Embodied Spirits - by Sherry Bryant-Johnson & Therese Taylor-Stinson & Rosalie Norman McNaney (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

First book addressing the concerns and issues of people of color in spiritual direction

"These essays speak of how we have incorporated our contemplative practices into our family life; our urban, non-religious background; how we have been nurtured in struggles for health and life through our contemplative prayer practices and our courage to survive and even thrive in the midst of dire circumstances. We speak of the unfolding bridge between faith and culture; our conflicts with an Interspiritual journey with a Christian foundation; our sexuality; our journey to healing and authenticity; and how we are taking this practice that began in the first centuries of the church with the desert mothers and fathers to the present and into the future with spiritual direction through the Internet across the world." -from the Introduction

Review Quotes

"The writers open their hearts to share a beautiful, rich, and varied tapestry of spiritual experiences, both personal and corporate. We are blessed to see through their eyes how they open to the Divine presence in each spiritual direction encounter. This book makes an important contribution to greater understanding for us all and fills a void in the spiritual direction literature."
-Leah Rampy, Ph.D., Executive Director, Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation

"Embodied Spirits is a significant work that tells the rich stories of faith, spiritual guidance, and discovery for people of color. Told in heartfelt and eloquent ways, this volume offers a window into the practice of spiritual direction through the stories of a variety of persons. Embodied Spirits is a much needed resource that will help anyone who desires to know and attend to the soul journeys of people of color."
-Bernard L. Richardson, Ph.D., Dean of the Chapel, Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel, Howard University

"Embodied Spirits is an extraordinary addition to the field of spiritual direction. Each story bears witness to the inner guidance, the inner knowing, that we seek in spiritual direction. Each story bears witness to the possibility of 'living spiritually free, ' in the midst of human suffering. We are encouraged to keep listening one another into hope."
-Dwight H. Judy, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Formation, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, and author of Discerning Life Transitions: Listening Together in Spiritual Direction

"That the world within is as vast and worthy of adventure as the world without is a wonder on wonder to behold. Spiritual guidance is not just needed to help us excavate the hidden, but to help us absorb without continually collapsing before the all-too-amazing, ever on view. The wholistic witness of spiritual direction offered in this groundbreaking work is a spiritual adventurer's guide of the highest order."
-Kirk Byron Jones, author of Fulfilled: Living and Leading with Unusual Wisdom, Peace, and Joy

"A much-needed book in the spiritual direction literature, Embodied Spirits showcases powerful stories of deep spiritual yearnings and sacred journeys of spiritual directors of color. God's presence in the lives of contemplatives of color shines through the stories of the authors' yearnings for God, enriching understanding of the ministry of spiritual direction."
-Margaret Benefiel, author of Soul at Work and The Soul of a Leader and co-editor of The Soul of Supervision