A collection of original prayers and complementary Bible passages. Use the prayers in this book to bless people at significant moments in their lives, the words of comfort in the second part of the book may be used at any time.  The booklet comprises of prayers, Bible passages and pictures which can be coloured in.
Thomas Merton's classic study of monastic prayer and contemplation brings a tradition of spirituality alive for the present day. But, as A M Allchin points out in his Introduction to this new edition, Contemplative Prayer also shows us the present day in a new perspective, because we see it in the light of a long and living tradition.
Merton stresses that in meditation we should not look for a 'method' or 'system' but cultivate an 'attitude' or 'outlook': faith, openness, attention, reverence, expectation, trust, joy. God is found in the desert of surrender, in giving up any expectation of a particular message and 'waiting on the Word of God in silence'.
Merton insists on the humility of faith, which he argues 'will do far more to launch us into the full current of historical reality than the pompous rationalisation of politicians who think they are somehow the directors and manipulators of history'.
The fourth- and fifth-century desert mothers lived the earliest forms of Christian life in the Mediterranean region. Until now, their lives have been little known outside of academic circles, Praying with the Desert Mothers presents the stories and insights of these remarkable spiritual elders, who were known as ammas; that is, women of spiritual insight and direction. The book draws on the wisdom of ancient spiritual practices to provide reflection for prayer and meditation today.
We hear a lot, these days, about 'spirituality', yet the meaning of that word can be hard to pin down. Often it is use in a vague way to refer to the relationship between our 'spirit' and God, resulting in the belief that we can only relate to God with our 'inner' being and not with any other part of ourselves.
Within Christianity, this view is commonly based on the assumption that the Bible contrasts the body and all this is physical with the 'spirit' which is good. But is that really what the Bible says? To answer that question, Paula Gooder explores the evidence, dispelling popular misconceptions, and leading us to a deeper understanding of the value of our bodies in the eyes of God.
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