Description
Book SynopsisWhen it comes time to make important decisions in our lives, it is very human to want to feel that the decisions we are making are good. When we approach decision-making as a spiritual practice, we are recognising that we need the aid of the wise and loving Spirit whose Light exceeds our own. This is the practice of spiritual discernment, the traditional religious name for listening and attending to God's guidance. While traditional religious language speaks of finding "God's will," the approach in this book is that we are active participants, co-creators with the Divine in shaping our lives. Drawing on twenty-five years of experience as a psychologist and fifteen years of experience as a spiritual director, Nancy Bieber presents three essential aspects of Spirit-led decision-making: Willingness - being open to God's wisdom and love; Attentiveness - noticing what is true, discerning the path right for us; Responsiveness - taking steps forward as the way becomes clear. With gentle encouragement, Bieber shows us how to weave these themes together so that they strengthen our decision-making process and help us find our path. Each chapter is enriched by detailed and practical spiritual exercises, which serve as tools for our process of decision-making. An appendix includes a guide for using this book in groups, with reading assignments, practices and meditations for each session.
Trade Review"Prayerfully and skillfully facilitates the readers' recognition of 'truths (they) already know ... hidden anywhere in life,' thus opening us to the heart of discernment as the process of living the values of our lives." —Rose Mary Dougherty, SSND, author, Discernment: A Path to Spiritual Awakening; codirector, Companioning the Dying: Opening Fully to Living "Weaves practical insights for cultivating discernment with page-turning stories and repeatable practices. [It] will create ... healthy decisions that are the ripe fruit of ongoing practices for discernment." —Kent Ira Groff, founding mentor, Oasis Ministries; author, What Would I Believe If I Didn’t Believe Anything? and Facing East, Praying West “A brilliant lead and many lessons.” —Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, founder, Center for Action and Contemplation; author, The Naked Now: Learning to See as the Mystics See “Compelling and beneficial … filled with insight and wisdom, as well as practical practices in discernment. This is a volume you’ll return to often.” —J. Brent Bill, Quaker minister, retreat leader and photographer; author, Sacred Compass: The Way of Spiritual Discernment “Offers readers clarity and practical tools—just what we yearn for when facing uncertainty and change…. It will reassure those seeking to understand their own experience of being led by the Spirit.” —Eileen Flanagan, author, The Wisdom to Know the Difference: When to Make a Change—and When to Let Go “Balancing self and other, honoring self and other, embracing self and other is a great challenge for many of us. [This book] helps us take up that challenge in a manner that moves us further along the path of godliness. Read this book. And, more importantly, practice its method.” —Rabbi Rami Shapiro, translator and annotator, Ecclesiastes: Annotated & Explained; author, The Sacred Art of Lovingkindness: Preparing to Practice “I loved this! A priceless book for living a spiritually centered life. User-friendly and reassuring … the practices offer gentle guidance for making any decision, large or small. A must have for everyone on a spiritual path as well as anyone supporting that journey.” —Kay Lindahl, author, The Sacred Art of Listening: Forty Reflections for Cultivating a Spiritual Practice; founder, The Listening Center
Table of ContentsIntroduction: Making a Start 1 PART I Willingness 1 Opening with a "Yes" 15 2 Facing Our Fears 31 PART II Attentiveness 3 Surveying the Situation 49 4 Listening to the Inner Self 65 5 Noticing God's Nudges 81 6 The Habit of Attentiveness 95 PART III Responsiveness 7 Testing Our Decisions 115 8 Step by Step 131 9 When We Have to Wait 147 10 The Harvest of Discernment 161 Epilogue: A Letter for Decision Makers 175 Guide for Groups: A Six-Session Course of Study and Practice 178 Suggestions for Further Reading 192 Acknowledgments 195 Index of Exercises 196
