Starting Spiritual Direction: A Guide to Getting Ready, Feeling Safe, and Getting the Most Out of Your Sessions

by John R. Mabry

Are you about to start spiritual direction? Would you like to know how to get the most out of your sessions? In Spiritual direction, two or more seekers enter sacred space to dream, explore, and discern a path toward personal wholeness and deeper intimacy with the Divine. This book is written specifically for new clients--sometimes called directees. In it you will find everything you need to know before stepping into a spiritual direction session for the first time. By the time you finish it, you will have a good grasp on what this ministry is about, what a typical session is like, what you can expect from your spiritual director, and how to make the best use of your time.

Genres: Spirituality

108 pages, Hardcover

Published November 20, 2017

About the author

I've been writing ever since the third grade, when I produced my first short story. I am a United Church of Christ pastor, and teach world religions and spiritual direction at the Chaplaincy Institute (an interfaith seminary in Berkeley, CA). I also sing for two progressive rock bands, Mind Furniture and Metaphor. My wife Lisa Fullam and I live in Oakland with our two lovely dogs Judy and Sally. I don't write heavy, academic books. I write books for regular folk like you and me who want to explore their spirituality and get closer to God. In my fiction, I want to show people of faith as they actually are—screwed up, insecure, and often bumbling—but still usually trying to do the right thing.

Reviews

[Adam Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Basic introduction to the concept of Spiritual Direction and what to expect before you get started as a spiritual director.

I am not completely sure how I picked up a copy of this. I think maybe it was a giveaway from the author. I don't think I agreed to review it. But as I was glancing through my books looking for something else, I found a copy of the PDF and I quickly read through it last week. I am one three-page paper short of finishing my certification as a spiritual director, so I am interested in how different people present the concept.

Most protestants are not real familiar with the concept. Generally, I say it is a form of discipleship. Loosely connected to the early desert fathers and how older monks led younger monks into the work of being contemplative once the monastic system was more established. Generally, most Catholic and Episcopal/Anglican priests are required to have a spiritual director. This is someone that helps pay attention to spiritual matters. Post-Vatian II, there arose a new emphasis on spiritual direction and more attention to spiritual direction for laypeople.

I was trained in spiritual direction through an Ignatian stream of spiritual direction. Ignatius wrote the Spiritual Exercises, which was designed originally as a 30-day retreat for people to grow closer to God, often as part of a process of discerning a vocation. I think the best simple definition that I have commonly heard is that spiritual direction is a regular relationship with someone that helps to serve as a second set of ears to hear God's direction for your life.

John Mabry is a United Church of Christ pastor and spiritual director. There are a number of streams of spiritual direction, some are more 'directive' than others. But most programs today lean towards a non-directive spiritual direction, which is how this orientation toward spiritual direction is designed. Mabry using the word 'client' instead of directee throughout the book because of his orientation toward non-directive spiritual direction. But I think the term, while more familiar, introduces a connection to psychology and social work. Mabry does clarify how it is different from psychology or social work, but that connection is one reason why I am resistant to the term client. I also think it is worth pointing out that while I call myself a spiritual director, as does Mabry, the work of spiritual direction is the work of God and the Holy Spirit. My work is listening, God's work is direction and guidance.

Overall I think this is a very helpful introduction. It is brief. I read it in less than 2 hours. The audiobook is only 3 hours. In some ways, I think it may be too long for many that want to explore the idea more casually. But there is room for a 1 page, a 10 page, and a 100-page introduction to spiritual direction. I haven't found a 1 and 10-page version I really like yet, but there are advantages to each type. I do wish this were a bit cheaper. Right now it is $10 for either the kindle or audiobook version, which is a bit high for 100 pages. I would recommend it a lot more if it were $4-5 range.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've never heard of spiritual direction, this book makes the case for including the practice in your life. If you receive a piritual direction, it might help clarify the "what should I say and do" question. I don't "agree" with every single opinion in the book, but I see value in considering them anyway. The book is short and conversational in tone, so it should be possible for anyone to at least peruse before beginning spiritual direction.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, short primer to what spiritual direction is and is not. Will recommend to those curious about spiritual direction and to other directors.

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great overview of what spiritual direction should look like.

This would be a great book to use as a basic guide for explaining what spiritual direction is to someone who is new in seeking direction. While you may not give them a full book to read, you may consider using it as a basic guide for your 1st session. This is also a great book for those who are training for spiritual direction. It is a good summary of what spiritual direction is and some of the tools that can and should be used by a director. Sometimes training is both slow and broad. It is easy to get lost in the details. This book helps pull all the basics together into one condensed place.

[Jennifer Ingrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

To the point. Very useful for someone who has no experience with spiritual direction or psychotherapy.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated this book for its general overview of spiritual direction, as well as the way in which the author lays out in simple, straight-forward prose what one can expect and be wary of when embarking upon this journey. The ethics code in the back was a helpful addition. I did appreciate his sensitivity to the diversity of religious and spiritual traditions by being utterly non-proscriptive. There were times reading the book when questions emerged for me as to whether he was being overly general or too caughtious, though by the same token I would much prefer someone be overly caughtious than not at all. It was useful to see a list of potential topics for conversation between the spiritual companion/mentor/director and client, though that list could have been expanded further. No mention was made, for instance, of the role of text study as a spiritual practice and intimate encounter with the Holy One which is true in Judaism and can play a significant role in mashpiah work. I walked away having read the book feeling both gratitude for the guide as well as a bit of trepidation and uncertainty. I would recommend this book to anyone beginning or wondering whether spiritual direction/companionship is right for them, and I would further advise that they supplement the work with conversations both with their spiritual director/mentor and perhaps others in their larger network (if relevant).

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a GREAT book if you are considering starting spiritual direction (as a directee) OR if you have been doing spiritual direction for a while. It is a great introduction to what to expect in spiritual direction. It gives a background of spiritual direction, discusses the different types of trainings that spiritual directors, and offers suggestions for how to approach spiritual direction. The author also writes in a very accessible and conversational way. I highly recommend this book.

[Trey Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really helpful book told from the perspective of the Spiritual Director instead of the Directee. I believe this would be helpful to anyone wishing to embark on the journey of becoming a Spiritual Director.

[Gretchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, basic read to prep for spiritual direction. It made me start thinking and is very welcoming.