Will and Spirit

by Gerald G. May

Book Overview

"A rich book covering many areas of human experience. . . . For the person looking for an intelligent and clear presentation of the relationship between psychological and spiritual growth, this is the book to read.'--America

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0062505823
• ISBN13: 9780062505828
• Release Date: June 1987
• Publisher: HarperOne
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

A rare gem, well worth the effort!

This is one of those rare books that excites you as you read. May speaks of contemplative prayer and spirituality as both a long time practitioner and a psychiatrist. This is neither a book of inspiring piety not a book of the mechanics of prayer. Rather, it describes the dynamics of the human mind as it comes into contact with the transcendent in contemplative prayer. As I read through the book, I was frequently saying "Yes, that's it exactly!" The section on the defenses the self comes up with in "protecting itself" from unitive experience especially impressed me. May has spent much of his professional career focusing on the area of spiritual direction. Rather than building his psychological model on experience obtained from treating pathology, May builds his model on "unitive experience" in the context of contemplative prayer. The model is especially helpful in understanding what goes on in us as we attempt to practice the methods of contemplative prayer. It gives a practical look at the obstacles to prayer, why they arise, and how to understand and work through them. May's pivotal concept is the role of willingness and willfulness as life attitudes and the critical standards for our spiritual lives. He presents willingness as an openness to God's will in all circumstances. This attitude is critical, as it allows God to work through us. The real danger to our relationship with God and with one another is an attitude of willfulness. This attitude places our will as the standard. It is dangerous because there is no room for God in this attitude. It is especially dangerous when the person thinks that he or she is God's gift to humanity. When I read anything other than novels, I underline important ideas. My copy of Will and Spirit is so filled with yellow from my highlighting marker that at times the pages almost seem to be printed on bright yellow paper. This is an excellent book on the topic of contemplative prayer and the spiritual life. It is not an easy book. It requires serious reflection as you move through it. It provides practical advice that is available only from one who is experienced both in contemplative prayer and providing direction to those who are trying to follow the contemplative path.

Like a treasure you find in the field

The beautiful thing about May's book is that it is so hard to define. It is part psychology, part theology, part poetry, part philosophy. The book is empirical and lyrical. It vibrates with the author's warm heart, his brilliant intelligence, his down to earth common sense. It is a book that describes the spiritual journey many of us yearn to undertake and in so doing clarifies it and makes it easier to proceed. The journey of spiritual transformation that May describes is the journey of surrender to Mystery. May describes this process of transformation as the proces whereby our ego acquires its proper and helpful place in the orbit of our being. No longer the willful king concerned with preserving its self importance at all costs, the ego is transformed into an ally in the service of True Life. But the process of transformation is fraught with obstacles ranging from inner fear to the many illusions that pass themselves as the ultimate good to external evil. May looks at each one of these obstacles, patiently, comprehensively. He does not leave any questions about the internal life unaddressed, even if his response is simply to delineate the unknown. It is a book that I will take notes on and read often. As you read it, you will feel as I did, that behind its ease and clarity there lies a monumental effort on the part of the author. Like the other reviewers here, I am profoundly grateful to the author for this effort as well as for his openness to the inspiration that informs his work.

Profound study of contemporary mystical practice

I first discovered contemplative spirituality when I read Evelyn Underhill's "Mysticism" -- a book that introduced me to many great historical spiritual writers, such as Julian of Norwich, Meister Eckhart, and John of the Cross. I found the great mystics of old to be deeply nurturing to my spiritual practice -- but I had a wistful relationship with the mystical books I read, for it always seemed mysticism was something that happened "back then." Where were the profound mystical explorers of our time? Then a friend recommended I read "Will and Spirit," and so finally I discovered a powerful and beautiful expression of mystical spirituality as practiced today. For May writes squarely in the tradition of the great Christian mystics, with insight, humility, and devotion that characterizes the best spiritual writing. His premise is simple: most human beings live their lives from a posture of willFULness ("I'm in control here"), but the mystical journey is a radical call to enter into the spirituality of willINGness (not my will, but thine). From there, May considers the limitations of much popular spirituality, and celebrates the promise and possibility of a deep practice of meditation within the context of western religion and culture. I now count this as one of the two or three most important texts on spirituality I've ever read. I quote May in my own books, and I still turn to his words for inspiration and guidance.

Soul food for the brain.

This is good reading for the mystics of all faiths and the mental health professionals of all schools. This contemplative psychology compliments traditional religions as it gently leads the reader through the new age. Pointing to the Mystery and the way home, it makes the basic statement: "THY WILL BE DONE". My copy is dog-eared, highlighted and worn.

A profound inner-journey

I have read this book several times in as many years. Each reading has shed a new light on my own development or, in some cases, an exploration into areas that require growth. The joy of this book is that the reader can take ownership of every word. It takes the complexities of the human psyche and vividly describes the interaction with our human reality. This includes our capacity for life-giving behavior and our frequent battles with human selfishness at a conscious and subconscious level.