The Human Condition: Contemplation and Transformation (Wit Lectures-Harvard Divinity School) Review

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The Human Condition: Contemplation and Transformation (Wit Lectures-Harvard Divinity School) ReviewI have always believed that it is a hallmark of pure genius and an unmistakable sign of total comprehension of a subject matter, when an author or lecturer succeeds in both concisely discussing yet completely explaining his subject matter in a manner that laymen can readily grasp and understand. And this is precisely what the author, Thomas Keating, has succeeded in accomplishing in his gem of a treatise on the human condition.
The book (brief as it is) is a tribute to the mystical genius that is Fr. Keating and a testimony to how profoundly he understands the human condition in the light of the spiritual journey. No aspiring student of contemporary mysticism or the spiritual life should take the journey or proceed further along the way without this masterpiece of a handbook.
I have been on the mystical path for many years now, and I have encountered many "spiritual teachers" largely through their writings. Only an exceptional few who have captured the mystical vision so clearly and purely have actually had a significant impact on my spiritual life whether as mentors, friends or companions on the path. Fr. Keating is one of them.
In this book, he shares his dynamic and penetrating insights into the human condition as only spiritual giants are capable of doing. He makes it crystal clear how and why contemplation (as meditation is understood in the western Christian traditions) is "divine therapy" for the malignancy of mankind known as "the human condition". His book should be hailed as a major landmark or a cornerstone in establishing the spirituality of the coming millenium.The Human Condition: Contemplation and Transformation (Wit Lectures-Harvard Divinity School) Overview

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Living in God's Embrace: The Practice of Spiritual Intimacy Review

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Living in God's Embrace: The Practice of Spiritual Intimacy ReviewMichael Fonseca has the ability to take a very complex subject--contemplative prayer--and make it easy to understand and implement in your life. His ability to lead a person deep into prayer is amazing. I wholeheartedly recommend this book for anyone serious about becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ.Living in God's Embrace: The Practice of Spiritual Intimacy Overview

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The Way of a Pilgrim and A Pilgrim Continues on His Way (Shambhala Classics) Review

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The Way of a Pilgrim and A Pilgrim Continues on His Way (Shambhala Classics) ReviewIn his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul writes "Pray without ceasing," (1 Thes 5:17) and in his letter to the Ephesians, he writes "Pray at all times in the Spirit." (Eph 6:18) What does it mean to pray at all times without ceasing? Can it be done? These are the questions asked by the pilgrim, the main character of The Way of the Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues his Way, two books written in the late nineteenth century by an anonymous Russian Christian. The pilgrim character tells of his journeys through Russia as he seeks to learn to pray unceasingly.
Through the telling of his tale, the pilgrim shares much about prayer. The focus of prayer is The Jesus Prayer, and the goal for the pilgrim is to continually pray this prayer from his heart. The writer introduces lessons on prayer and the Christian life through other characters such as priests, wise teachers called "starets" and other Christian travelers who share their stories of faith. The pilgrim carries two books with him that are his sole possessions on the earth and his treasures. These are The Bible and a book of Eastern Church Fathers called The Philokalia. The narrator references both books to provide lessons on prayer.
His journey reveals what he learns about prayer. Through the book, the narrator reveals several lessons about prayer for reflection and practice. The main theme is ceaseless prayer.
An older teacher shares with the pilgrim that, as Paul writes to the Romans, "we know not what we should pray for as we ought." (Rom 8:26) The teacher advises that the perfection of prayer is not within our power, but we can pray often and always. The teacher then shares The Jesus Prayer with the pilgrim,
"The continuous interior prayer of Jesus is a constant uninterrupted calling upon the name of Jesus with the lips, in the spirit, in the heart, while forming a mental picture of His constant presence, and the imploring of His grace, during every occupation, at all times, in all places, even during sleep. The appeal is couched in these terms, `Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.'" (Pilgrim 9)
The pilgrim begins by practicing saying the above prayer thousands of times a day. With much effort and by the rejection of other thoughts and doubts, he develops the habit of saying it continually. He first says it with his lips and mind. Later in the book a teacher shares with him the expanded form of the Jesus Prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."(Pilgrim 135) His teacher explains that in this form of the prayer, the entire Gospel and way to salvation is represented.
Through his interactions with others and his reading, the pilgrim continues to learn about The Jesus Prayer and its effects. He shares the following,
"What the Gospel is, that the prayer of Jesus is also, for the Divine Name of Jesus Christ holds in itself the whole gospel truth. The holy Fathers say that the prayer of Jesus is a summary of the Gospels."(Pilgrim 27)
This explains why the prayer so effective for those who pray it in combating their spiritual enemies and producing the fruits of the Spirit in their heart.
The author emphasizes that God's grace drives prayer and rewards prayer. He urges those he speaks with to make attempts at prayer and ask God to help them. He does not belittle even the feeblest attempts at prayer. For the author, every intention of ours and every movement of ours toward God are valuable to God. He summarizes his thoughts,
"The love of God gives grace a thousand fold more than human actions deserve. If you give Him the merest mite, He will pay you back with gold. If you but purpose to go to the Father, He will come out to meet you. You say but a word, short and unfeeling--`Receive me, have mercy on me'--and He falls on your neck and kisses you. That is what the love of the heavenly Father is like toward us, unworthy as we are." (Pilgrim 117)
This is an important spiritual value for the pilgrim that he tries to practice and teach. God gives us grace to come to Him, and when we come, he pours out more grace upon us.
The Way of the Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way summarize the Bible's lesson on prayer. The author illustrates that prayer leads us to Christ and the Father and is itself inspired and initiated by the Holy Spirit within us. The author has included many scriptures about prayer. He shows systematically how the New Testament encourages prayer. He offers a lesson on how prayer empowers us to do good works, so that the term, "Pray and do and think what you will" is reasonable and sensible for the Christian who prays sincerely.
The book offers a way of life that is hidden in Christ through a continual praying from the heart to Christ. The author shows how it is possible and beneficial to pray continually as prescribed by Scripture.
Shakespeare On Spirituality: Life-Changing Wisdom from Shakespeare's PlaysThe Way of a Pilgrim and A Pilgrim Continues on His Way (Shambhala Classics) Overview

