Each student will read 5-9 books over the course of the two-year program. Below is a sampling of books recommended. The actual list used for the course is dynamic. Books are added as they become available
Introductory books on spiritual direction work
- Spiritual Direction 101: The Basics of Spiritual Guidance by Teresa Blythe
- The Gift to Listen, The Courage to Hear by Cari Jackson
- Holy Listening by Margaret Guenther
- Embodied Spirits: Stories of Spiritual Directors of Color by Sherry Bryant-Johnson (Editor), Therese Taylor-Stinson (Editor), Rosalie Norman McNaney (Editor)
- Care of the Soul by Thomas Moore
- Spiritual Guidance Across Religions: A Sourcebook by Rev. John R. Mabry, PhD (Editor), et. al.
- Jewish Spiritual Direction: An Innovative Guide from Traditional and Contemporary Sources by Rabbi Howard A. Addison and Barbara Eve Breitman
- Kaleidoscope: Broadening the Palette in the Art of Spiritual Direction, edited by Ineda Pearl Adesanya
Creative Arts
- Awakening the Creative Spirit: Bringing the Arts to Spiritual Direction by Betsey Beckman and Christine Venters Paintner
- Dance: A Sacred Art: Discovering the Joy of Movement as Spiritual Practice by Cynthia Winton-Henry
- Writing to Wake the Soul: Opening the Sacred Conversation Within by Karen Hering
Dreams and Symbols
- Archetypal Imagery and the Spiritual Self: Techniques for Coaches and Therapists by Annabelle Nelson
- Dreamwork by Jeremy Taylor
Enneagram
- The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types
- Personality Types: Using the Enneagram for Self-Discovery by Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson
Groups
- Group Spiritual Direction: Community for Discernment by Rose Mary Dougherty, SSND
Social Engagement
- The New Monasticism: An Interspiritual Manifesto for Contemplative Living by Fr Adam Bucko
Discernment
- Ignatian Discernment of Spirits for Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Care: Going Deeper, Mark E. Thibodeaux SJ, 2020.
- The Soul of Discernment: A Spiritual Practice for Communities and Institutions, Elizabeth Liebert, 2015.
Daily meditations
- A Year with Thomas Merton: Daily Meditations from His Journals
12-step
- The Spirituality of Imperfection by Ernest Kurtz and Katherine Ketcham
How psychological approaches support spiritual direction
- Sacred Therapy by Estelle Frankel
- The Human Being Fully Alive by David Benner
Pagan
- The Night Journey: Witchcraft as Transformation by Yvonne Aburrow
- Witchcraft as Spiritual Practice by Morpheus Ravenna
Death and Dying
- The Pagan Book of Living and Dying by Starhawk and M. Macha Nightmare
Activists
- Occupy Spirituality: A Radical Vision for a New Generation by Fr. Adam Bucko
- The Spirituality of Social Justice by Cornel West
- Working with Mindfulness: Practices for Justice and Compassion by Mirabai Bush
Aging and Staging
- Changing Life Patterns: Adult Development in Spiritual Direction by Elizabeth Liebert (paperback)
- The Gift of Years: Growing Older Gracefully by Sister Joan Chittester
- Falling Upwards by Richard Rohr
- Dancing from the Inside Out by Westina Matthews
Children
- “Spiritual Direction with Children and Adolescents” by Sheila McNeill
- The Spiritual Child – Lisa Miller
Trauma and Suffering
- Standing at the Edge: Finding Freedom Where Fear and Courage Meet by Roshi Joan Halifax
- Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow by Elizabeth Lesser
- My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menachem
LGBTQIA+
- Radical Love – Patrick Cheng
Black, Indigenous, People of Color
- The Cross and the Lynching Tree – James Cone
Women
- She Who Is by Elizabeth Johnson
- A Feminist Cosmology by Nancy Howell
Mystics
- In the Shelter By Padraig O’Tuama
- Wild at Heart, biography of Teresa of Avila
- “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- The Spirit of Intimacy by Sobonfu Somé (West African spirituality)
- “Hannah Arendt” movie, or Biographies of Hannah Arendt
- Meditations of the Heart by Howard Thurman
- These Wilds Beyond Our Fences Bayo Akomolafe
- Nicholas Black Elk: Medicine Man, Catechist, Saint by Jon M. Sweeney
- The Life of Milarepa by Tsangnyön Heruka
- Heaven’s Bride: The Unprintable Life of Ida C. Craddock by Leigh Eric Schmidt
- Evelyn Underhill: Artist of the Infinite Life by Dana Greene
- The Love There That’s Sleeping: The Art and Spirituality of George Harrison by Dale Allison
- The Dance of the Dissident Daughter by Sue Monk Kidd — personal journey into feminine spirituality
- Eye in the Triangle: An Interpretation of Aleister Crowley by Israel Regardie
- The Sacred Depths of Nature by Ursula Goodenough (Religious Naturalism)
- Travels with the Evil Inclination: A Rabble-Rousing Renegade Rabbi’s Story by Gershon Winkler (or other Jewish Mysticism source)
- The Spiral Staircase by Karen Armstrong
- Longing for Darkness: Tara and the Black Madonna by China Galland
Business
- Unveiling the Heart of Your Business– Mark Silver
- Radical Healership: How to Build a Values-Driven Healing Practice in a Profit-Driven World – Laura Mae Northrup
Ethics
- When, Why… If by Robin Wood
- Pagan Consent Culture edited by Christine Hoff-Kramer
- Standards for Ethical Conduct in Spiritual Direction by Liz Budd Ellmann, et al.