I recommend the following books, courses and web sites.

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FEATURED BOOK

Check out Brian Russell’s new book, Astonished By The Word: Reading Scripture for Deep Transformation.

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The Monk Manual integrates the productivity benefits of a planner and the reflective benefits of a journal to help individuals build full and intentional lives. Get 10% off with my discount code: silenceteaches.

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The Orbit of God’s Love: Prayers and Meditations for Each Day of the Year: A Sampler from Anamchara Books.

What is Rich reading?

Books by Amos Smith

Be Still and Listen: Experience the Presence of God in Your Life  is currently $6.99 in Kindle and is now available on Audible too!

Also by Amos Smith, Healing the Divide: Recovering Christianity’s Mystic Roots

 

New Books:

Check out Brian Russell’s new book, Astonished By The Word: Reading Scripture for Deep Transformation.

Here are some great books released in 2022 and 2023!

Let Your Heartbreak Be Your Guide: Lessons in Engaged Contemplation by Adam Bucko

Curveball: When Your Faith Takes Turns You Never Saw Coming (or How I Stumbled and Tripped My Way to Finding a Bigger God) by Peter Enns.

Centering Prayers for Women: A Daily Devotional for Drawing Closer to the Heart of God by Peter Traben Haas.

God is All In All: The Evolution of the Contemplative Christian Spiritual Journey by Thomas Keating. (Foreword by Adam Bucko)

Practice the Pause: Jesus’ Contemplative Practice, New Brain Science, and What It Means to Be Fully Human by Caroline Oakes.

Birthing the Holy: Wisdom from Mary to Nurture Creativity and Renewal by Christine Valters Paintner

Jesus’ Alternative Plan: The Sermon on the Mount by Richard Rohr.

Be Your Future Self Now: The Science of Intentional Transformation by Dan Sullivan with Dr. BenjaminI

Come Closer: The Practice of Christian Meditation by Teresa Yerkes.

Books:

Adyashanti, Resurrecting Jesus: Embodying the Spirit of a Revolutionary Mystic

Amato, Nicholas.  Living In God:  Contemplative Prayer and Contemplative Action.  (Enjoy my review.)

Amato, Nicholas.  Moving from Stress to Joy

Amato, Nicholas. Happiness and Joy: Can a Spiritual Life Have Both? 

Arico, Carl J.   A Taste of Silence:  Centering Prayer and the Contemplative Journey.  (Enjoy my review.)

Bass, Diana Butler.  Grounded: Finding God in the World-A Spiritual Revolution (Enjoy my review.)

Bell, Rob. What Is the Bible?: How an Ancient Library of Poems, Letters, and Stories Can Transform the Way You Think and Feel About Everything

Bill, J. Brent.  Holy Silence: A Gift of Quaker Silence.  (Enjoy my review.)

Bill, J. Brent.  Beauty, Truth, Life, and Love: Four Essentials for the Abundant Life

Borg, Marcus.  Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time: The Historical Jesus and the Heart of Contemporary Faith .

Bourgeault, Cynthia.  Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening. (Enjoy my review.)

Bourgeault, Cynthia.  The Heart of Centering Prayer:  Nondual Christianity in Theory and Practice.  (Enjoy my review.)

Bourgeault, Cynthia.  The Wisdom Jesus:  Transforming Heart and Mind-a New Perspective on Christ and His Message (Enjoy my review)

Butts, Roger. Seeds of Devotion: Weekly Contemplations on Faith 

Coleman, Daniel.  Presence and Process: A Path Toward Transformative Faith and Inclusive Community.  (Enjoy my interview with Daniel.)

Enns, Peter.  The Bible Tells Me So: Why Defending Scripture Has Made Us Unable to Read It

Enns, Peter.  How the Bible Actually Works: In Which I Explain How An Ancient, Ambiguous, and Diverse Book Leads Us to Wisdom Rather Than Answers—and Why That’s Great News

Finley, James.  Christian Meditation.

Freeman, Laurence.  Jesus the Teacher Within

Freeman, Laurence.  First Sight:  The Experience of Faith

Frenette, David.  The Path of Centering Prayer:  Deepening Your Experience of God.  (Enjoy my review.)

