Margaret Guenther begins with a disclosure – “This is a book by an amateur, written for amateurs.” 1 However, Guenther considers her amateur status to be an advantage in the realm of spiritual direction. It allows her to get out of the way so that the Holy Spirit can do the heavy lifting of spiritual direction. It is an appropriate starting place, and the rest of her writing is equally profound and humble in spirit.
Why Spiritual Direction?
We live in a fast-paced, frenzied world. We are taught to be independent, self-reliant, and goal oriented. We are taught to climb the ladder of success as fast as we can. We are pointed in a general direction, but never really given a map to guide us. What happens when we lose our independence? What do we do when we find ourselves unable to cope alone? Where do we turn when we reach our goals and find them empty? What happens when we get to the top of the ladder only to discover that it is leaning against the wrong wall?
One very significant answer to this dilemma is to enter into the world of spiritual direction. Spiritual direction gives you guidance for the journey. It fine tunes your internal compass. It creates space for you to find rest and refreshment along the way. It gives you time to hear your own voice. It centers you on your identity as a child of God. Spiritual direction is formative. Starting with the understanding that you will be shaped by something – the work of spiritual direction gives God the space to do the shaping.
Spiritual direction is not psychology or professional counseling. It is an act of shepherding. Guenther views the work of spiritual formation through the eyes of the spiritual director – the person who guides you through your journey with God. She views this work through the prism of the three primary roles of the Spiritual Director – host, teacher, and midwife.
The Host
As host, the spiritual director’s primary task is to create a safe and welcoming space. There is a physical aspect to this, as well as emotional. You are on a long journey and need a place to land – a place where you find hospitality. A clean and fresh and safe place to rest from the noise and dangers of the road. Guenther goes into considerable detail in how to construct this place of hospitality.
“The spiritual director is a host who gives to her guests, the bestower of guest-friendship. She is a host in the truest and deepest sense, reflecting the abundant hospitality shown by the host at the heavenly banquet.” 2
The Teacher
The spiritual director is also a teacher. But, not in the conventional sense. This role is more of a teacher-facilitator, who is both learner and teacher leading a person to find discernment. Always perceiving, sometimes questioning, other times affirming – the teacher works to uncover what God is doing. Guenther describes the attributes of the good teacher based on the life of Jesus. The good teacher is there for the student, learning and working alongside the student, and above all, always seeking the truth. The teacher loves the truth.
To know the truth, then, is to allow one’s self to be known. This is the truth that became incarnate in Jesus Christ, a truth known, not in abstraction, but in relationship.” 3
The Mid-Wife
The work of mid-wife is the hardest to describe. It is the work of gently helping someone give birth to something new – something that needed to come out. Guenther describes the work of the mid-wife as a beautiful and natural probing and nurturing process that is liberating.
Most people are wounded. Life is challenging. Our struggles are real. There is a natural tendency to bury the pain and move on. But, with care, new life can be birthed from the pain. Some come to spiritual direction because they recognize that there is something in them that needs to come out, and they are frightened and confused by the process. But a spiritual director can help allay the fear and work through the confusion.
The midwife is present to another in a time of vulnerability, working in areas that are deep and intimate. It is a relationship of trust and mutual respect.” 4
Conclusion
Margaret Guenther does a good job of describing the important work of spiritual direction. It is a powerful and essential part of the Christian journey. The Christian life was never meant to be lived alone. The hard and rewarding work of “Holy Listening,” is something I recommend.
About the Author
Margaret Guenther was an Episcopal priest at The Church of the Holy Trinity in New York City, and professor of Ascetical Theology at the General Theological Seminary. For many years she was also the Director of the Center for Christian Spirituality. She died in 2016.
Resources
NOTE: I make NO money from these book reviews or recommendations.
You can order Holy Listening by Margaret Guenther HERE
Other works that are equally helpful for the work of Spiritual Direction:
A Handbook for Spiritual Directors: An Ignatian Guide for Accompanying Discernment of God’s Will by Timothy Gallagher
Desiring God’s Will: Aligning Our Hearts with the Heart of God by David G. Benner and Thomas H. Green
Spiritual Direction: Wisdom for the Long Walk of Faith by Henri Nouwen
