The Path Of Celtic Prayer

Discover an ancient way of prayer that leads us to new union with God. "Long ago," Calvin Miller writes, "when the Celts built their own rustic kingdom of God in what would later be the British Isles, their fervor in prayer washed their world in a vital revival." In uncertain and dangerous days of high infant-mortality rates, leprosy and plagues, the Celts breathed candid prayers out of the reality of their lives: Desperate prayers for protection. Praise for the God who was king over all creation. Honest prayers of confession. In these pages, Miller introduces us to six types of Celtic prayer that can connect us to God more deeply by helping us pray out of the circumstances and uncertainties of our own life. "This book proposes a kind of prayer that can end our amputated feelings of separateness from God," says Miller. What was true for the Celts is still true for us: "Hunger for Christ keeps us talking to God till our separation is swallowed up in our unending togetherness with him." As rich as the faith they describe, these pages lead us on an ancient path that gives guidance for present and future prayers, until the day the Celts longed for, when all separation is gone and we live forever in the presence of God.

Esther de Waal's classic guide to Celtic spirituality shows how its rich literary traditions and earthy realism can speak to the toughness and challenges of our own world. Avoiding sentimentality , she presents a spirituality that can be lived with honesty, commitment and truthfulness.

This lavishly illustrated daily prayer book draws on the great spiritual insights and wisdom of the Celtic church, offering prayers and Scripture readings for every morning and evening of the week. Each day Celtic Benediction invites readers to meditate on a different aspect of the creation story from Genesis. On Sunday the theme is light. In the morning, the prayers and readings lead us to seek the light of the life of God in all his creatures. At night, we meditate on the light that no darkness can overcome as we bring the world and its needs to God. And so on through each day of the week: water, the fruitful earth, the animal world, humanity, playful rest, and all that God has made draw us into intimate prayer. Related Scripture readings are also given for each day of the year, making this a book to use constantly. Illustrated throughout with colored panels from the Lindisfarne Gospels, Celtic Benediction offers contemporary Christians a unique devotional experience to treasure for a lifetime.

Sets out six principles of prayer distilled from theauthor's own reading and reflection on Celtic spiritualityOffer an accessible starting-point for a newunderstanding of prayer - doesn't aim to be acomprehensive look at the subject.Includes many examples of Celtic prayers and spiritualwriting.Each chapter ends with prayer exercises to ground whathas been learned.Established author, best known in the UK for his TheSinger trilogy.

For years, from her home on a hill outside Nashville, River Jordan felt a call to travel to the mystical Isle of Iona, off the coast of Scotland--the island that gave birth to Celtic Christianity. In The Ancient Way she invites us to leave the sacred space of our homes and our lives and join her on this pilgrimage. With the help of friends and the kindness of strangers, Jordan winds her way across green mountains to late-night ferries, across islands and down one-way roads led by the light of Iona and a trust in God. Along the way she explores ancient Celtic Christian practices such as cherishing creation, trusting spiritual friendship, offering hospitality, creative imagination, and honoring community--carrying them home with her to infuse her daily life. This is an intimate story of imagination, of personal transformation, of stillness and prayer. It's also a quirky, thoughtful guide for cultivating divine connection and creativity as we embark on our own wild adventures, chasing after the mystery that calls us all.

J. Philip Newell and his wife Ali were cowardens of the lay religious community of Iona Abbey in the Western Isles of Scotland. There Philip developed this book as an aid to daily prayer. Here is a weekly cycle of morning and evening prayers in the Celtic tradition, with gospel and psalm readings taken from the liturgical year. Each "day" reflects a concern of the Iona Community: justice and peace, healing, the goodness of creation and care for the earth, commitment to Christ, communion of heaven and earth, and welcome and hospitality.

Sunrise and sunset. Morning and evening. Waking and resting. The time between your rising and sleeping is new each day. Calvin Miller presents a morning and evening devotional with quotes from the Celts and reflections from the author. Each day also uses a quote from Psalm 119, which was often read and quoted by the Celts.