Reflection
Reflection on Margaret Guenther
The Art of Spiritual Direction
By: Yvonne Tso, March 8, 2010
People began to seek out Margaret Guenther for spiritual direction even before she knew the term "spiritual direction." She was one of the first women to provide direction and then write about it for others. Having already learned a great deal from reading her book Holy Listening: The Art of Spiritual Direction for my formation program, I found that I learned even more while reviewing the book in preparation for our interview and then again during our actual conversation. After the interview, I felt like I had sat at the feet of a Master...that perhaps I had just visited with a modern-day wise and kind Desert Mother. She said so many things that resonated within me, confirming the tradition of this ministry. And yet, during the live Question & Answer session, Reverend Guenther spoke of the future...where she sees the next threshold for spiritual direction, one that might use a group format and perhaps reach out to young people and persons of diverse cultures. She stated that we need to be receptive to honoring the tradition while at the same time be willing to expand. And then she gave us some wonderful imagery when she described this ministry of Presence as "the richest kind of ministry...like having dessert all the time, because we are doing what really matters...touching other souls." That thought brought me back to the essence of it all... And then in her signature wise and humorous way, this Desert Mother said, "Enjoy the dessert!" What an invitation to us all!
