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Seeking Spiritual Direction: How to Grow the Divine Life Within

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SEEKING SPIRITUAL DIRECTION is a thorough-goingly Roman Catholic book that may be surprisingly accessible to non-Catholic Evangelicals (like myself).

Dubay fervently believes that contemplation (not voluntary "meditation" but divinely infused "contemplation") is the proper goal of every Christian, not just of an elite corps of mystics, but he is quite clear that the road to holiness is just as narrow as Jesus said it would be, and that few find it. He offers nothing like Spiritual Victory in 3 Easy Steps, but he does set out a notion of the spiritual life that is surprisingly orderly. From the Catholic tradition, he discerns that the Holy Spirit works in definite ways, and that spiritual direction involves helping the directee to remove impediments to the Spirit's work. I get the impression that Dubay is a humble person but knows his craft well and is entitled to confident judgments about these things. Reading his books gives me the strong feeling that there's more real "science" to this field than I would have supposed.

Dubay believes that having a spiritual director is critical for growth in Christ, but he acknowledges that finding a spiritual director (especially one competent by Dubay's rigorous standards) can be very difficult. He offers suggestions on how to find one (but the non-Catholic will probably find his suggestions unhelpful). Chapter 7 of the book is "Can I Direct Myself?", but Dubay forbids you to read this chapter out of order.

Dubay is a thoroughly orthodox Roman Catholic, and this fact shows in his emphasis of such points as: that spiritual direction is ecclesial, and must take place within the ministry of the Church; that sacramental confession is a necessary prerequisite to spiritual direction; and that spiritual growth requires obedience to the Church and docility to its Magisterium. Non-Catholic readers will have to consider whether it's really honest to make a non-Catholic use of his insights, given that the non-Catholic will resist some of what Dubay considers essential and non-negotiable. On the other hand, Dubay's writing is exceptionally accessible to Evangelicals, because his use and citation of the Bible is so frequent and overt. (Parenthetical Scripture references are sprinkled across every page.) His references to our Lord's mother are unmistakably Catholic but extremely modest (see pp. 58, 126, 183, 202-03, 254, 262, 264). (Mary is almost absent from FIRE WITHIN.) Dubay is critical of sensationalism, such as that associated with Marian apparitions. He doesn't mention Medjugorge, but one senses that's what's in mind when he bemoans "sincere people more interested in crossing an ocean to visit the place of an alleged apparition than in visiting the Blessed Sacrament in their parish church" (p. 156).

I have two criticisms of the book: First, that Dubay's editor failed him, and left in some apparently unintentional repetition; and second, that some chapters employ a question-and-answer format that I found off-putting. (Is the questioner fictitious (i.e., Dubay himself)? If so, the naivete of the questioner and his effective compliments to Dubay are odd.) However, these faults don't by any means overwhelm the book's prodigious good qualities.

I find SEEKING SPIRITUAL DIRECTION to be a very helpful and encouraging mix of the theoretical and the practical. As an example of the "practical" end of things, he has a chapter entitled "How can I continue to grow?" that lists and discusses 44 "conditions for genuine progress". Some of them are common-sensical and predictable ("Determination", "Single-mindedness"), while others would not have occurred to me ("Particular examen", "Renouncing trivialities"). As another example, the chapter "Discernment: Assessing my progress" lists and discusses 19 "signs of progress"; and again, some of the signs are familiar, but others are less so ("Pilgrim frugality", "Rejection by the world", "Absence of egocentrism").

I found especially thought-provoking Dubay's distinguishing between sinning, on the one hand, and, on the other, being tempted to sin. It's a distinction that I feel I have always known theoretically, but Dubay's specific comments on it were very illuminating. Maybe the Accuser has duped us into false guilt for non-sins, both to distract us from our real sins and to discourage us from striving for spiritual excellence.

I recommend this book to those interested in spiritual direction or, more generally, in spiritual growth.

Thomas Dubay has put together a comprehensive and practical guide for folks serious about their spiritual growth. Unlike many books written for those seeking advice in GIVING spiritual direction -- Fr. Dubay applies his many years of experience in giving spiritual guidance, in this book, to help those who are SEEKING spiritual guidance. The "question and answer" format that he uses throughout the book makes it very easy to read and understand. I highly recommend this book to anyone contemplating a deeper relationship with the Lord by way of Spiritual Direction.

Father Dubay's presentation, refreshing in its "gospel truth" rather than trendy psychology or New Age pablum, is a brilliant exposition of ascetic theology, flavoured with deep insight and a "working knowledge" of true Christian charity.

Father Dubay works from extensive experience, but his book is always solidly grounded on the Scriptures and the writings of the classic spiritual guides. He does not omit the "unpopular" notions (obedience, informed conscience, etc.) , and, relating them to the visions of Vatican II, makes it clear that the Church has never denied their vitality.

Those who are not Roman Catholic, or whose primary emphasis is not on fidelity to the magisterium, should not find Father Dubay's stress on such fidelity to be off-putting. Obedience, in some sense, is always integral to spiritual direction, and there are other aspects of his thought that are valuable to all which "hide" behind these passages. For example, in one illustration, Father Dubay speaks of how a director must be honest in pointing out that contraception or failure for religious to wear distinctive garb contradicts Vatican teachings. These examples may be troublesome to non-Catholics, yet the underlying point is universal: how spiritual directors must keep those in their care from self-deception or rationalising.

This is the "genuine article" - true ascetic theology. It is not a handbook for a weekend read that sets one to believing s/he has reached the heights of sanctity in a few days. My only regret is that it was not available twenty years earlier.

