Product Description

This is the 20th anniversary edition of Continuum's best-selling spiritual classic, which has sold over half a million in the English language and has appeared in 10 foreign-language editions (Croatian, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesia, Italian, Korean, Polish, and Portuguese). The new edition consists of a substantial new preface, an expanded glossary, some changes in terminology, and a reordering of several chapters.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #76506 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-18
• Format: Special Edition
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 190 pages

Review
"'The leader within the Catholic world in the task of recovering our Christian contemplative heritage.' --Ewert H. Cousins, general editor, World Spirituality: An Encyclopedic History of the Religious Quest

'My mother is a self-proclaimed 'soul shopper' from way back. We started going to St Benedict's Monastery in Snowmass when I was 7 years old. Several years later, Keating became a St. Benedict's monk. He developed centering prayer, which is a lot like meditation and what this book is about. He says that meditation (or centering prayer) is a way of reducing the obstacles to the development of grace. I can sit for only five to ten minutes. It's very hard for me. Still, when I get in trouble, it shifts my perspective. As they say, we don't pray to change our circumstances; we pray to change ourselves.' --Felicity Huffman's Bookshelf in Oprah's Books

About the Author
Father Thomas Keating is known throughout the world as an exponent, teacher, and writer on contemplative prayer. A Cistercian (Trappist) monk of St. Benedict's Monastery, Snowmass, Colorado, he is a founder of the Centering Prayer Movement and of Contemplative Outreach. He is the author of numerous books, particularly of the trilogy Open Mind, Open Heart; Invitation to Love; and The Mystery of Christ.

Customer Reviews

Bringing the cloud of unknowing to a modern audience
I have read this book twice and, on each occasion, I have returned to the practice of apophactic meditation with increased zeal. Essentially, Fr Keating tries to get the reader to move away from an exclusive focus on mental prayer to a prayer, which consists in emptying oneself of thoughts so that one can rest in God and be simply there for God. The book, although short, can be a little repetitive simply because what he proposes is fairly straightforward. The hard part is simply convincing oneself that being in the presence of God without articulating any thoughts is of value. And, believe you me, it is.