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John Main: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters) Review

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John Main: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters) ReviewIf you are a practicing Christian and would like to gain insight into your faith, this book is essential reading. If topics like meditation, and mantras frighten you, do not read this book. If you would like to see where Eastern Wisdom meets with the Wisdom of the West, then consider reading this. Main, according to the back book jacket, "pioneered the practice of Christian meditation. His genius was to recover a way into the contemplative experience for ordinary people within the Christian tradition." That's what I enjoyed most about this book- Main always is, first and foremost, a Christian. I have always been interested to, and sympathetic towards Buddhism, particularly in their tolerance of different faiths and interest in working with different religions towards similar goals- helping others, and trying to prevent violence throughout the whole world through education and understanding. Unfortunately, I agree with the Dali Lama that we should stick to the religious systems of the cultures we were born into because they connect with us in deep psychological ways. Thanks to John Main I need not feel isolated within the Christian community. Main understands the need to connect directly with the divine through meditation and that is what he emphasizes in these essential writings. Here are some examples of his wisdom: "The first step in conversion is allowing ourselves to be loved." "We come to know and love God because we allow him to know and love us. This is the alchemy of love." "The saint is not superhuman but fully human." "To be silent with another person is truly to be with that other person. Nothing is so powerful in building mutual confidence than an easeful and creative silence. Nothing reveals inauthenticity more dramatically than silence that is not creative but fearful." "Real prayer is not our prayer but the prayer of Jesus himself. That prayer is, even now as you read this, flowing in our hearts. Our prayer in this vision is our life force." "Learning to pray is learning to live as fully as possible in the present moment." "It requires nerve to become really quiet." "The experience of poverty is only the beginning." "In meditation we declare our own poverty." "The essence of all poverty consists in this risk of annihilation. This is the leap of faith from ourselves to the Other. This is the risk involved in all loving." "By stillness in the spirit we move in the ocean of God." "Our theories can make us impotent and self-important, like people with a car manual but no car." The words of John Main end with something the Dalai Lama and all people all over the world can understand and agree with- "The reality is that we are not isolated. We are one with the One. We are one with all." The 3 sentences before these powerful closing sentences remind us how Main is well within the Christian tradition in saying what he does: "Because of the incorporation of the whole- an incorporation that has both material and spiritual dimensions- every experience in the human family influences the whole. This is why St. Paul calls the early Christians to 'weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.' Violence, injustice, and all suffering anywhere within the Body of Christ affect and implicate us all." How many Christians you know say these things? If they had any maturity, they would. They would realize as Main writes that "Much of our religious response is indeed based primarily upon our beliefs. But I have come to feel that what we 'believe' is not really that important. Belief is like the tip of the iceberg. What matters is faith. For the Christian this means our deep commitment to Christ to the power of self-transendence, at the very bedrock of our being." Read this book. It may change your relationship to God. And that would be a great thing.John Main: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters) Overview

