Lifesigns: Intimacy, Fecundity, and Ecstasy in Christian Perspective

By Henri J.M. Nouwen

Book Overview

"You cannot read Lifesigns and not be moved... This book will undoubtedly find its place among the classics of twentieth-century literature."
--Grand Rapids Press

The inspirational writings of Henri Nouwen have touched millions of readers all over the world. Much beloved as a lecturer, spiritual guide, and especially as an author, he communicated a profound message of hope that finds great resonance in today's world.

In his now classic work Lifesigns, he explores what he saw as three of the most vital aspects of his ministry. The first of these is the Gospel invitation to intimacy, which Nouwen describes as communion with God and relationship with others. The second is the call to fecundity, exhorting us to be open to a fruitful life of change and growth. And the third, the experience of ecstasy, extends the Gospel promise "that your joy may be full." Inspired by L'Arche, the worldwide network of communities where handicapped people and their assistants try to live together in the spirit of the Scriptures, Nouwen shows how these three elements offer the essential key to a life free from the domination of fear and filled instead with hope and love.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 038523628X
• ISBN13: 9780385236287
• Release Date: February 1989
• Publisher: Prh Christian Publishing
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.36 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.6" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Directions from a spiritual master

Psychologist--Priest, Henri Nouwen is the author of 40 books on the spiritual life read widely by Catholics and Protestants. His book The Wounded Healer is required reading for psychotherapists. He taught at the Menninger Foundation, Yale, Harvard and in his last years shared his life with the developmentally disabled at the L'Arche Daybreak community (referring to Noah's ark) in Toronto, founded by Jean Vanier. Here he found in the small society of the handicapped a paradigm for a society governed by fear. Vanier said to Henri Nouwen at a retreat, "Working with mentally handicapped people, I have come to recognize that all human beings, whatever their condition, are called to intimacy, fecundity, and ecstacy." Jesus refers to this holy triad in John 15 4-17: "Remain in me, and I will remain in you." (15:4) This certainly is an invitation to intimacy. "If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (15:5). This is a call to fecundity. "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." (15:11). Here we have ecstasy. In this book Nouwen shows how the relationship of these three Christian elements are essential to a life of love and hope. Intimacy is a divine gift allowing us to transcend fearful distance as well as fearful closeness, and to experience a love before and beyond all human acceptance or rejection. The opposite side of the coin of intimacy is solidarity. We cannot claim intimacy with God if we ignore our fellow human beings. It becomes our task to strive toward harmony among all people thereby our "intimacy manifests itself as solidarity and solidarity as intimacy." (Nouwen, p. 45). Ecstasy comes from the Greek work "ekstasis" where "ek" means out of and "stasis" means to stand still. Nouwen observes, "To be ecstatic literally means to be outside of a static place. Thus, those who live ecstatic lives are always moving away from rigidly fixed situations and exploring new, unmapped dimensions of reality. Joy is always new." (P.,,,,) We can have old pain, old grief, old sadness, but we cannot have old joy. Joy is not being happy with some passing pleasure, but an inner bubbling up which permeates the entire body. The rarely used word, Fecundity, means fruitful but it is not to be confused with productivity. Students complain of too much homework, deadlines for papers, and preparation for tests. Interestingly, the word "school" comes from "schola" meaning free time. Schools were originally meant to interrupt a busy schedule and make time to contemplate the mysteries of life. Being fruitful I have to give up my defensive life and become vulnerable. When I realize that you and I share some weaknesses and can confess that with each other, then I am vulnerable. This levels the playing field. we have emphasized productivity to the point where competition rules, television advertisements must be adhered to (or you are not going to be

A commentary on John 15

I was reading John 15 one day for my quiet time about 5 years ago. I read about the abiding and the joy. I decided that I did not often feel "at home", nor was the joy discribed here very tangible to me. I decided to hang out on this chapter until I felt some sense of home and some joy. I had found this book for $1.50 at a used book store. I bought it because I loved Nouwen's other books. I put it on my "to read later" shelf. I did a search on the internet for John 15 books and this one came up. I remembered I had it. I read it, slowly. Fr. Nouwen has many great insights into what abiding in Christ (or making yourself home in God as some translations put it) really means. This book moved me big time, and eventually led me to start a practice of centering prayer, where I just hang out with God. In this place I feel this "home" with God that is discribed in John 15. Much joy has come in that place. I try to go there several times a day. I stayed in john 15 and in this book for sometime (over a year) as I tried to put into pratice the priciples that are suggested in this book, it was well worth it.

Fear is the manifestation in negative of faith

fecundity means consciousness Fear is the manifestation in negative of faith. Whenever a person feel fear they are using all the techniques for creation in negative degree. The person will pronounce the words that describe their fear, will probably visualize with great clarity that which could happen to them, will feel on their body the reactions that fear produce and finally if we insist on this process the manifestation of that which is feared will very easily come true. When the author refers to our "home" or holly space is an internal place. where we can trust God unconditional love and see the bigger purpose runnig behind the scenes through which we manifest all degrees of fear.

This is a very good lesson that repeats on me

I go back to this book from time to time. I believe that I first saw the citation for it in Sandra Wilson's book "Into Abba's Arms". I read it first as I was separated from my wife. It was a painful time. Jesus used to the book to lift my spirits, and change my outlook. The book also showed me some reasons why intimacy was hard to achieve (because I wasn't trusting in God's love), and why I would get trapped in striving (to please, to be noticed, to get attaboys) because I wasn't really fruitful (because I wasn't trusting in the Father's love), and why I thought that as a good Christian that enjoying God's blessings in a hooting and hollering way was, well just not proper (because I didn't know how much an Abba delights to see the grin on his son's and daughter's faces). A part of the real good news of Jesus Christ is both the abundant life (more to be intimate with, more fruitfulness, more ecstacy, and sometimes more suffering -- but in love) and the fact that God's love when it runs its course, drives out the fear. Though not addressed much in the book, I also covered fear with anger which made me feel powerful, but sometimes hurt others. Far better to let God's love replace the fear. I almost didn't buy the book because I didn't know what fecundity meant, and I feared the book would not be understandable. I found it very approachable, and easy to understand. I am glad the Lord kept after me to buy the book.

A solid, inspiring book

Henri Nouwen has never written a bad book. If you're a fan of Fr. Nouwen, you'll again be touched by this simple, practical and penetrating book. I especially liked the chapter on fecundity, a word not much used these days. He focuses on the difference between being fecund or "fruitful" vs. productive. In our post modern culture, we have the daily, desperate experience of living without bearing fruit. We are busy producing but little is life giving or fruitful. He has some good thoughts and practical solutions. He is so very warm and enjoyable to read. I'm looking forward to reading this book again.