide, “it is not difficult to apply to directors the same challenge he offers to preachers.” My experience in the Catholic Church is that most preaching is lamentable. Further on in the book, page 155, the author in the section, “The Director as Learned” states: “Becoming “learned” for a spiritual guide of today, of course, is not a one time accomplishment but an ongoing journey and there is …the need for continuing education and reading. I believe the lack of this partially accounts for the poor preaching.
There are many more helpful and challenging suggestions in this book. Much is packed into 162 pages.
October 19, 2020
Learning from mystic masters
Gleanings from two Christian mystic-masters of a former age. O'Keefe concludes that both their ministries in spiritual direction were always viewed as secondary to the primary director, the Holy Spirit. O'Keefe allows other writers to define spiritual direction with my favourite being that of Gordon T. Smith. O'Keefe mentions the protestant tradition parallel being "discipleship" or "shepherding' but does leaves it there.
Gleanings from two Christian mystic-masters of a former age. O'Keefe concludes that both their ministries in spiritual direction were always viewed as secondary to the primary director, the Holy Spirit. O'Keefe allows other writers to define spiritual direction with my favourite being that of Gordon T. Smith. O'Keefe mentions the protestant tradition parallel being "discipleship" or "shepherding' but does leaves it there.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews