Friends strive to heed the promptings of an “Inner Guide,” whose leadings enable us to serve the spirit while carrying us forward in our own spiritual growth. But another voice from within – that of the “inner critic” – may confuse and disrupt our discernment or may make us feel too small and unworthy to wholeheartedly follow the Guide. Christine Wolff, informed by her studies of psychology and spirituality and her practice of psychotherapy, offers insights into the difference between these two inner voices with suggestions about how readers may overcome limitations that come from a too-active inner critic. Personal examples, exercises, and a study guide are included. (Pendle Hill website)

Friends strive to heed the promptings of and "Inner Guide," whose leadings enable us to serve the Spirit while carrying us forward in our own spiritual growth. But another voice from within – that of the "inner critic" – may confuse and disrupt our discernment or may make us feel to small and unworthy to wholeheartedly follow the Guide. Christine Wolf, informed by her studies of psychology and spirituality and her practice of psychotherapy, offers insight into the difference between these two inner voices with suggestions about how readers may overcome limitations that come from a too-active inner critic. Personal examples, exercises, and a study guide are included.

Wolff really hit on a subject that resonates! That 'inner critic," can be quite vocal. Her studies of psychology (especially including transpersonal) put a new dress on a very old companion of mine. How we discern our leadings from our desires has been an often written about topic. This pamphlet deserves a second (third?) read.... ( )

This perceptive pamphlet addresses one of the potential ways we can block ourselves on the spiritual journey, as we face the conflict between our Guide and our fears and self-criticism. How do we discern the difference between the Guide and our inner critic and fear-monger? How do we become aware of how the critic functions, and how do we disarm it? Wolff develops an explanation of spiritual formation that integrates Quaker spirituality with aspects of psychotherapy, and offers some queries to help us explore our own such blocks.
Wolff integrates what we think of as spiritual growth and psychological growth in a quite specific and practical way. Life without the Inner Critic is a Quaker picture of Being as our identity and True Self, when our Doing emerges as an upwelling of Divine Will. ( )