Book Review: Unteachable Lessons

Even though I have never met Carl McColman in person he has shared unteachable lessons with me.

We each write blogs which are carried on the Contemplative channel at www.patheos.com. The interests we share include monastic life and contemplative spirituality. While we do not always follow the same path, we often visit similar places.

It is inherently challenging to write and talk about contemplative stillness.

Carl meets the challenges in Unteachable Lessons. He writes honestly and articulately about lessons he has learned which cannot be taught through words. Carl loves to read and write, and his book is filled with stories about other people who have touched his life. He weaves together a tapestry of many sources including neopaganism, charismatic and Roman Catholic Christianity, his friends, and his wife and daughter. Carl’s story includes how Julian of Norwich, Mr. Spock, The Princess Bride, and his friend Kamal have helped him be open to spiritual life.

Unteachable Lessons is a valuable tool for spiritual directors who help people understand and experience spiritual life in new ways.

My favorite section of the book is where Carl describes how prayer is like kissing.

Everyone kisses a little differently. . . . But every kiss is communication.

Carl writes clearly and personally about the real questions of everyday spiritual life. He describes the qualities and habits which shape his approaches to his own questions and which help us appreciate how to understand ours. Unteachable Lessons gives us insightful help with the everyday challenges of spiritual life.

The book describes how Carl listens to sacred stillness, to himself, and to other people. It is enjoyable to read, thoughtful, and filled with practical assistance. Unteachable Lessons sparks serious reflection for contemplative readers.

While Carl writes from a clearly Christian perspective, his experiences in other traditions and passion for interfaith dialogue make his book an excellent resource for people from a variety if backgrounds.

We write and talk about listening to stillness and about lessons we cannot teach with words because they make significant differences in our lives. It takes courage and insight to write about them as perceptively as Carl McColman does in Unteachable Lessons.

Carl’s book is a resource which will open doors of insight into a practice of spiritual direction. We know being a spiritual director begins with what is within us. As we read Unteachable Lessons we are introduced to lessons which go beyond words.

This post was adapted and published in Presence journal by Spiritual Directors International.