Funk, Mary Margaret. Tools Matter: Beginning the Spiritual Journey (The Matters Series)

Haase, Albert. Becoming an Ordinary Mystic: Spirituality for the Rest of Us (Enjoy my review.)

Hardy, Benjamin and Sullivan, Dan. The Gap and The Gain: The High Achiever’s Guide To Happiness, Confidence, And Success

Heuertz, Phileena, Mindful Silence: The Heart of Christian Contemplation, (Enjoy my review)

Jelenek, Frank (Author), Boyajian Ann (Illustrator).  Journey to the Heart:  Centering Prayer for Children.

Johnson, Jan.  Meeting God In Scripture:  A-Hands-On Guide To Lectio Divina.  (Enjoy my review.)

Keating, Thomas.  Intimacy with God:  An Introduction To Centering Prayer.  (Enjoy my review.)

Keating, Thomas.  Manifesting God. (Enjoy my review)

Keating, Thomas.  Open Mind, Open Heart, 20th Anniversary Edition.

Marion, James. Putting on the Mind of Christ: The Inner Work of Christian Spirituality

Laird, Martin. Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation. (Enjoy my review)

Laird, Martin. An Ocean of Light: Contemplation, Transformation, and Liberation. (Enjoy my review)

Martin, James. Jesus: A Pilgrimage

McColman, Carl.  Befriending Silence:  Discovering the Gifts of Cistercian Spirituality. (Enjoy my review.)

McColman, Carl. Eternal Heart: The Mystical Path To A Joyful Life 

Meninger, William.  The Loving Search for God.

Miller, Shelly.  Rhythms of Rest: Finding the Spirit of Sabbath in a Busy World. (Enjoy my review.)

O’Madagain, Murchadh.  Centering Prayer and The Healing of the Unconscious.

O’Rourke, Benignus.  Finding Your Hidden Treasure. (Enjoy my review.)

Paintner, Christine Valters.  Illuminating the Way:  Embracing the Wisdom of Monks and Mystics.  (Enjoy my review.)

Paintner, Christine Valters.  Eyes of the Heart:  Photography as a Christian Contemplative Practice. (Enjoy my review.)

Paintner, Christine Valters.  The Soul of a Pilgrim:  Eight Practices for the Journey Within.

Paintner, Christine Valters. The Soul’s Slow Ripening: 12 Celtic Practices for Seeking the Sacred

Pennington, Basil.  Centering Prayer:  Renewing an Ancient Christian Prayer Form.  (Enjoy my review.)

Reynolds, Stefan Gillow.  Living with the Mind of Christ:  Mindfulness in Christian Spirituality.  (Enjoy my review.)

Rohr, Richard. Immortal Diamond: The Search for Our True Self

Rohr, Richard.  The Naked Now.  (Enjoy my review.)

Rohr, Richard. The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope For, and Believe  (Enjoy my review)

Russell, Brian. Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in God’s Presence Can Change Your Life

Sabom, Clint.  Preparation For Great Light:  Recollections Of A Christian Mystic.  (Enjoy my review.)

Schuller, Bettina. This Is Living! Practicing the Presence of God: A Prayer and Meditation Guide for Daily Life 

Shaw, Marc Thomas. Dante’s Road: The Journey Home for the Modern Soul (Enjoy my review.)

Smith, Paul R.  Is Your God Big Enough? Close Enough? You Enough?: Jesus and the Three Faces of God. (Enjoy my review)

Wright, N. T. Simply Jesus: A New Vision of Who He Was, What He Did, and Why He Matters

Yamasaki, April. Four Gifts: Seeking Self-Care for Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength

Zahnd, Brian.  Water To Wine:  Some of My Story.  (Enjoy my review.)

Zahnd, Brian. Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God: The Scandalous Truth of the Very Good News

Zahnd, Brian. When Everything’s on Fire: Forged Faith from the Ashes

Courses:

Closer than Breath

Closer Than Breath is a 6-week, Centering Prayer course grounded in opening to God who is closer to us than the air we breathe. This self-paced course allows you to take the course at your own speed on your own time and is aimed at finding greater peace of mind and the divine Presence within.

Monk Manual

Life Atlas is a vision and goal-setting program that will simplify your life and amplify your impact this year. In this program you’ll get a proven, step-by-step process for setting goals that align with your deeper sense of purpose. With coupon code Rich get 30% off.

The Monk Manual integrates the productivity benefits of a planner and the reflective benefits of a journal to help individuals build full and intentional lives.

Centering Prayer is a silent prayer practice that can move you toward a profound relationship with the Spirit of God within. It is a way of praying that opens the door to the Divine Indwelling—the ground of our being. With Centering Prayer, Father Thomas Keating and his colleagues Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler and Father Carl Arico present the first online course in this method for deepening your intimacy with God and ultimately consenting to the presence and action of the Divine in all aspects of your life.

The Contemplative Journey (Volume I) is Father Thomas Keating’s great masterwork: a complete curriculum devoted to a Christian path for achieving the still point of resting in God.

Learn More About:

  • The complete history, theory, and daily practice of Centering Prayer
  • What the medieval saints knew about resting in God
  • The sacred word that revitalizes your prayers
  • How to heal the irrational drives that can sabotage your spiritual growth

The Contemplative Journey (Volume II) is Father Thomas Keating’s great masterwork: a complete curriculum devoted to a Christian path for achieving the still point of resting in God.

Learn More About:

  • The four elements essential to your spiritual health
  • Three on-the-spot questions to diagnose core troubles
  • How to overcome deeply ingrained habits with prayer
  • Mastering the three essential human relationships
  • The true purpose of marriage
  • How to use Centering Prayer as a spiritual antibiotic

CENTERING PRAYER MEDITATIONS

Effortless Contemplation to Deepen Your Experience of God

Essential principles and guided practices of Centering Prayer, taught by David Frenette.

“You need a simple practice to help you, a way of opening to the gift of God. A good contemplative practice makes you more present to the divine presence in you and aligns your actions with the divine action in you.”

Following the Mystics Through the Narrow Gate – Three leading voices in the contemplative Christian tradition explore the mystic’s path: Richard Rohr, James Finley and Cynthia Bourgeault. Experience a very special weekend conference with teachings that guide us through the long mystical tradition from early Christianity to our own time. This view into our mystical heritage opens our hearts to the Divine Mystery in which we live and are surrounded. The mystical union to which we are all invited strengthens us to live our lives with compassion and gratitude.

The Enneagram and Grace: 9 Journeys to Divine Presence by Richard Rohr and Russ Hudson – Fr. Richard Rohr and Russ Hudson offer a deep study of the Enneagram as a powerful spiritual tool. The Enneagram has become many things to many people, but its roots are profoundly spiritual and are based in the studies of the Desert Fathers, the world’s first Christian monastics. At its core, the Enneagram addresses the question of how we fail to recognize the presence of Grace in our lives. It helps us see the psychological issues that cause us to forget the Divine Presence here in each moment.

On Encountering the Wisdom Jesus, this brilliant author and dynamic Episcopalian priest presents her first full-length audio course about rediscovering the Master of Wisdom. Twelve immersive sessions cover: the parables as wisdom tools; Jesus’s teachings about kenosis (or self-emptying: a path as radical today as it was 2,000 years ago); Jesus as tantric master; Centering Prayer, an approach to meditation as Jesus lived it, and much more. The early Christians, teaches the Reverend Cynthia Bourgeault, were afire with the spirit of Jesus, inspired fully by his teaching of a total transformation of consciousness. How do we reclaim that fire today?

Since the time of the Desert Fathers in the third century, Finley begins, Christian mystics have practiced meditation as a way of opening to the direct presence of God in daily life. Legendary seekers such as Saint John of the Cross, Saint Teresa of Avila, and Meister Eckhart explored how meditation can lead us beyond the closed horizon of the ego, to an interior and holy refuge that is always available to us. On Christian Meditation, James Finley offers a gentle introduction to this all-transforming way of life, and the ever-deepening realization of oneness with Christ it leads us to.  (Based upon his book, Christian Meditation.)

Thomas Merton’s Path to the Palace of Nowhere:  The Essential Guide to the Contemplative Teachings of Thomas Merton – Now James Finley, who for six years lived, prayed, and studied with Brother Louis, as Merton was known at the Abbey of Gethsemani, shares with us the gifts passed on to him by this towering figure.

The Teachings of Meister Eckhart: An Invitation to Experience God in Every Moment:  The 13th-century mystic Meister Eckhart was the most brilliant Christian scholar of his day, but he was also legendary for the way that he opened listeners to the direct experience of God during his public talks. Today, his written wisdom remains alive as ever, ready to illuminate us. James Finley, one of today’s best-known teachers of the Christian contemplative tradition, invites us into Eckhart’s insights in the same way that this luminary teacher delighted in sharing them—through the spoken word.

Resurrecting Jesus by Adyashanti :A nine-part course exploring the life of Jesus as a template for spiritual awakening.

“Ultimately, the sole concern of Jesus as depicted in the Gospel of Mark is with awakening people to eternal life, to discovering divine being within themselves.

SEEING WITH THE EYES OF THE HEART

Living the Wisdom of the Jesus Story

Adyashanti, Cynthia Bourgeault

THE ART OF LETTING GO

Living the Wisdom of Saint Francis

Richard Rohr

Enduring insights for living in simplicity, joy, and spiritual depth.

LIVING FROM A PLACE OF SURRENDER – SPECIAL OFFER

The Untethered Soul in Action

Michael A. Singer

“There is nothing more important to true growth than realizing that you are not the voice of the mind—you are the one who hears it.”

 

Web Sites:

A Daily Spiritual Seed – This daily (M – F) e mail message provides information, guidance and support on Christian spirituality using quotes from various Christian authors. A Gospel meditation and additional spiritual growth resources are also included in each daily message.

Carl McColman – Explores prayer, silence and wisdom of the mystics

Center for Action and Contemplation – The Center for Action and Contemplation seeks to empower individuals to live out their sacred soul tasks in service to the world through contemplative programs and resources.

Contemplative Life – A central hub that brings many different practices under one umbrella,
to easily find what’s right for you and connect with others of like mind.

Contemplative Light – We provide education and resources in a global effort towards inner transformation through contemplative prayer and meditation.

Contemplative Outreach – Contemplative Outreach is a community of individuals and Centering Prayer groups committed to living the contemplative dimension of the Gospel in everyday life.

In Search of a New Eden – Through Celtic Christianity Justin Coutts hopes to bring people closer to the natural world and closer to their own souls – that we all may return to Eden like the Prodigal Son and live once more in harmony with the wind and waves, the trees and moss, the rocks and stars.

J. Brent Bill – Brent is a writer, photographer, retreat leader, and Quaker minister.

Recover Christianity’s Mystic Roots – Amos Smith and I explore the five roots:  Centering Prayer, Jesus Paradox, New Monasticism, Christian Mysticism and Nonviolence.

Shalom Place – It’s purpose is to provide a variety of resources that encourage and support Christian spiritual practice. As such, it is an online spirituality center — a place where you can find retreats, workshops, books, handouts, worksheets, and a community of kindred spirits who are seeking to grow in Christ.

The Contemplative Society – Contemplative Society is an inclusive non-profit association that encourages a deepening of contemplative prayer based in the Christian Wisdom tradition while also welcoming and being supportive of other meditation traditions.

The Contemplative Way – James Finley, Ph.D. lived as a monk at the cloistered Trappist monastery of the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky, where the world-renowned monk and author, Thomas Merton, was his spiritual director.

The Faith-ing Project – The goal of The Faith-ing Project is to enrich your spiritual life.   Our hope is that this  might be a gymnasium for the soul; a library for the spirit; and a toy store for the psyche.

The Modern Contemplative – Join me on this journey of understanding how Contemplative thought and practice can help us encounter a real, present, and loving God right where we are, in our common experience of everyday life.

The Wisdom Way of Knowing – On this site you’ll find a treasure trove of resources and teachings by Cynthia Bourgeault including a list of her Key Offerings, an overview of the Wisdom Way of Knowing model, information about Wisdom Schools, an introduction to Wisdom Essentials including foundational practices and tools, and connection to our Communities of Practice, including leaders and members of the community and links to various organizations in the Wisdom Network.

The World Community for Christian Meditation – The World Community teaches the Christian tradition of meditation.