The Beginner's Guide to Contemplative Prayer

Written by a psychotherapist who studied and prayed with Thomas Merton, this is a brief but powerful lesson on quieting the mind and connecting with God. It's a sterling example of Christian writing that is also philosophical and psychological, and that considers other religious approaches to meditative and contemplative practices without explicitly doing so. Its lesson is to find peace and learn to be content with the essence of God and with the present moment--free of striving, attachment, and the illusion of narcissistic attainment in the mortal world. Neither an end in itself nor an escape from life's obligations, the contentment Finley offers is really a safe platform for asking, "What am I do to next?" T.W. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine