List of Articles & Reviews by Jack Falt
Booklet Review by Jack Falt
For many, the word religion has fallen in disfavour. It conveys a set of dogma that many find too constricting. The word spirituality is the current word that many people feel more comfortable with. It implies a more individual way of relating to the divine.
The authors have tried to be as open to all faiths as they can be, but they do come from a Judeo-Christian background. Some may not be too comfortable using the word God, but at least it is a word that most understand. Quoting a friend they hope their booklet “would enable you to find those grains of truth in a culture which provides few guidelines yet is full of religious institutions ready to provide you with too many!”
The booklet does give some basic phrases that describe the eight preferences in general terms, and then give more specific spiritual phrases for each of the preferences. There is a list of values that relate to each preference. There is a short paragraph describing each of the sixteen types in using general and spiritual terms. These are followed by a page for each preference pair comparing them in very specific spiritual terms. The authors also look at function pairs and compare how they experience their spirituality.
The remainder of the booklet gives two page descriptions for each of the sixteen types. Each description begins with a quote from a philosopher or spiritual leader from the past. In the Find Your Path section there is a lengthy quote by someone with that same type sharing his or her spiritual experience. There is a list of statements on how Others Might Help Me On My Journey. It describes Common Stumbling Blocks. It gives examples of Spirituality Is for that type. The Following Your Path section include ideas for Paths For Renewal That May Feel Natural and Paths For Going Deeper. At the end there is a short statement entitled Trap—the spiritual pitfalls that type may face. Each description ends with a scriptural passage from the Bible.
This booklet could even be used with interfaith groups. For non Christian groups one might want to suggest some alternate scriptural passages from other sacred texts. Even in a secular counselling situation the client may want to discuss his or her spirituality. This would be a good booklet to use as a basis for discussion. Many people may be turned off by formal religion but also have a yearning for something beyond their daily existence; however, they haven’t identified it as spirituality. One of Jung’s main interests was how the individual related to the divine. His own experiences left him in no doubt about the existence of a power beyond him. Overall, this is a very worthwhile booklet.