Noticing the Divine: An Introduction to Interfaith Spiritual Guidance (Spiritual Directors International) (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

An essential textbook for beginning spiritual directors, Noticing the Divine utilizes wisdom from the religions of the world to teach the basic skills needed to offer spiritual direction to people of all traditions. It introduces the foundational concepts and techniques needed to responsibly and professionally practice the art of spiritual guidance.

Among the religious traditions covered are Judaism, Christianity, Taoism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.

About the Author

John Mabry teaches spiritual direction, world religions, and interfaith theology. He holds a masters in creation spirituality and a doctorate in world religions. A former editor of Presence, the journal of Spiritual Directors International, he is co-pastor of a parish in California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 182 pages
• Publisher: Morehouse Publishing (March 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0819222380
• ISBN-13: 978-0819222381
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #143,872 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For prospective and practicing pastors, chaplains, and spiritual counselors., June 8, 2007

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Written by interfaith theology teacher John R. Mabry, Noticing the Divine: An Introduction to Interfaith Spiritual Guidance is a simple text of wisdom garnered from religions across the world, including Judaism, Christianity, Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, Zoroastrianism, Sikhism, Hinduism, native traditions, and humanism ("the sacredness of the mundane"). Each chapter tackles a different belief system's gift to spiritual thought; the appendices include guidelines for ethical conduct among spiritual directors, a spiritual guidance statement of policy. "Doing spiritual guidance is an exercise in humility. First, we must empty ourselves of the notion that we know what we are doing. We do our best work when we do not have an agenda. Once we feel we have our clients all figured out and know exactly what is 'wrong' with them and how to fix it, or how to 'get them' from point A to point B, then we might as well hang it up and go into some other business, because we are not going to be any help to the Divine - or our clients." Highly recommended for anyone seeking spiritual guidance for himself or herself, as well as for prospective and practicing pastors, chaplains, and spiritual counselors.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reviewed by Kathryn Madden, CND, April 21, 2008

By	Spiritual Directors International "Spiritual ... (Seattle, Washington) - See all my reviews

John R. Mabry draws his readers into Noticing the Divine through an invitation "to embrace the Divinity that is the inheritance of every people, regardless of the clothes in which they dress it" (p. 158). This textbook on spiritual guidance, written from a specifically interfaith perspective, is intended for beginning spiritual directors preparing to sit with others of diverse traditions. With refreshing depth and simplicity, Mabry surveys a wide variety of religious traditions including Judaism, Christianity, Taoism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. He makes a distinctive contribution to the ministry of spiritual guidance by creatively and practically highlighting how "each religion has a special gift to bestow on those who are learning the art" (p. vi). Seasoned spiritual directors will be intrigued to discover how to put on the garb of humility in allowing other traditions to inform their spiritual direction practice and live as pilgrims on a planet wracked by sectarian divisions. For example, the Hindu sense of the divinity permeating all of the created order can inspire us to regard every aspect of a directee's life as salty with divine presence. The Muslim practice of stopping
to bow down in prayer five times a day can remind us to ponder: "How do I get my ego out of the way so that the Divine can truly shine through me?" (p. 129) Mabry suggests that "just as some Christians believe that Jesus took upon himself the sins of humanity, we can offer to carry half of the psychological and moral burdens of our clients, if they will allow us to do so" (pp.121-122). In this unique form of metaphysical exchange, the cost and discomfort of taking on another's burden of fear or suffering are real for the guide but are mitigated through Jesus' wisdom that "all burdens are light when they are not our own" (p. 122). Out of the ethical richness of Judaism, Mabry extracts how, just as the Torah provided safety for the covenanted people of Israel, the ministry of spiritual guidance calls those practicing it to a covenant of self-care, care for one's clients, and relationship to one's colleagues. In this, he breathes life into the Spiritual Directors International Guidelines for Ethical Conduct as a "ten commandments" (p. 66) for the spiritual direction community.
This book is splattered with keepsake anecdotes of practical wisdom. In one place, Mabry describes helping a woman come to a more mature and benevolent image of God by saying, "I have a suggestion. Why don't you fire your old god and hire this new one?" (p. 40). Another gem comes from a beginning spiritual director who sincerely tries "to speak only when spoken through" (p. 133). In addition to exploring the risks and benefits of sitting with others -- with our feet in our own tradition or engaging
with them in their traditions or in a more universal place
-- Mabry eclectically offers us a fascinating array of fresh insights and solid tools. 

Kathryn Madden, CND, completed spiritual direction
training at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska,
USA, and at the Center for Religious Development in
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Noticing the Divine, December 1, 2008

By	Khadijah Matin - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Extremely valuable and well written resource not only for the spiritual counselor, but any one who may find themselves in the position of counselor, guide or advisor. Offers creative and insightful picture of different religions and makes serving as an interspiritual counselor possible.