The Meditations With A Monastic Commentary

The Meditations, written over a period from 1125 to 1137, are a personal account of William of Saint-Thierry’s ascent into Trinitarian intimacy. Writing to the monks of Mont Dieu sometime around 1144, he proposed the Meditations as helpful in forming minds in prayer. These Meditations, with their accompanying commentary, are now presented as helpful in forming an intimate relationship with the triune God.

"Sometimes in their chanting monks will land upon a note and sing it in florid fashion, one syllable of text for fifty notes of chant. Melisma, they call it." "Living a melismatic life in imitation of plainchant, we may stop on an experience, a place, a person, or a memory and rhapsodize in imagination. Some like to meditate or contemplate melismatically, while others prefer to draw, build, paint, or dance whatever their eye has fallen upon." "Living one point after another, is one form of experience, and it can be emphatically productive. But stopping for melisma gives the soul its reason for being."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

In Rise Up With a Listening Heart, the Orthodox monks of New Skete Monastery in upstate New York offer a beautifully crafted series of meditations on daily resurrections. How do we "rise up" from loneliness, self-doubt, and fear? How do we "rise up" with laughter, a listening heart, and creativity? These monks write with a fresh depth that keeps us focused on the path that takes us ever closer to the heart of God.

This beautifully packaged edition offers the chart-topping CD by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos with a series of inspiring meditations by Brother David Steindl-Rast. Arranged according to the eight hours of the Divine Office that the monks chant, these meditations will transport readers to a sacred place, adding a new dimension of spiritual insight to the listening experience.

How medieval monastic practices—with their emphasis on a healthy soul, mind, and body—can inspire us to live fuller lives today We know that they prayed, sang, and wore long robes, but what was it really like to be a monk? Though monastic living may seem unimaginable to us moderns, it has relevance for today. This book illuminates the day-to-day of medieval European monasticism, showing how you can apply the principles of monastic living, like finding balance and peace, to your life. With wit and insight, medievalist and podcaster Daniele Cybulskie dives into the history of monasticism in each chapter and then reveals applications for today, such as the benefits of healthy eating, streamlining routines, gardening, and helping others. She shares how monks authentically embraced their spiritual calling, and were also down to earth: they wrote complaints about being cold in the manuscripts they copied, made beer and wine, and even kept bees. How to Live Like a Monk features original illustrations by Anna Lobanova, as well as more than eighty color reproductions from medieval manuscripts. It is for anyone interested in the Middle Ages and those seeking inspiration for how to live a full life, even when we’re confined to the cloister of our homes.

For almost two millennia, Christian men and women have banded together to live in devotion to God and humanity. Recent studies have shown that, on average, men and women in Holy Orders are healthier and live longer than the rest of us. What timeless solutions to the things that ail us might we have dismissed in our rush into the modern age? Written by three very modern seekers who visited monastic communities to explore facets of the contemplative life, Wisdom from the Monastery reveals what these lay practitioners found so rewarding and deeply relevant to their lives today. Originally published in Germany as three separate volumes, the U.S. edition combines these major aspects of monastic practice: fasting, healing, and meditation. The book’s warm, engaging tone presents millennia-tested practices of contemplative Christianity free from Church dogma. One need not be Catholic, nor even Christian, to benefit from fasting, herbal and other natural remedies, and profound approaches to prayer, meditation, and silence. Readers learn what characterizes the best monastic communities and discover a sense of the retreat experience as spiritual adventure. Featuring over 100 photographs, daily exercises, personal anecdotes, and fascinating snippets on monastic experience through the ages, Wisdom from the Monastery introduces readers to a cast of remarkable monks and nuns who have chosen lives of renunciation and simplicity. Within these pages, monastic wisdom demonstrates its relevance across millennia and beyond monastery walls.

In Taking Jesus Seriously, the words of Jesus become clearer when matched with the practices and insights of Buddhist meditation. This book presents a Christian way to implement the words of Jesus by looking inside to see what stands between the reader and God's kingdom. Cowan connects everyday examples and Jesus' words to the method of Buddhist vipassana or insight meditation by offering instruction, perception, and guidance. With practice, readers can begin to notice what is actual, leave anxiety to the Father, accept pain, and see the world as a child would. This book is designed to be read over twelve weeks while practicing 20-30 minutes of daily meditations. Each chapter includes questions and answers