Christian Contemplation

Author : Thomas Merton,William H. Shannon
Publisher : Harper Collins
Page : 192 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2012-09-11
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780062245083

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The Inner Experience by Thomas Merton,William H. Shannon Pdf

Now in paperback, revised and redesigned: This is Thomas Merton's last book, in which he draws on both Eastern and Western traditions to explore the hot topic of contemplation/meditation in depth and to show how we can practice true contemplation in everyday life. Never before published except as a series of articles (one per chapter) in an academic journal, this book on contemplation was revised by Merton shortly before his untimely death. The material bridges Merton's early work on Catholic monasticism, mysticism, and contemplation with his later writing on Eastern, especially Buddhist, traditions of meditation and spirituality. This book thus provides a comprehensive understanding of contemplation that draws on the best of Western and Eastern traditions. Merton was still tinkering with this book when he died; it was the book he struggled with most during his career as a writer. But now the Merton Legacy Trust and experts have determined that the book makes such a valuable contribution as his major comprehensive presentation of contemplation that they have allowed its publication.

Author : Joseph H. Nguyen
Publisher : Wipf and Stock Publishers
Page : 114 pages
File Size : 45,5 Mb
Release : 2020-12-02
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781725286696

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Christian Contemplation by Joseph H. Nguyen Pdf

Spiritual practitioners and experts across religious traditions are convinced that contemplation cultivates an awareness of the deeper desires of the human heart. But many will ask: does contemplation still exist? If one has been led to believe that there indeed exists the art of contemplation, one will still perhaps wonder what it is and whether or not it is still relevant and applicable today. For many, the term “contemplation” itself perhaps connotes a sense of an exotic practice from a distant past unrelated and impractical to the contemporary life. In this book the author explores the nature and functions of Christian contemplation and offers the reader a wide variety of contemplative prayer methods that can help cultivate an awareness of the spiritual dimension of the human life. The author argues that Christian contemplation is the work of the Holy Spirit. While drawing upon a variety of Christian traditions, the author bases his discussion on the Jesuit tradition of prayer, discernment, and spiritual growth as revealed in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.

Author : Joseph H. Nguyen SJ
Publisher : Wipf and Stock Publishers
Page : 104 pages
File Size : 50,7 Mb
Release : 2020-12-02
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781725286733

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Christian Contemplation by Joseph H. Nguyen SJ Pdf

Spiritual practitioners and experts across religious traditions are convinced that contemplation cultivates an awareness of the deeper desires of the human heart. But many will ask: does contemplation still exist? If one has been led to believe that there indeed exists the art of contemplation, one will still perhaps wonder what it is and whether or not it is still relevant and applicable today. For many, the term "contemplation" itself perhaps connotes a sense of an exotic practice from a distant past unrelated and impractical to the contemporary life. In this book the author explores the nature and functions of Christian contemplation and offers the reader a wide variety of contemplative prayer methods that can help cultivate an awareness of the spiritual dimension of the human life. The author argues that Christian contemplation is the work of the Holy Spirit. While drawing upon a variety of Christian traditions, the author bases his discussion on the Jesuit tradition of prayer, discernment, and spiritual growth as revealed in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.

Author : Richard Rohr
Publisher : Convergent Books
Page : 250 pages
File Size : 40,8 Mb
Release : 2019-03-05
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781524762100

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The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr Pdf

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From one of the world’s most influential spiritual thinkers, a long-awaited book exploring what it means that Jesus was called “Christ,” and how this forgotten truth can restore hope and meaning to our lives. “Anyone who strives to put their faith into action will find encouragement and inspiration in the pages of this book.”—Melinda Gates In his decades as a globally recognized teacher, Richard Rohr has helped millions realize what is at stake in matters of faith and spirituality. Yet Rohr has never written on the most perennially talked about topic in Christianity: Jesus. Most know who Jesus was, but who was Christ? Is the word simply Jesus’s last name? Too often, Rohr writes, our understandings have been limited by culture, religious debate, and the human tendency to put ourselves at the center. Drawing on scripture, history, and spiritual practice, Rohr articulates a transformative view of Jesus Christ as a portrait of God’s constant, unfolding work in the world. “God loves things by becoming them,” he writes, and Jesus’s life was meant to declare that humanity has never been separate from God—except by its own negative choice. When we recover this fundamental truth, faith becomes less about proving Jesus was God, and more about learning to recognize the Creator’s presence all around us, and in everyone we meet. Thought-provoking, practical, and full of deep hope and vision, The Universal Christ is a landmark book from one of our most beloved spiritual writers, and an invitation to contemplate how God liberates and loves all that is.

