Spiritual Direction: Wisdom for the Long Walk of Faith [Hardcover]

Henri J. M. Nouwen (Author), Michael J. Christensen (Author), Rebecca J. Laird (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 23, 2006

Spiritual Direction gives us the unique and unrivaled experience of having Henri Nouwen as our personal spiritual director, answering our questions about the spiritual life in his wise, comfortable, and engaging style. With Nouwen's guidance, we can reorient our lives and open the door to true spiritual transformation.

Henri Nouwen, the world-renowned spiritual guide and counselor, understood the spiritual life as a journey of faith and transformation that is deepened by accountability, community, and relationships. Though he counseled many people during his lifetime, his principles of spiritual direction were never written down. Now two of his longtime students, Michael Christensen and Rebecca Laird, have taken his famous course in spiritual direction and supplemented it with his unpublished writings to create the definitive work on Nouwen's thoughts on the Christian life. Stories, readings, and thematically organized questions for reflection and guided journal writing provide an unparalleled resource for spiritual direction, both for individuals and for small groups.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. It's a little jarring to see a new book from an author who's been dead for 10 years. Yet these clearly are the words and teachings of Nouwen, prepared by two people close to him when he was alive (Rebecca Laird and Michael Christensen). Much like Nouwen's Making All Things New, this is by a spiritual master for everyday people longing to be closer to God. It is not about how to become a spiritual friend, mentor or director, but focuses on ways individuals can find their spiritual direction in the broadest possible sense. Although there is an essay on what a spiritual director does, there is much more about how to pray, practice solitude and overcome the fears that keep us from knowing ourselves as God's beloved. Many Christians who struggle with the image of a punishing God will appreciate the section on becoming attentive to and working with our image of God. Following each chapter there is a recommended spiritual practice and questions to ponder. This is a brilliant addition to Nouwen's canon of work as a writer and will enrich both longtime Nouwen fans and newcomers to his wisdom. (June)
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Review

“Read this book and you will understand why I chose Henri Nouwen as a companion on my own spiritual journey.” (Bill Moyers )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st edition (May 23, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060754737
• ISBN-13: 978-0060754730
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 0.9 x 8.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,407 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Henri Nouwen was born in Holland in 1932 and ordained a Catholic priest in 1957. He obtained his doctorandus in psychology from Nijmegen University in The Netherlands and taught at Notre Dame, Yale, and Harvard. He experienced the monastic life with Trappist monks at the Abbey of the Genesee, lived among the poor in Latin America with the Maryknoll missioners, and was interested and active in numerous causes related to social justice. After a lifetime of seeking, Henri Nouwen finally found his home in Canada, as pastor of L'Arche Daybreak - where people with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers live together in community.

Henri Nouwen wrote over 40 books on spirituality and the spiritual life that have sold millions of copies and been translated into dozens of languages. His vision of spirituality was broad and inclusive, and his compassion embraced all of humankind.

He died in 1996. His work and his spirit live on.

Henri Nouwen pronounced his name "Henry Now-en." For more information on his life and work, please visit www.henrinouwen.org .

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#61 in Books > Religion & Spirituality

#61 in Books > Religion & Spirituality

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 60 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear, Focused, Practical, and Thoughtful -- One of Nouwen's Best July 6, 2006

By R. Miller

Format:Hardcover

This is one of the best books on spiritual direction that I have read -- and I have read many. It is clear, focused, practical, and thoughtful. It is good as a starting point for one wanting to learn about spiritual direction -- and it is good as a resource to re-focus one's spiritual journey. Each chapter contains both Henri Nouwen's wonderful insights and "spiritual exercises" for going deeper. The editors have done a masterful job of preparing Henri Nouwen's writings for publication. I recommend this book very highly.

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Henri Nouwen's Contribution To Spiritual Direction September 16, 2006

By Timothy Kearney VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Henri Nouwen was a great promoter of the practice of spiritual direction, but he never wrote a book on the subject. This is surprising since he wrote a wide array of books on just about any given subject in the Christian spiritual quest. He did write a number of articles on the subject, and there are a number of unpublished article and writings pertaining to the subject. Two close friends and associates of Nouwen, Michael Christensen and Rebecca Laird have compiled these writings into a book that is entirely Nouwen's writings (without commentary) and could just be the book Nouwen would have written if he had approached the subject.

While the book is meant to be an introduction to spiritual direction for a person interested in the subject, Nouwen's rich writing and his ability to speak to the heart will make this book a treasure for any reader. The book covers the basic topics that any book on spiritual direction should include. It begins with life's basic questions, looking at direction in life, the quest for God, and prayer. While the book is ecumenical in approach, Nouwen is indebted his roots in the Roman Catholic tradition. He does not mention different spiritual traditions specifically, e.g. Jesuit, Trappist, or Carmelite, but readers familiar with these approaches will see glimpses of each as well as Nouwen's unique ability to include the longing and goodness of humanity in general as a way of approaching God.

For most of Christian history, spiritual direction was practiced almost exclusively by clergy and religious, and more often than not, the spiritual director was the person's confessor. It was not the domain of most members of the laity and from what I understand, it was all but non-existent in Christian traditions outside of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions. Nouwen was one of the early proponents of making this practice available to anyone who desires it. The book will not only be enriching for readers but will be an important resource in years to come.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Spiritual Direction: Wisdom for the Long Walk of Faith March 31, 2007

By Anne H. Duffy

Format:Hardcover

Even though I have not entirely finished this book--it is designed to be a slow read--Henri Nouwen is a strong, gentle hand leading the way. His questions to the reader provide an opening into one's own soul and allows it to grow. He is making my "Long Walk" a most pleasant one and I am so excited and anxious to see where my walk will take me.