Writing to Wake the Soul: Opening the Sacred Conversation Within
Unitarian Universalist minister Hering begins this spiritual writing primer with a confession. Since she was a child, she wanted to be a missionary. Not, she emphasizes, a missionary’s wife but a missionary, a radical idea in 1972. It wasn’t until she was in her forties that she enrolled in a seminary; there she realized that her life goal was to combine ministry and writing. Over time, she became a “literary minister.” Hering engages in “contemplative correspondence,” a practice of writing that is rooted in theology and story. It combines elements of prayer, guided meditation, journal writing, Tai Chi, and yoga. This book is divided in two parts, a reflection on writing, metaphor, and spiritual practice and an exploration of theological themes (faith, prayer, sin, love, justice, hope, redemption, grace, hospitality, and reverence), including material that can be used in contemplative correspondence, alone, or in groups. Here is a book that serves a dual purpose: it is both practical (featuring writing prompts, meditations, and simple exercises) and inspirational as well. --June Sawyers