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This Tremendous Lover Review

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This Tremendous Lover ReviewIf you're a Catholic looking for an intelligent and easy-to-read book on how to deepen your appreciation for your faith and for the Church, this is it! Boylan speaks in very eloquent, practical language and convinces you at the end that you just "gotta have" a relationship with this tremendous lover, Jesus the Christ. A priceless classic! Buy it now!This Tremendous Lover Overview

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365 Meditations for Men by Men Review

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365 Meditations for Men by Men ReviewI help lead a pick-up basketball group at a church and was looking for a book that provided short, but thought-provoking meditations that I could read before we started each session. The combination of bible verse, meditation and prayer is excellent and I've had good feedback from everyone that comes. I'm probably not using it exactly as intended, but I appreciate the content and format.365 Meditations for Men by Men Overview

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Water, Wind, Earth & Fire: The Christian Practice of Praying with the Elements Review

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Water, Wind, Earth & Fire: The Christian Practice of Praying with the Elements ReviewIt doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that St. Francis of Assisi's "Canticle of the Creatures" (also known as the "Canticle of the Sun") is a powerful and poetic evocation of God's presence in the elements of nature. But few Christians, in my experience, seem to draw the connection that if the elements are indeed agents of God's blessings and means by which we can offer blessing and worship back to God, then it might make sense to think in terms of "air prayer," "water prayer," and so forth. This is the simple yet powerful premise of this lovely new book from Christine Valter Paintner, a Benedictine Oblate and the founder of the Abbey of the Arts website which explores the connection between spirituality and creativity.
Some readers may wonder if this is a crypto-Wiccan book, and indeed anyone interested in creative cross-fertilization between Neopaganism and Christian spirituality will find much to explore in this book. But let's be clear: the four elements (air, fire, water and earth) are universal energies, since they are grounded not only in the nature of the earth, but indeed in our very bodies (think of it: your skeleton and flesh are earth, your blood is water, your lungs and breath bring you air, and the very heat your body generates is the fire within you). Historically speaking, knowledge of the four elements and exploration of their spiritual meaning can be traced back to Greece, where Plato speaks of the elements, following the earlier Sicilian philosopher Empedocles. In other words, our earliest knowledge of the elements is not occult or magical, but rather philosophical and scientific, in scope. For Christians today, befriending the four elements is a way to honor the incarnational dimension of our faith, seeing God's presence in nature just as we believe the Holy Spirit and the Mind of Christ is present among those who are knit into the community of faith.
This book is essentially a workbook ("playbook"?) for prayer, divided into sections where Valters Paintner explores each element through poetry, stories, blessings, quotations, lectio divina, and suggestions for prayer and reflection. Most of the connections she highlights are obvious enough: water is linked to baptism, air to centering prayer, earth to feasting. This is not a book of secrets revealed so much as earthy common sense: water goes with the flow, fire brings passion and creativity, earth stabilizes and grounds us. Weave all four elements together and we find balance, perspective, and a sense of being at home in the good universe God has given us.
Obviously, this book should appeal to anyone with a love for Franciscan or Celtic expressions of Christian spirituality. But I think the author was wise not to limit her exploration of the elements to those particular strands of wisdom. This book feels universal in its tone and its application -- it is a book for all Christians, and indeed, for all people, anyone who might be interested in finding out what mystics like Hildegard of Bingen or John of the Cross or Thomas Merton might have to say to the question of bringing prayer and nature together.Water, Wind, Earth & Fire: The Christian Practice of Praying with the Elements Overview

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Power in Praise Review

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Power in Praise ReviewThis book explains the command that God gives us to praise Him in all things, even things we don't like and even things we don't understand. As I began applying these principles in my life, I began to see incredible changes in situations that had seemed hopeless to me. I changed from a rather melancholy person, to an incredibly happy person. I would HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who is discouraged or depressed.Power in Praise Overview

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I Want to See God: A Practical Synthesis of Carmelite Spirituality Review

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I Want to See God: A Practical Synthesis of Carmelite Spirituality ReviewThis book is a great synthesis of the spiritual life and is good for all Christians. P. Marie-Eugene explains all the facets of Carmelite spirituality in a very down-to-earth, practical way. He takes the reader through all of the different stages of the spiritual life (purgative, illuminative, unitive) with the aid of spiritual powerhouses like Sts. Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross. It is also a good primer for those seeking a foundation in spiritual theology; it also serves well as a moral theology text.I Want to See God: A Practical Synthesis of Carmelite Spirituality Overview

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Gratefulness, The Heart of Prayer: An Approach to Life in Fullness Review

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Gratefulness, The Heart of Prayer: An Approach to Life in Fullness ReviewYou can tell from reading this book that the author is gentle and sincere, and that his life reflects the values and insights he shares here. I first read this book around 1994, and it is the most dog-eared of my books. I have almost the whole thing underlined. By refusing to get bogged down in theoretical disputes or definitions, and instead focusing on the bone of the Christian experience (love, hope, and faith), Brother David has given us a book filled with the Holy Spirit. His exploration of the spiritual significance of being open to life's little surprises is a big surprise (I've never heard that mentioned as a Christian value before), and one which points to a spiritual life in alert response to God's constant lovingkindness. There is no doctrine or dogma here, which is why I think it will endure...and also why I keep coming back to it myself.Gratefulness, The Heart of Prayer: An Approach to Life in Fullness Overview

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Healing Review

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Healing ReviewReal world, down-to-earth, in a realm too often seen as fantasy or historical, is how MacNutt approaches the healing work of a loving God. Scripturally supported throughout, this is an explanation of Christian healing, a straight-forward 'how-to' erasing much of the mystery many Christians and skeptics have surrounding the healing Jesus called His disciples to offer the broken. It powerfully affirms the healing work of Jesus, alive and occurring daily, even now. He provides practical answers, numerous experiences of his and others' and, at the same time, demonstrates the humility of walk in admitting those things to which he still cannot offer clear and simple answers, things beyond his understanding. This is a handbook for healing ministers, a book of testimony to instill faith in the unhealed that they can be healed, and a treasure for the Christian Church.Healing Overview

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Experiencing The Holy Spirit Review

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Experiencing The Holy Spirit ReviewWhile Murray's book is only around 130 pages, there is plenty of spiritual insights for anyone interested in the Holy Spirit.
Among the important points covered in the book include:
1. God comes to those who wait on Him.
2. Those who wait on the Lord will see Him work in far greater ways than they can imagine.
3. God will use despair to break us of our self-life and self-confidence. The world's influence on us is so strong that we often have to withdraw from it.
4. God wants to prepare His people for a life of victory.
5. Dying to self and humbling ourselves before the Lord will result in the blessing of the Holy Spirit.
6. We must admit our utter impotence and helplessness to experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit in our own strength.
7. Use the blessings God gives you to benefit others.
8. During times of discouragement, rest in silence before God and hold fast to your integrity.
9. God holds Himself responsible for your future and will provide for us as we walk in the fullness of His Spirit.Read, enjoy, and be challenged to let the Holy Spirit get more of you! Highly recommended.
Experiencing The Holy Spirit Overview

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Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer: The Hidden Power of Beauty, Blessings, Wisdom, and Hurt Review