Author : Thomas Merton
Publisher : New Directions Publishing
Page : 80 pages
File Size : 51,6 Mb
Release : 2012-06-20
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780811219976

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On Christian Contemplation by Thomas Merton Pdf

A compendium of spiritual guidance in a beautiful special edition. “Every moment and every event in every man’s life on Earth plants something in his soul,” wrote Thomas Merton. A Trappist monk, Merton was both a poet and a theologian who pondered monastic life. He was praised for his meditations and conversations with God, as well as interfatith dialogue, tolerance, and non-violent activism during the Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam War. On Christian Contemplation, edited by Merton scholar Paul Pearson, is a collection of the great monk’s work, compiled into a gift-size edition. With poems, reflections, and social commentary, this is the perfect book to nurture the spirit of faith and duty guided by one of the twentieth century’s leading voices of theology and social justice.

Author : Robert Boyd Kidd
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 46 pages
File Size : 43,6 Mb
Release : 1855
Category : Electronic
ISBN : BL:A0022667576

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The Christian Contemplation of a Benefactor's Death by Robert Boyd Kidd Pdf

Author : Willigis Jäger
Publisher : Liguori Publications
Page : 132 pages
File Size : 55,8 Mb
Release : 1994
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN : 0892436905

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Contemplation by Willigis Jäger Pdf

A provocative new study of the Christian contemplative tradition and its relevance to contemporary daily life in a cogent synthesis of scholarship and creative analysis. Willigis Jager is a Benedictine monk and author of three previous books--the most recent being The Way to Contemplation: Encountering God Today.

Author : Phileena Heuertz
Publisher : InterVarsity Press
Page : 205 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2018-11-13
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780830872237

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Mindful Silence by Phileena Heuertz Pdf

Our fast-paced lives are filled with distractions, frequently leaving us disillusioned and dissatisfied—with ourselves, with others, and even with God. Spiritual practices that used to sustain us fall short when life circumstances bring us to the limits of our self. After many years leading an international humanitarian organization, Phileena Heuertz experienced the deconstruction of her identity, worldview, and faith. Centering prayer, a Christian expression of mindfulness, was a crucial remedy for her fragmented condition, offering a more peace-filled and purposeful life. The hallmarks of contemplative spirituality—solitude, silence, and stillness—have never been more important for our society: In solitude, we develop the capacity to be present. In silence, we cultivate the ability to listen. In stillness, we acquire the skill of self-control. Contemplative prayer helps us discern the voice of God, uncover our true self, and live a life of meaning and purpose. Filled with insights and wisdom from personal experiences, Phileena introduces us to themes and teachers of contemplative spirituality, as well as several prayer practices, and invites us to greater healing and wholeness by learning to practice faith through prayer. This is an opportunity to go deeper with God—to experience the Divine and be transformed.

Author : Cynthia Bourgeault
Publisher : Shambhala Publications
Page : 257 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 2016-12-27
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781611803143

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The Heart of Centering Prayer by Cynthia Bourgeault Pdf

The best-selling author of The Wisdom Jesus and The Meaning of Mary Magdalene demystifies the popular Christian meditation method rooted in contemplative prayer Centering Prayer is the path to a wonderful and radical new way of seeing the world. It is not, as is sometimes thought, simply an act of devotional piety, nor is it simply a Christianized form of other meditation methods. Cynthia Bourgeault here cuts through the misconceptions to show that Centering Prayer is in fact a pioneering development within the Christian contemplative tradition. She provides a practical, complete course in the practice and then goes deeper to analyze what actually happens in Centering Prayer: the mind effectively switches to a new operating system that makes possible the perception of nonduality. With this understanding in place, she then takes us on a journey through one of the sources of the practice, the Christian contemplative classic The Cloud of Unknowing, revealing it to be among the earliest Christian explorations of the phenomenology of consciousness. Cynthia Bourgeault’s illumination of the Centering Prayer path provides compelling evidence of how important the practice has become in the half-century since it first arose among American Trappist monks, and of its maturation and refinement over the ensuing years of sincere study and practice. It will resonate with beginners on the Centering Prayer path as well as with seasoned practitioners.

