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Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation
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Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation Hardback - 2006 - 1st Edition

by Martin Laird

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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.

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From the publisher

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.

Details

  • Title Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation
  • Author Martin Laird
  • Binding Hardback
  • Edition number 1st
  • Edition 1
  • Pages 176
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Oxford University Press, New York
  • Publication date 2006-07-01
  • Features Bibliography, Dust Cover, Table of Contents
  • ISBN 9780195307603 / 0195307607
  • Weight 0.56 lbs (0.25 kg)
  • Dimensions 7.19 x 5.34 x 0.76 in (18.26 x 13.56 x 1.93 cm)
  • Themes
    • Religious Orientation: Christian
    • Theometrics: Mainline
    • Topical: New Age
  • Category Religion - Inspirational/Spirituality
  • Library of Congress subjects Contemplation
  • Library of Congress Catalogue Number 2005035277
  • Dewey Decimal Code 248.34

Media reviews

Citations

  • Christianity Today, 11/01/2006, Page 101
  • Library Journal, 07/01/2006, Page 81

About the author

Martin Laird, O.S.A., is Associate Professor in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Villanova University. He has studied patristics in Rome, London, and Oxford, and has extensive training in contemplative disciplines and gives retreats throughout the United States and Great Britain. He is the translator or author of a host of books and articles, including Gregory of Nyssa and the Grasp of Faith: Union, Knowledge and Divine Presence (OUP, 2004).
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Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation
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Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation

by Martin Laird

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Oxford University Press, USA, June 2006. Hardcover. Very Good/Good. Speaking to a nation engulfed in war, worry and idolatry, Isaiah proclaims the posture of faithfulness: 'You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You.' This captures the soul of Christian contemplation-'staying the mind' on God despite the intrusive character of modern life. Great teachers of the Faith have echoed Isaiah's words throughout history. 'Preserve a loving attentiveness to God' we are directed by St. John of the Cross, and St. Macarius says, 'secure [your mind] to our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the Rock.' It is unfortunate that sitting silently for prayer, meditative breathing, and training the attention-practices that aid in staying the mind on God-are almost universally associated with eastern religions. Laird's book reveals a depth of Christian teaching on these subjects, rooted in scripture and expressed by great pray-ers, from Egyptian ascetics to modern poets.… Read more
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Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation
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Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation

by Martin Laird

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Oxford University Press, USA, June 2006. Hardcover. New. Speaking to a nation engulfed in war, worry and idolatry, Isaiah proclaims the posture of faithfulness: 'You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You.' This captures the soul of Christian contemplation-'staying the mind' on God despite the intrusive character of modern life. Great teachers of the Faith have echoed Isaiah's words throughout history. 'Preserve a loving attentiveness to God' we are directed by St. John of the Cross, and St. Macarius says, 'secure [your mind] to our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the Rock.' It is unfortunate that sitting silently for prayer, meditative breathing, and training the attention-practices that aid in staying the mind on God-are almost universally associated with eastern religions. Laird's book reveals a depth of Christian teaching on these subjects, rooted in scripture and expressed by great pray-ers, from Egyptian ascetics to modern poets. This is a… Read more
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Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation

by Laird, Martin

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Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation

by Laird, Martin

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