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Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer: The Hidden Power of Beauty, Blessings, Wisdom, and Hurt Review"There's almost a universal sense that we have ancient magical powers within us. From the time we're children, we fantasize about our ability to do things that are beyond the realm of reason and logic. And why not? While we're children, the rules that say miracles can't happen in our lives have not yet been ingrained in us to the point that they become limits in our beliefs." - From the book
From Christianity to Hinduism, Sufism to Judaism, prayer serves as a vital cornerstone to spiritual traditions worldwide. It has been said that prayer is talking to the Divine, while meditation is listening for the answer. But what if the body--our physical, earthen vessel--contains a lost mode of prayer? And what if sacred texts and traditions reference this type of prayer--some of which were lost during human editing?
In Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer, author Gregg Braden explores ideas both scientific and spiritual in the quest for understanding the mechanics of prayer and its effects on "reality". Explaining quantum physics and "The Field", Braden demonstrates how "reality" is simply the mirror of our beliefs. That is, the sum total of our experience is, in fact, the result--indeed, the projection--of our beliefs.
By praying "for" peace, Braden surmises, are we not inviting more war by acknowledging that peace is not already here? While this may seem like New Age gobbledygook, the author presents convincing evidence that spiritual traditions and avatars knew a secret to prayer that was beyond mere words--a mode based on "feeling".
The Gnostic Gospels and the New Testament were edited for various reasons, but Braden shares an intriguing version of John 16:24: "Ask without hidden motive and be surrounded by your answer." He then relates a story about accompanying a Native American to the sacred medicine wheel to "pray rain". Not pray FOR rain...but to :pray rain". Rather than supplicate a deity to provide what isn't there, this particular spiritual tradition advocated being surrounded by the answer. That is, imagining the smell of impending rain, actually "feeling" the droplets on an upturned face, and visualizing lush flora.
Echoing this same idea, Braden facilitated a 22-day pilgrimage to Tibet, and the monks and nuns shared instructions for a way to pray that was largely lost to the West because of fourth-century Biblical edits. Preserved in ancient texts and traditions, this "lost" mode of prayer has no words or outward expression, but is based solely on feeling.
Braden cites scientific studies on prayer and the Quantum Field, showing how the "observer" affects reality not only on an individual level, but also on a larger, societal level. Braden also shares the wisdom from various spiritual traditions--from Jesus to the Dalai Lama, Navajo to Gnostics--pointing to why we are here on Earth and how to make the best out of our Earthly journey.
Peppered with poignant personal anecdotes, Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer reveals five powerful secrets to prayer and spiritual growth:
1.Our Lost Mode of Prayer - Braden shares the powerful secret of "feeling" prayer and being surrounded by the answer.
2.Hurt is the Teacher, Wisdom is the Lesson - Braden says that balance is not all it's cracked up to be. Using fractal geometry as an example, he explains that just when things seem to be "just so", chaos ensues. However, the Universe never brings about any situation until we already have the tools to handle it.
3.Blessing is the Release - Describing blessing as an "emotional lubricant", Braden discusses how "frozen" hurts can cause illness, and how blessing can move us beyond confusing and frustrating situations--allowing these feelings to move THROUGH us.
4.Beauty is the Transformer - Using the raging fires of Taos as an example--as well as encounters with "imperfect" people--the author movingly shows readers how beauty surrounds us always.
5.Creating Your Own Prayers - Childhood rhymes and traditional singsong prayers may hold the key to a powerful mode of praying.
Printed on 194 glossy pages with an attractive "puffy" covers, Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer taps into a potent spiritual "technology" that enhances life, heals hurts, and transforms perspectives. Sharing personal stories, scientific theory, and sacred wisdom from several traditions, Braden offers humanity a powerful blueprint for consciously creating a beautiful, peaceful reality.
I loved this book! I felt spiritually nourished while reading it, often moved to tears by Braden's stories. But I also felt anticipation and excitement, especially at the thought that if humanity gets a hold of this "lost mode" of prayer--and puts these simple yet profound ideas into practice--that anything is possible.Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer: The Hidden Power of Beauty, Blessings, Wisdom, and Hurt Overview

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The Big Book of Christian Mysticism: The Essential Guide to Contemplative Spirituality Review

