Open Mind, Open Heart 20th Anniversary Edition

'Open heart, Open mind' is one of the best books on Centering prayer that I have read to date. Centering prayer is a form of quiet sitting meditation focusing on a sacred word as a symbol that brings our wandering thoughts to a stillness before the divine Presence('Be still and know ...') and opens up our receptivity to the divine presence and action in our lives. Centering prayer prepares and purifies the practitioner by unloading the false self and awakening the Higher Self which through grace can be led towards Contemplative prayer - a practice that has been lost to the Christian tradition for a long time. Father Thomas Keating - a Cistercian (Trappist) monk is one of the founding members of the Contemplative Prayer Movement reviving an ancient Christian / spiritual practice that opens up the inner life to receive the divine will. He writes very clearly on the subject and there are useful sections where he answers questions that people have asked about the practice. Father Keating's down-to-earth responses shows his acute awareness of the issues that householders and ordinary Christians have when attempting silent prayer and assures us that this kind of prayer is not just for those in monasteries and retreat centres but for everyone and he encourages everyone from all walks of life to sit down and attempt this beautiful and very simple practice of being in the presence of the creator and learning to listen to the divine will in our lives.The book is divided into two parts.Part I is the longest part and takes up two thirds of the book. It has 9 chapters explaining what centering prayer is and how it affects the practitioner. The chapter on unloading the unconscious is particularly interesting - a form of divine therapy - and it is important that anyone embarking on this journey is aware of this unloading and therefore can be ready to deal with what arises. The 9th chapter is a very useful summary of the Centering Prayer Method. At the end of the first part the reader is given a meditation - which could probably be recorded onto a CD and used to prepare to enter the atmosphere of centering prayer. Very helpful.Part II consists of three chapters which gives a) a very useful summary of what centering prayer is NOT, b) an overview of Contemplative prayer in the Christian tradition, c) and general guidelines for the Christian life and some idea of what growth and transformation mean in this tradition.At the end are a set of five very helpful appendices to help the individual with the practice. These include ways of helping the practitioner bring the effects of the prayer into everyday life, a very clear description of the method itself in point form which is an excellent summary: advice on centering prayer groups and some information on an organisation called Contemplative Outreach.A glossary of terms that are frequently used around this kind of prayer concludes the book. Very helpful.Excellent book. Highly recommended for those who wish to bring a deeper spirituality to their lives in Christ and a deepening awareness of the divine action in all our lives.

I wasn't sure how academic or theological this book would be but it turned out to be very readable and answered all the questions I had about Centering Prayer. Thomas Keating is down to earth and very in touch with the problems that ordinary people have of attempting silent prayer. He successfully gets his message across that it is worthwhile to persevere with the process to achieve inner peace and a transformation in the relationship you have with God. Highly recommended.

I love this book with its rich treasures of spiritual guidance. I only wish it was available in a kindle version too! The author, Thomas Keating is a true blessing to all who read his books. God Bless!

Ideal for Christian meditation technique.

It's a classic -- presenting the riches of spiritual tradition in an accessible way.