Beginning Contemplative Prayer: Out of Chaos into Quiet
Overview
Many of us have a desire to pray more deeply, but feel that the profound prayer of contemplation is beyond our possibilities and capabilities. Sister Kathryn Hermes wants you to believe your heart when it asks for this deeper, more profound experience of prayer.
In this practical guide, bestselling author Kathryn J. Hermes, FSP, demonstrates how to begin a life of contemplative prayer. You don’t have to be a mystic to learn this type of prayer, just a person who is seeking a deeper communion with God. Sister Kathryn has helped thousands of people through difficult times. Now let her guide you in this timeless form of meditative prayer.
Beginning Contemplative Prayer is a practical guide to contemplation. It invites the reader to “try on” various prayer practices, exploring the methods of Brother Lawrence, John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, Ignatius of Loyola, Julian of Norwich, and others.
Prayer exercises are offered throughout, and individual and group prayer guides are also included.
Top Highlights
“In this woman’s experience the rhythm of contemplation unfolds: encounter, engagement, commitment, and perseverance.” (Page 2)
“As Catholics, we have a long-kept secret that many yearn to know. This secret is the depth and richness of our spirituality. Our religious history is charged with mysticism and passion, marked by spiritual journeys and pilgrimages, ignited by worship and prayer. Spirituality has to do with our deepest needs, anxieties, joys, hopes, and fears, our values and dreams. It is a part of our daily life and propels us to rise above the daily grind. It fuels our work, our relationships, our prayer, pushing us to live with greater meaning and intensity. Spirituality takes us as we are and connects us to God as God is. Many Catholics, thirsting for an authentic experience of God and deeper meaning in life, are unaware of this mystical tradition.” (Page 1)
“Giving ourselves these silent moments is crucial to the well-being of our souls. These daily mini-retreats free us from the false illusion that we have made ourselves, that we can accomplish anything alone. They daily remind us that we are loved and are utterly dependent on our Creator.” (Page 11)
“As we become unaccustomed to silence, remembering and observing, these new rhythms carry us along” (Page 8)
“To become a contemplative, you must simply start to contemplate. I say simply because to begin to contemplate you must be able to honestly begin where you are; just start, and nothing more. No expectations. No achievements. No stories to tell of wisdom gained. You simply must begin. And after fifty years of contemplating God every day, you must begin the first day of the fifty-first year in the same way. Begin with the simple desire to contemplate, reaching out to God, believing that God is sustaining with love the one who longs to see his face.” (Page 29)