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The Big Book of Christian Mysticism: The Essential Guide to Contemplative Spirituality ReviewI read Carl McColman's The Big Book of Christian Mysticism: The Essential Guide to Contemplative Spirituality (2010, Hampton Roads Publishing) while on a long flight from Singapore to South Africa, and reflected on the book while I was on safari in Kruger National Park. Amidst the raw chill of a morning on the African savannah plain while watching a glorious sunrise, adoration for the divine fills my heart, and I had a glimpse of what the mystics of all ages have been trying to explain to us. It resonates with what McColman writes about Christian mysticism,
"Christian mysticism is all about experience - the experience of union with God, or of God. But it is also about a spiritual reality that undermines experience itself, deconstructing all your masks and self-defen[c]es (sic) and leaving you spiritually naked and vulnerable before the silence of the Great Mystery. It is the spirituality of bringing heaven to earth, and of going through hell while here on earth in order to get to heaven" (p.9).McColman structures his book into two parts. The first part explains what mysticism especially Christian mysticism is and the second is how to be a mystic through a contemplative life. The book is written in such an easy to understand way that a reader may easily miss how much knowledge and experience is needed to make such a complex subject appear simple. I discern that McColman has depth knowledge of many of the Christian mystics, notably Meister Eckhart, Julian of Norwich, Bernard of Clairvaux, author of the Cloud of Unknowing and Hildegard of Bingen.
McColman's writing reflects the output of a gentle and kind soul who wants to share what he knows but is fearful of the repercussions. He walks gingerly through the minefield of what we commonly called mysticism. He is wise to limit himself specifically to Christian mysticism. Even then, he is aware of many well meaning Christians to whom the word mysticism is synonymous with New Age, not realising many Old and New Testament heroes of the faith may be considered mystics. I appreciate the way he grounds Christian mysticism in the Trinity, the revelation of God in his word (Bible), the Mystery of the Divine and in community. It is not often that mystics are understood in the context of their communities.
The second part deals with the heart of mysticism which involves kenosis (self-emptying) and perichoresis (analogy of the divine dance of the Trinity) which McColman calls the contemplative life. He introduces certain spiritual disciplines such as lectio divina (spiritual reading) and prayer-beyond-words which prime us to the contemplative life.
The heart of the book is what he calls the "mystical paradoxes." The mark of spiritual maturity is to be able to hold in tension two seemingly opposing spiritual truths and yet be at peace about it. This is Christian mysticism. Unlikely systematic theology which gives the illusion that everything can be neatly explained in propositions, mysticism reveals that God is still a Mystery to our finite mind. McColman notes that "[a] God that you cannot comprehend is a God you cannot manipulate. This, I believe, is a God of true grace, a God worthy of worship" (p.77).Obviously those "mystical paradoxes" needs to be unpacked to do them justice and understandably McColman will not be able to do that even in his "big" book of 309 pages. The only fault I can find (aside from the pagination) is that this "big" book is not big enough! It would have been evenbetter if McColman expands more than what he has already done on these "mystical paradoxes."
This is a good introductory book to Christian mysticism. Reading from the perspective of the Reformed/Presbyterian tradition, I do not have any issues with what McColman has written here. Christian mysticism is an essential part of the Christian spiritual life and I agree with McColman here that everyone is a mystic (see also Paul's writing in Ephesians 3). It will leave us with a truncated spiritual life if we neglect or reject this facet of our Christian spirituality.
The Big Book of Christian Mysticism: The Essential Guide to Contemplative Spirituality Overview

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Contemplative Prayer Review

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Contemplative Prayer ReviewThis is not a how-to book. It is a study of the history and meaning and reason for contemplative prayer, deeply thought of, deeply experienced. My little old copy is dogeared and heavily underlined, having been read so many times. And it is not my first copy - I've given others to friends.
As with much of Merton's writing, it is a tool for examining our own prayer, our own lives. He shows us many ways we may be evading the very goal of our prayer, how we may be shielding ourselves from God's light shining upon us.
Merton did not write this book in order to become popular. It is not all sweetness and gentle breezes of the Spirit. It is more like a cold wind that seeks to blow away our defenses and leave us face to face with what our souls really want - God. Whether we enjoy the process is not the point, but a book like this lets us know that we are not alone on the path, that, tough as it is, others have gone before. It gives comfort in the old English meaning of the word: strengthening. Read this if you need a good dose of spiritual tonic.
review by Janet Knori, author of Awakening in GodContemplative Prayer Overview

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Did You Think to Pray?: How to Listen and Talk to God Every Day about Everything Review

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Did You Think to Pray: How to Listen and Talk to God Every Day about Everything ReviewA very simple, easy to read book on prayer by a very Godly, praying man. If you want to learn to pray, or if you want to improve your existing prayer life, you can't go wrong reading this book.Did You Think to Pray: How to Listen and Talk to God Every Day about Everything Overview

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Listening Prayer: Learning to Hear God's Voice and Keep a Prayer Journal Review

