Confession. To some, the word conjures rote incantations of sins and automated forgiveness. To Paul Wilkes, the practice is an outgrowth of an essential human need-an expression of innate conscience that, properly cultivated, can help us live our truest and best selves. Drawing on historical, secular, and religious sources and featuring the recurring points-of-view of a psychiatrist, a rabbi, a priest, and a nun, The Art of Confession shows the universality of the confessional urge and teaches readers how to incorporate a confessional practice into their lives. Taking to heart advice the Dalai Lama once gave him-"Go back to your own faith tradition, go deeply into it"-Wilkes prescribes an array of rituals for readers to choose from, including a visualisation technique called "praying backward through the day," a Muslim prayer, and an adaptation of the Jesuit practice of consolations and desolations. The Art of Confession offers an antidote to the very modern compulsion of oversharing, fueled by nonstop connectivity and seldom accompanied by reflection. The verbal dumpage stems from a need to unburden, whether in person or on a Facebook wall, but few would argue its merits. As Wilkes puts it, "Confession can be understood in its classic and deepest sense as an emptying to make room for something better." Whether that "something better" involves physical resolutions, relationships with loved ones, or personal goals, it begins with honesty.
