Michael Yankoski's The Sacred Year: Mapping the Soulscape of
Spiritual Practice -- How Contemplating Apple, Living in a Cave, and
Befriending a Dying Woman Revived My Life
(Thomas Nelson, 2014) is a story of learning to grow in the Christian
faith. Mike Yankoski (Author of Under the
Overpass) got tired of talking about, and decided to experience, a life of
faith. This book is the report on his year of practicing spiritual disciplines.
The book is divided into 3 basic sections, his experiences
growing relationally in 3 directions: inward (depth with self); upward (depth
with God); and outward (depth with others).
This book is much easier to read than one I read long ago about Aelred
of Rievaulx and Spiritual Friendship, but the basics are the same.
Christianity involves more than an hour in the pews on
Sunday. It is very relational, and has to involve more than just taking at face
value the seeming evidence that constantly confronts us. You’ll delight in
hearing Yankoski’s stories – yes hearing:
he writes in such a way that you have to do more than just read, as he recounts
his adventures with Father Solomon as his spiritual director.
This is as much an invitation to practice some of the
ancient spiritual disciplines as it is the telling of the authors experience in
learning to slow down and listen, slow down and observe, slow down and touch and
smell and taste the glory of God that exists all around us.
For those of you who are familiar with Under the Overpass, you’ll find the writing style is totally
different. That’s not a bad thing, it just took me a few pages to find the rhythm
since I was expecting something similar to his previous book.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange
for my review.
5/5
5/5
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