Open Mind Open Heart

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JimR-OCDS

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I just descovered Fr. Thomas Keatings book, “Open Mind Open Heart,” is free and on line.

centeringprayer.com/OpenHeart/index.htm
Open Mind Open Heart
The Contemplative Dimension
of the Gospel
by Father Thomas Keating
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Introduction
Today the Christian churches find themselves with a marvelous opportunity. Many sincere believers are eager to experience contemplative prayer. Along with this aspiration, there is a growing expectation that the leaders of local communities be able to teach the Gospel out of personal experience of contemplative prayer. This could happen if the training of future priests and ministers places formation in prayer and spirituality on an equal footing with academic training. It could also happen if spiritual teaching becomes a regular part of the lay ministry. In any case, until spiritual leadership becomes a reality in Christian circles, many will continue to look to other religious traditions for the spiritual experience they are not finding in their own churches. If there were a widespread renewal of the preaching and practice of the contemplative dimension of the Gospel, the reunion of the Christian churches would become a real possibility, dialogue with the other world religions would have a firm basis in spiritual experience, and the religions of the world would bear a clearer witness to the human values they hold in common.
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In Christ Jesus
Jim
 
That’s an excellent book but it’s not at all clear how to find it from the front page of their website. Here’s the site map:

centeringprayer.com/CO_TOC.htm

If you scan down that list there’s a whole bunch of other writings online too.
 
Hi Jim its been a long time, glad to have contact again. I am in training in contemplation I only know it as being related through the word contemplation or putting much time into thinking, meditation, speaking to (God or saints) but I know that it goes further than that,otherwise St John of the cross and St Thereser would not have elevated to the point they were at. lead if you wish. Thanks
Godbless
littleone
 
littleone,
well keep in mind that contemplation isn’t something the head learns so much as what the heart experiences in Christ.

Christ draws us to Himself, and it is through His transforming grace that we are transformed and brought to the spiritual marriage that St. John of the Cross wrote about.

In prayer we make ourselves available to Christ and rest in his presence, allowing Him to do whatever he wills, to bring us to that perfect union with Him.

Mental prayer, or Centering Prayer is a method where we make ourselves available to Christ. The more we turn to prayer, the more Christ works in us, and the more we grow.

Prayer of the heart is love. Love for God and God’s love for us.

As the author of the Cloud of Unknowing says,
“God can not be grasped, except through love.”

The more we go into the loving presence of Christ, the more we are transformed to be like Christ. Lovers take on the qualities of each other.

Jesus told us, “where your treasure is, is where your heart will be.” Jesus is our treasure and if we really know it, that’s where our heart will be.

In His Love
Jim
 
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