Customer Reviews

Armchair Mystic: Easing into Contemplative Prayer

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Father Mark Thibodeaux, a newly ordained Jesuit priest, writes his first book called "Armchair Mystic--Easing Into Contemplative Prayer." I didn't know really what contemplative prayer was before reading this book, and after reading it (and re-reading it) I believe I'm begining to understand the vastness and sheer beauty of what the contemplative life entails. This book has helped me in my own personal prayer life (actually... it jump-started my prayer life--before reading this book I didn't really have one). It's a great book that firstly explains WHAT prayer is, and later explains how you can use the mantra, breathing, and other techniques to help bring you to an intimate expierence with God.

This is not a book to read, but to listen to. Its a great intro to an often misunderstood part of the Christian experience. It takes prayer out of its formulary Sunday morning approach and places it at the center of life, where it should be. This is a low impact, no wrong answers, don'[t worry if you don't get it the first time, way to worship God. I shared it with a friend at church who is involved with parish prayer groups and he's going to introduce it to them. It lends itself to a 12/14 week study in prayer and spirituality.

I just could not put this book down! I read it in two sittings and plan on reading it again very soon. It is inspiring, practical, and quite funny. Father Thibodeaux obviously has an intimate relationship with God and through this book he gives the reader a glimpse of his own personal prayer life with appropriate tips, caveats, and anecdotes. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants an easy, step-by-step guide to a deeper prayer life.

Fr. Mark Thibodeaux is a spiritual director and retreat leader. When reading this book one gets the impression that he has taken a course on prayer and put it into book form. As such this book is exactly what the sub-title claims, a class on "Easing Into Contemplative Prayer." This book doesn't delve as deeply into the contemplative life as some, but it makes an excellent beginning text, perhaps the best "first word" on the subject I have read.

My suggestion . . . All spiritual directors and retreat leaders should glance through this material and consider teaching a course on the subject, using this as the text. This book is a great inspirational read, but it doesn't stand alone. The retreat leader will need to make some decisions as to the format, location, and duration of the retreat. No doubt the leader will also want to add some supplemental material.

This book, as promised by the subtitle ("Easing Into Contemplative Prayer") gently teaches you to bring yourself into intimate conversation with God.

The purpose of prayer is to enable us to be more like Christ. Too often, however, prayer becomes simply a laundry list we hope to turn into God's "to do" list! Contemplative prayer calls us to a place where we can be in God's presence simply for the sake of relationship. Thibodeaux gives a marvelous four-part explanation of how prayer evolves. It provides a useful framework to use in examining one's prayer life. He also gives a number of very practical "step-by-step" instructions in how to begin to pray contemplatively. I would recommend this book most highly to anyone wishing to move to a deeper level in their relationship to God.

This book is both well laid out, highly readable, well researched and authentically orthodox and historical in its presentation. Steers well clear of "new age" philosophy and TM reworks.

Speed prayer has its place ~ perhaps at work, on the road but certainly it isn't for those times of deep prayer and prayerful listening to God. This is a book for those who want a deeper richer spiritual connection to God.

Armchair Mystic is an easy read although very thought and prayer provoking. Rather than just rules to pray by Fr. Thib laces humor with sharing his inner joy of a deeper connection with God during prayer and his own blocks to contemplative prayer. He deftly uses his own experiences and needs to show the reader how to obtain and gain from contemplative prayer.

I'm not one for highlighting areas of books but this one is highlighted and highlighted again. It's a book to read cover to cover and then to go back and read and experience a section at a time. Always near my favorite chair or bedside,this book has yet to make it to the bookshelf. It's just plain too useful to put away. It's very much like having my own spiritual director on call 24/7.

This book is like listening to a dear friend sharing with me his love for prayer and containing me with his passion for prayer.

The tone of this book is gentle and light, and yet it has a great many insights to impart.
I've very much enjoyed reading it and will definitely be reading it again. - It never hurts to repeatedly read a good book, to get it ingrained in you - so that it becomes a sort of second nature sort of thing - yes ?
Assuming that you'll want to read more then one book, on such an indepth topic as centering/contemplative prayer, please refer to the above recommended books.