New Seeds of Contemplation (original 1961; edition 1972)

Thoughtful ( )

Once again, Merton has written a book that includes many of his thoughts. This one takes great lengths to determine what contemplation is and what it is not. This is very helpful, because, this seems to be an area that is fairly fad-like at the time and he is very clear in saying that it is not possible to tell someone how to really into contemplation. All he is able to offer are his experiences into the way of asceticism, which may point in a direction but fortunately does not give any specific direction. He is quite wonderful and this is another example of some of his great thoughts. ( )

"It can become almost a magic word," Thomas Merton says of contemplation; "or if not magic, then inspirational, which is almost as bad." With these words, Merton takes us through the reality of contemplation, which is, the author says, "life itself, fully awake, fully active, fully aware that it is alive. It is spiritual wonder." Above all, contemplation is "awareness of the reality" of the Source, "with a certitude that goes beyond reason and beyond simple faith." As these definitions should suggest, in this 20th-century classic on the contemplative life, as in the best of Merton's work, this Trappist monk wonderfully combines a disciplined and deeply learned intellect with the lyrical passion of the poet. It is this rare combination that makes this book not only informative but also moving. Covering a diverse range of subjects ("Faith," "The Night of the Senses," "Renunciation"), it moves the reader through certain traditional "phases" of contemplation, and gives an idea of what to expect in this spiritual process (including despair and darkness). The book describes, but it also enacts. In its own prose it invites the reader to "cast our awful solemnity to the winds and join in the general dance." --Doug Thorpe
The best place to begin reading TM ( )