Mark O’KEEFE, OSB.  Learned, Experienced, and Discerning: St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross on Spiritual Direction.  Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2020.  pp. xvi + 162.  $19.95.  pb.  ISBN:  978-0-8146-8810-6.  Reviewed by Moni MCINTYRE, Pittsburgh, PA  15213.

 This little book is a gem.  Mark O’Keefe, OSB, has culled the writings of two eminent doctors of the Church and presented the most important segments of their thought on spiritual direction.  Whether one has great familiarity with the Catholic Church and spiritual writers within it, or barely a notion of the importance of the assistance of another person in one’s pursuit of Meaning in any tradition, this book has something for you.

O’Keefe’s Introduction explains the significance of the title: good spiritual directors, according to St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross are learned, experienced, and discerning.  The rest of the book unpacks these terms as understood by the two great saints and demonstrates the relevance of these insights for spiritual direction both in the past and for today.  Although the author is very aware that the sixteenth century experience of Spanish Carmelites is not our current cultural context, he acknowledges the idiosyncrasies of that age even as he emphasizes these mystics’ deep understanding of the human condition.

In Part One, O’Keefe tackles the difficulties of defining spiritual direction in the Christian tradition.  He describes the complexity and confusion of the use of the titles and roles of “director” and “directee” and offers other possible titles and terms from the classics of Western Christian spirituality.  In the end, however, he argues for the use of these familiar terms.

Parts Two and Three are devoted to Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, respectively.  In each section, O’Keefe considers the mystic’s experience of being directed and being a spiritual director.  Their experience of each aspect is sifted through the strainer of “learned, experienced, and discerning.”  As a result, the reader is helped to understand the importance of human freedom in the direction relationship and learns from the experts what both harmful and helpful spiritual direction feels and sounds like.  The Conclusion offers some helpful insights for today’s spiritual direction context.
O’Keefe’s book is a helpful refresher for seasoned directors and directees as well as those who are curious about what it would be like to begin a spiritual relationship with someone to discuss prayer and one’s progress in it.  The author stresses that spiritual direction, as understood by both Teresa and John, is not some esoteric experience removed from the everyday tasks of life.  These great mystics were keenly aware of the integration of the spiritual and material realities of life as they find us on our path to God. 

While Teresa and John pioneered the Discalced reform movement of the Carmels in Spain, O’Keefe convincingly presents the reader’s life and times as every bit as important to God as the great mystics.  John and Teresa attained advanced levels of prayer and mysticism; not everyone is attracted to that pursuit.  In fact, the author points out that their writings are primarily aimed at those who would be drawn by God to higher degrees of contemplation than those who do not aspire to them.  Still, the book may appeal both to those who experience mystical prayer and those who wonder what a relationship with a spiritual director at any level would be like.  It is the crisp, clear style of the author that makes the world of Teresa and John accessible, especially as it pertains to spiritual direction.  The heavy reliance on the importance of Scripture and sound psychology implicit in a good relationship between the director and the directee make this book easy to recommend to all who have interest in the spiritual life.