Prayer

By Abhishiktananda

Book Overview

First published nearly forty years ago and having been translated into numerous languages, this classic text is written by a Benedictine monk whose Christianity was profoundly enriched by his encounter with Hindu spirituality. Described by its author as 'a little book to help Christians in their inner renewal, and to make them increasingly attentive to the call of the Spirit', it is a simple and practical manual for learning to live each moment in the presence of God. 10 short chapters provide a lifetime's agenda and are full of gems of wisdom. They focus on: the holy presence, the mystery of God, recognizing God in all things, listening for God's call, the prayer of silence, and contemplative reading of scripture. This deceptively simple text contains all the building blocks necessary for a mature life of prayer. ABHISHIKTANANDA is the name by which the French Benedictine Monk, Dom Henri Le Saux became known after he moved to India in search of a more radical way of living his monastic vocation. He founded the Christian ashram, Shantivanam, that was to become world famous under his successor, Bede Griffiths.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1853117501
• ISBN13: 9781853117503
• Release Date: November 2006
• Publisher: Canterbury Press
• Length: 134 Pages
• Weight: 0.36 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.1" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

A Small But Precious Jewel Of Christian Prayer

Abhishiktananda is the name adopted by the Benedictine priest Henri le Saux (1910-1973), who spend the last 25 years of his life in India practicing Christian prayer but with wisdom learned from Hinduism. His works have been out of print for a long while, but many - including this one -- have recently been made available again by MedioMedia press. And a valuable contribution that has been. One of the great religious events of the last century has been the religious dialogue between East and West, and Abhishiktananda has contributed greatly to that conversation. This book in particular is valuable because of the guidance it gives to individuals in learning and practicing prayer against the general background of the constant contemplation of God's presence. It will invite favorable comparison with Brother Lawrence. But it is especially valuable because of the insights the author has gleaned from the East and his own personal experience in Eastern prayer. He is particularly good in his opening pages about a common Christian, even a common human calling to silent prayer and contemplation. He very briefly reviews toward the end of the book various common forms of prayer offering his own brief but valuable reflections on each, and concludes with a special endorsement of namajapa, the prayer of the Name, the closest Christian equivalent of which is the Jesus prayer of Eastern Orthodoxy. The brevity of the book makes it concentrated and precious volume, which I highly recommend.