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Listening Prayer: Learning to Hear God's Voice and Keep a Prayer Journal ReviewThis book was one of the most nurturing I have found on the subject of prayer. Leanne Payne, unlike many other authors coming coming from a Charismatic background, emphasizes the fact that prayer and a relationship with Christ is simple persistence, and work. While other authors say this with their words, I saw this "persistence and work" theme emphasized over, and over. Her book erased any thought of a "quick and easy" relationship; her emphasis centers on Christ, and Christ alone.
My only criticism is my desire, even need, to have more examples. I appreciated her narrative, and her use of Scriptural authority. However, real life examples, woven into the text, would have been helpful. She gave some examples (especially in her chapter in Chapter 12 on "How God Speaks to His Children"), but more would have been helpful to place her discussion into a context. Also, she was extremely circumspect in detailing one of her own experiences; after reading it, I did not know what she was trying to express, or what, precisely, occurred.
This criticism is the only reason for my four-star rating. If I could, I would give a "4.5" or a "4.6." This book is one to be read several times, and I highly recommend it.Listening Prayer: Learning to Hear God's Voice and Keep a Prayer Journal Overview

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Beyond the Ordinary: Spirituality for Church Leaders Review

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Beyond the Ordinary: Spirituality for Church Leaders ReviewThis book is about developing spirituality within the leadership position. The book is a rich read with much of the material being new to me. The book does not read easily because there are few stories and the material is deep. There was numerous new insights within the book. The idea of the myth in congregational spirituality was enlightening. The last few chapters were superb with topics of practicing discernment and cutting edge spiritual leadership. This was a radical leap from the general methods within the church on how to make decisions. The chapter on the refreshment of the soul was needed for every minister across the world. Also, the topic of resting in God was helpful. This book is deep with spiritual insight. It is not a swallow text on taking a day off for resting in God, but provides practical spiritual methods for finding rest in God. It is more than a "you need to" book, which a lot of ministerial leadership books sink into, but this book deals with the practical steps of developing a spiritual style of leadership. Most ministers will be amazed at the forms of spirituality in this text. It is a short book worth a slow read.Beyond the Ordinary: Spirituality for Church Leaders Overview

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Daily Reader for Contemplative Living: Excerpts from the Works of Father Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O., Sacred Scripture, and Other Spiritual Writings Review

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Daily Reader for Contemplative Living: Excerpts from the Works of Father Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O., Sacred Scripture, and Other Spiritual Writings ReviewFrankly, The Daily Reader for Contemplative Living has surpassed any other of its kind in my experience. For me, the selections are exactly the right length and the Scriptural accompanient is very a propos. The selcetions are chosen with so much awreness and care. The book is a gem of ogranization: the meticulous indexes, the appendix, etc. not to speak of the arrangement of the selections themselves.Daily Reader for Contemplative Living: Excerpts from the Works of Father Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O., Sacred Scripture, and Other Spiritual Writings Overview

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We Drink from Our Own Wells: The Spiritual Journey of a People Review

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We Drink from Our Own Wells: The Spiritual Journey of a People ReviewGutierrez has written about "liberation theology" in layman's language. Not only is the book informative, it is a guide to personal spirituality.
After completing the book, I find it difficult to understand why "liberation theology" has been such a controversial topic within the political and church establishments for the past 30 years. Why had a US government study claimed "liberation theology" a greater threat to Latin America than communism? And why had the authorities in Rome silenced both Gutierrez and Boff for their positions on liberation theology?
We Drink from Our Own Wells is formated into three sections. The first section contains two chapters that define "new" spirituality as practiced among the poor in Latin America.
The second section is comprised of three chapters that focus on scripture; particularly the gospels of the evangelists and the epistles of Paul. Much attention is given to the social gospel of Christ. The concepts of flesh, spirit, and body are extensively discussed, as are the terms "discipleship" and "community".
The five chapters in the final section are summarized in Henri Nouwen's superbly written Forward: "...filled with deeply moving texts written by Christian men and women who have experienced persecution and suffering but have been witnesses to the living and hope-giving God in the midst of their sufferings."
The 202 pages include 33 pages of notes, 4 pages of scripture references (over 200 entries), a 15 page Forward written by Henri Nouwen, and a 5 page Preface by Gutierrez for the 20th Anniversay Edition.We Drink from Our Own Wells: The Spiritual Journey of a People Overview

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