<p>“Drawing on a wide swathe of fascinating literature on reflection, transformative learning, autoethnography and metaphor, Cheryl Hunt explores the contours of a life's experience in education. She chronicles in vivid terms how institutional and systemic tendencies to keep people isolated in functional slots are contradicted by the deepening of spirituality and the development of identity” (Stephen Brookfield, Distinguished Scholar, Antioch University, USA)<br> <br> “This book builds on Cheryl Hunt’s years of scholarship in delving the linkages among the concepts of reflective practice, professional practices and spiritualty. Taken alone, these concepts are strong, yet disparate; taken together, they form a robust theoretical framework for understanding the transformative potential of reflective practice. In bringing in her insights from spirituality, poetry and narrative, Hunt creates new ways to continually create spaces for meaning making in our everyday routines. Her theoretical framework is rich in depth and in possibility for transformative learning among professionals” (Leona English, Professor of Adult Education, St. Francis Xavier University, Canada)<br> <br> “Cheryl Hunt takes the reader on an illuminating exploration of her personal and professional life’s journey to determine the place of the spiritual, particularly related to using reflective practice/critical reflection in education and other professional practice settings. Using a formidable range of theoretical ideas, poetry and fiction, metaphors and images, she builds a convincing narrative that spirituality is an integral element of reflective practice and of life itself. This is a must-read for those in the health, social care and education fields and will be of interest to others wanting to understand their own professional practice more deeply” (Fiona Gardner, Associate Professor of Social Work and Social Policy, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Australia) <br> <br> “Understanding who and what we are in professional contexts should not be an optional extra and especially not within the neo-liberal academy which challenges many people’s motivations for becoming scholars and teachers. Within this book Cheryl Hunt takes an analytic autoethnographic approach to critically consider her lived experience over a professional lifetime, charting a route that led ultimately into the realm of spirituality. She offers an innovative view of reflective practice as transformative learning as well as demonstrating the potential of auto/biographical work to tell stories that can prompt personal and more widespread positive changes. This book will be of value to researchers and practitioners from a range of disciplinary and professional backgrounds who are interested in auto/biographical research methods, reflective and pedagogical practices, and in questions about spirituality and its implications for our professional lives” (Pat Sikes, Professor Emeritus of Qualitative Inquiry, University of Sheffield, UK)<br> <br> “In this beautifully written reflection on critical reflection Cheryl Hunt combines her own story in the form of autoethnography with an exploration of critical reflection informed by the rational, the emotional, the spiritual, the metaphorical, and the mythical. In doing so, she breaks stunning new ground on the multiple ways we come to know and learn and how it all connects to critical reflection. This book is a must read for anyone teaching adults to be more critically reflective, or anyone trying to understand how their life's journey, almost as a pilgrimage journey, relates to their own continued unfolding with reflection and wisdom” (Elizabeth J. Tisdell, Professor of Lifelong Learning and Adult Education, Penn State University—Harrisburg, USA)<br> <br> “Cheryl Hunt’s book has arrived at a good time in what is the worst of times: of Covid-19 ecological fragility and political sterility. The word vocation appears throughout the book, as a call to know self and other, in relationship, as deeply as we can. This is essential in giving of one’s best as a medic, teacher, community activist, health or social worker. This book is a must-read in this present moment, and in the lifelong and lifewide learning quest for the good and beautiful. It offers resources of hope for the heart and imagination, the mind and thinking, our whole embodied being and spirit, to help us to keep on keeping on. This beautifully crafted work offers help and succour to deal with abusive power, ignorance, narcissism, narrowness; and to learn to accept our own imperfections. The point is to keep trying to know our selves and others as whole psychosocial, psychospiritual, interconnected beings. In the final resort, this is what really matters” (Professor Linden West PhD FRSA, Faculty of Education, Canterbury Christ Church University, UK)</p><br><p></p>