Author : Martin Laird
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 176 pages
File Size : 46,6 Mb
Release : 2006-07-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780195345605

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Into the Silent Land by Martin Laird Pdf

Sitting in stillness, the practice of meditation, and the cultivation of awareness are commonly thought to be the preserves of Hindus and Buddhists. Martin Laird shows that the Christian tradition of contemplation has its own refined teachings on using a prayer word to focus the mind, working with the breath to cultivate stillness, and the practice of inner vigilance or awareness. But this book is not a mere historical survey of these teachings. In Into the Silent Land, we see the ancient wisdom of both the Christian East and West brought sharply to bear on the modern-day longing for radical openness to God in the depths of the heart. Laird's book is not like the many presentations for beginners. While useful for those just starting out, this book serves especially as a guide for those who desire to journey yet deeper into the silence of God. The heart of the book focuses on negotiating key moments of struggle on the contemplative path, when the whirlwind of distractions or the brick wall of boredom makes it difficult to continue. Laird shows that these inner struggles, even wounds, that any person of prayer must face, are like riddles, trying to draw out of us our own inner silence. Ultimately Laird shows how the wounds we loathe become vehicles of the healing silence we seek, beyond technique and achievement. Throughout the language is fresh, direct, and focused on real-life examples of people whose lives are incomparably enriched by the practice of contemplation.

Author : Evelyn Underhill
Publisher : Library of Alexandria
Page : 1046 pages
File Size : 48,7 Mb
Release : 1930-01-01
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9781465516916

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Mysticism: a study in the nature and development of man's spiritual consciousness by Evelyn Underhill Pdf

Author : John H. Coe,Kyle C. Strobel
Publisher : InterVarsity Press
Page : 309 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2019-02-26
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780830873685

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Embracing Contemplation by John H. Coe,Kyle C. Strobel Pdf

What does a Christian life lived "by the Spirit" look like? For many Christians throughout history, fulfilling Paul's command in Galatians 5:25 included a form of contemplation and prayer that leads to spiritual formation. But in large part, contemporary Christians—perhaps especially evangelicals—seem to have lost or forgotten about this treasure from their own tradition. Bringing together scholars and practitioners of spiritual formation from across the Protestant spectrum, this volume offers a distinctly evangelical consideration of the benefits of contemplation. The contributors draw on historical examples from the church—including John Calvin, Richard Baxter, Jonathan Edwards, and John Wesley—to consider how contemplative prayer can shape Christian living today. The result is a robust guide to embracing contemplation that will help Christians as they seek to keep in step with the Spirit.

Author : Kim Nataraja
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2012
Category : Contemplation
ISBN : 1570759383

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Journey to the Heart by Kim Nataraja Pdf

A comprehensive, fully illustrated overview of Christian spirituality from Jesus up to the present day. The contemplative tradition in Christianity traces its origins back to Mt. Carmel, the prophet Elijah's mountain-top place of encounter with divine power. In the Gospels, we frequently read that Jesus withdrew to quiet places to pray. These biblical precedents have inspired a tradition of contemplation through the centuries and this remarkable book reveals the life and teachings of the great spiritual teachers and Christian mystics, including St. John, Origen, St. Benedict, Julian of Norwich, St. John of the Cross, Meister Eckhart, and modern-day mystics like Thomas Merton, Simone Weil, Etty Hillesum, Bede Griffiths, and John Main. The contributors themselves offer an array of leading spiritual writers, including Laurence Freeman, Esther de Waal, Kallistos Ware, Shirley du Boulay, and many more.

Author : Todd Mund
Publisher : iUniverse
Page : 108 pages
File Size : 44,5 Mb
Release : 2003-03-27
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN : 9780595272495

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Christian Growth Through Contemplation by Todd Mund Pdf

Like many people, Todd lived his life questioning the meaning of God and why he was not close to God. As he searched, he found the practice of Christian contemplation. Used by Jesus and other Christian patriarchs, this had to be the answer. After a short period of practice, Todd could begin to see subtle changes in himself and in his life. The anxiety, resentment and worry that were so prevalent in his life began to disappear. Entering his life were the two things that he had always searched for-calm and serenity. As his practice continued, he began to feel immense changes and had several epiphanies of the presence of God. As these awakenings continued, the teachings of Jesus came to have a deeper meaning and understanding than ever before. Christian Growth Through Contemplation is a fresh, insightful and illuminating book that describes the contemplative process and the truth of the Christian teachings. It is a must read for every Christian. Whether you are content in the Christian faith or have drifted away from the church, this book will help you grow closer to God than you could ever imagine and live a happy and fulfilling life.

Author : Jean-Marie Gueullette
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2019-06-25
Category : Religion
ISBN : 1847308384

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How to Sit with God by Jean-Marie Gueullette Pdf

Silence and interiority are not merely the preserve of Eastern religions and philosophies; Christianity too offers a very simple way of praying in silence, a tradition this book invites readers to join.