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contemplation
November 2009 
Contemplative Spirituality with Merton, Keating, and Nouwen
Jayne
Contemplative Spirituality is a way of focusing one's life completely on God and awakening to the presence of God in the human heart and in the universe which is around us.
Here are quotes, websites, articles, video links, and recommended books from three of the most well-known teachers on contemplative spirituality: Thomas Merton, Fr. Thomas Keating and Henri Nouwen. Although all three come from a Christian tradition, I believe that their wisdom is universally relevant.
I. Thomas Merton
"How mistaken I was to make contemplation only a part of life. For a contemplative, his whole life is contemplation."
"Contemplation is the perfection of love and knowledge."
"Contemplation goes beyond concepts and apprehends God not as a separate object but as the Reality within our reality, the Being within our being, the life of our life."
"Contemplation is a mystery in which God reveals Himself as the very center of our own inmost self."
"Contemplation is the highest and most paradoxical form of self realization, attained by apparent self-annihilation."
About Thomas Merton
The Merton Institute for Contemplative Living
The Meaning of the Contemplative Life According to Thomas Merton
Best Books about Contemplative Spirituality
II. Father Thomas Keating
"Finally, there is a place beyond every tradition where I think every human being has the potential to meet. It's that place of unity and oneness to which all traditions are pointing that suggests there is something so deep in human nature that it can be awakened and addressed regardless of religion or no religion."
"You don't have to do anything to earn God's Grace, all you have to do is not run away from it."
Who is Father Thomas Keating? (Integral Institute)
Resources: Articles/Audio/Video
Video: Religious, but Not Spiritual? with Ken Wilber
Video: Centering Prayer - The Guidelines
Best Books about Contemplative Spirituality
III. Henri Nouwen
"We are the Beloved. We are intimately loved long before our parents, teachers, spouses, children and friends loved or wounded us. That's the truth of our lives. That's the truth I want you to claim for yourself. That's the truth spoken by the voice that says, ‘You are my Beloved.' Listening to that voice with great inner attentiveness, I hear at my center [God's] words that say: ‘I have called you by name, from the very beginning. You are mine and I am yours. You are my Beloved, on you my favor rests. I have molded you in the depths of the earth and knitted you together in your mother's womb. I have carved you in the palms of my hands and hidden you in the shadow of my embrace. I look at you with infinite tenderness and care for you with a care more intimate than that of a mother for her child. I have counted every hair on your head and guided you at every step. Wherever you go, I go with you, and wherever you rest, I keep watch. I will give you food that will satisfy all your hunger and drink that will quench all your thirst. I will not hide my face from you. You know me as your own as I know you as my own. You belong to me. I am your father, your mother, your brother, your sister, your lover and your spouse...yes, even your child ... wherever you are I will be. Nothing will ever separate us. We are one.'"
"Solitude, Community & Ministry: Three Ways to Create Space for God"
Video Clips: Journey of the Heart - the life of Henri Nouwen is a powerful 60 minute film on the life of Henri Nouwen produced by Windborne Productions in 2003.
Access: Public
nice list; this subject tends to shade into Psychology and Buddhism (in my humble opinion :-) because when one studies Spirit, one is then led to contemplate the nature of Mind. So mind and spirit are inextricably bound in our human experience of things. So a study of spirit involves a study of mind. We, by my reasoning anyway :-)
Reading Carl Jung turns one into a bona fide mystic, ie contemplative spirituality.
love Merton. Throw in “Zen and Motorcycle Maintenance” to get people interested in the subject.
just a bystanders opinion :-) cheers Jayne.
<3
this is wonderful, and yeah, w7, i love that Zen and Art of MM!
Nice work, Jayne.
I love the photos and how the love and compassion in their hearts shines on their faces. Will check out the links.
I have an old copy of Merton's The Way of Chuang Tzu. Fun stuff there. Your post sent me back to it to re-read sections that corresponded perfectly to my present state. Thank you thank you thank you!
loveHomer
Thank you Jayne! I have read books by Merton and Keating, but was not familiar with Henri Nouwen. I will definitely be checking him out.
Deep Bow of Gratitude!
z
Thanks for the comments. Zennie - I read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance so so many years ago - can barely remember it - thanks for the reminder. Innish - I haven't read that Merton book - will keep an eye out. He's pretty deep in. Zennie - I would encourage you to read Henri Nouwen. I tried some years ago but had too much of a rift with the Christian religion that I didn't give him a fair chance. (I've moved through this nicely though!). About 3 months ago, I started reading nearly everything Nouwen wrote and found his writings to be good for the practice of Lectio Divina (sacred reading/contemplative practice). When I also learned about his work with L'Arche, I was more hooked as this so resonates with my own path of contemplative service (karma yoga, seva). Happy reading!
Thank you Jayne! I consider myself a contemplative. That is my natural orientation. I will definitely check out the links. Would love to transition into contemplative work some day. Any suggestions?
Hey Zennie - I'll send you a pm to talk about this further (transitioning into contemplative work). .
Sounds Great Jayne! This Lecto Divinia website is wonderful!!! There is so much there that I am already enjoying. My ecstatic side is so happy.
Here's to deepening!
Ben