"Seeking Spiritual Direction: How to Grow the Divine Life Within" is a difficult book in the sense that it calls the reader to a full accounting of his or her life. Fr. Thomas Dubay writes for those "who wish to scale the heights, to leave mediocrity far behind." It is a challenge to face one's own sinfulness, to be reminded of just how far one needs to go to be holy. Yet, Dubay is correct that Jesus did not call us to a mediocre spirituality. He is also correct that Jesus (and Vatican II reconfirmed this) did not differentiate between those out in the world and those living a clerical life. All are called to holiness.

The specific topic of this book is how to find a competent spiritual director and what to do if a competent one cannot be found. The list of qualities Dubay wants to see in a spiritual director is quite exhaustive and one doubts how many people could actually meet all these expectations. The goal of spiritual direction, however, is clear: to help "the directee to love God with the whole heart, soul, and mind, and the neighbor as oneself." While acknowledging that there may be times when one will be without a human spiritual director, Dubay encourages people to have one whenever possible. When a spiritual director is not available, Dubay recommends reading scripture, following the example of the saints and adhering to Church teaching. He also suggests questioning a priest or other respected person if there is a particular problem one is faced with.

Part two of "Seeking Spiritual Direction" is arranged in a question and answer format which covers many of the concerns one might have regarding spiritual direction. Part three deals with assessing one's spiritual progress, a difficult task to be sure. A spiritual director provides an objective viewpoint and he or she may see faults in us that we have become blind to.

As someone who has had a spiritual director for the past three years and benefited greatly from it, I fear that this book may discourage some from beginning the process. That would be an unfortunate consequence. Anyone who feels that he or she would benefit from spiritual direction should seek it. The director and directee can then move on from there.

"Seeking Spiritual Direction" will make you feel uncomfortable, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It is good to be reminded that the way to holiness is difficult and that we are all works in progress. I wish Fr. Dubay could have seen his way to offering more hope for those who are attempting to travel the road, however, especially lay people. While it is definitely true that we are called to holiness just as those committed to religious life are, the way we get there involves different tools and different challenges. This book is for those very serious about perfecting their spiritual lives.

Spiritual direction is complex and sensitive. This author provides much clarity about the nature of spiritual direction, differentiating it from psychotherapy quite clearly. More than this, the book provides guidance in the need for direction and how to find someone who can meet the individual's needs. After reading this book, I wrote the author a note because I was so grateful for his wisdom.

This is an immensely practical and thorough guide for anyone seriously seeking spiritual direction. The advice given will help you determine who would be a good match for you as a spiritual director. It also covers quite thoroughly the tendency to be our own guiding light and how to watch out for that tendency when seeking a spiritual director. There are several sections with handy question/answer format to quickly give the reader a grasp of the intent of spiritual direction and the benefits/demands this discipline entails. A good place to start when counting the cost of being a disciple.

Father Thomas Dubay, a Catholic Marist Priest, has a magnificent mind. I bought and read this book when I was trying to find a spiritual director and as is discussed in this book, Spiritual Directors are not that easy to find. I was seeking Spiritual Direction, but, as the song goes, "I was looking for love in all the wrong places". Discernment is a long process and discernment helps us work through whether or not we seek Spiritual Direction and if we do, how do we find a Spiritual Director and what can we do while we are looking for one? I ultimately did find a Spiritual Director, but, alas, he was an itinerant Franciscan priest and I could only see him when he was passing through my remote geographical area. Then, I moved out of the area totally and he was re-assigned to South America simultaneously. So, even if one does find a Spiritual Director, due to demands on everyone in the Church, that Direction may prove to only be temporary, especially if one discerns that they desire their Spiritual Director to be a priest. Of course, a Spiritual Director does not necessarily have to be a priest. But, being choosy in selecting a Spiritual Director seems important and so if you do want to go down that road, read this book.

I heard about this book on EWTN Global Catholic Radio and was so excited to read it. But it's been about a year or two that I've had this book and still can't finish it. This is atypical for me with respect to books of a Catholic spiritual nature which I usually devour. The type is archaic and small, the question and answer format of the book seems limiting or reader-unfriendly, and reading this has been an absolute struggle. But if you can soldier on through all of this, the information is very valuable stuff that you won't hear elsewhere but with difficulty, because in these modern times, spiritual directors themselves don't necessarily open up so much about the pros and cons and discreet aspects of their work like this book describes.

This is a very helpful book on spiritual direction and it does get into specifics. I've looked for a long time for a book with some meat and this is it.

I love this book. Fr. Dubay shows you not only what to look for in a Spiritual Director, but really guides you in deepening your prayer life, whether you find a director or not. The section on Contemplative prayer, what it is, and how to open your heart and mind to receive this gift from God, is excellent. Contemplative prayer is a gift from the Lord and is not the result of a technique or "emptying of the mind" which St. Theresa of Avila, master of Contemplative prayer, decries as ludicrous. Fr. Dubay shows you what you need to do to prepare yourself to accept this Gift.

The most valuable part of the book for me are the sections entitled "How Can I Continue to Grow" and "Discernment: Assessing My Progress". These sections really help guide you in your spiritual life and would be valuable for everyone who wants to grow in their relationship with the Lord.

As a complement to this book, I highly recommend Fr. Dubay's Prayer Primer : Igniting a Fire Within which is excellent for beginners and all those who want to deepen their prayer life and then Fire Within: St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and the Gospel-On Prayer to learn the stages of prayer. You cannot go wrong with these resources which will help guide you your whole life.