THE ONE WHO SHOWS THE WAY

A midlife crisis leads a man to recount his experiences with spirituality, Christianity, and “Heart Intelligence” in this meditation on questions of faith.

What does it mean to be disconnected from your own life? How can a greater awareness of the “psychospiritual dynamics of life” make people change their breakdowns into reformations? Divided into four parts, Grant’s debut book attempts to illustrate how his own spiritual journey can help people better understand their feelings, apply new interpretations of Christianity, and manifest “Heart Intelligence” in their lives. For the past 12 years, his quest has taken him everywhere from Quaker meetings to reiki classes to a nine-day “esoteric retreat.” But it isn’t until he finds the teachings of Watchman Nee, a “Christian seer,” that his ideas of Jesus and contemporary Christianity radically change. The “tree of knowledge” and the “tree of life” are referred to throughout the volume as Grant explains his discovery of Celtic Christianity (different from Roman Christianity), his work as a psycho-spiritual life coach, and the intimate process of crafting this book. The later chapters include practical applications for Heart Intelligence as well as a “call to action” to further explore the concepts and volumes that led to his own awakening. Grant’s prose feels immediate, especially as the work is written in the present tense, documenting his experiences. Some readers may become weary of this diarylike structure, as the stream-of-consciousness style makes room for an overwhelming number of epiphanies (a butterfly, a moment with his father, the influence of his foster daughter, a yoga class, a moment outside of a bank). Still, this well-informed book displays Grant’s wide knowledge of spiritual teachings, and his earnest questioning of the direction of modern Christianity should resonate with restless churchgoers. But there’s so much information presented that one wonders if more would be gleaned from well-organized essays instead of the detailed and meandering vignettes, especially when the author admits that “my words are probably for my own eyes.”

Spiritual seekers may wish to dip in and out of this packed examination of contemporary Christianity to find guidance.