The Awakened Heart [Paperback]

Gerald G. May (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 9, 1993

"Integrating the wisdom of ancient mystics and the insights of contemporary thinkers, May examines the spiritual longings that are often hidden and controlled by society's pressures and expectations.
"—Publishers Weekly

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Integrating the wisdom of ancient mystics and the insights of contemporary thinkers, May examines the spiritual longings that are often hidden and controlled by society's pressures and expectations."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Gerald G. May, M.D. (1940-2005), practiced medicine and psychiatry for twenty-five years before becoming a senior fellow in contemplative theology and psychology at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in Bethesda, Maryland. He was the author of many books and articles blending spirituality and psychology, including Addiction and Grace, Care of Mind/Care of Spirit, Will and Spirit, and The Dark Night of the Soul.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne (April 9, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060654732
• ISBN-13: 978-0060654733
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83,674 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gerald G. May, M.D., is the author of Addiction and Grace and Care of Mind/Care of Spirit. A psychiatrist, he currently supervisors the program for training spiritual directors at the Shalem Institute in Washington, DC. He lives in Columbia, MD.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspired Writing, November 8, 2001

By 

Francisco X. Stork (Boston MA, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Awakened Heart (Paperback)

It happens that sometimes in moments of silence, honesty and surrender we become aware of our deep desire for love - both to love and to be loved. This deep desire is our true nature and it is God's life in us. This is May's simple thesis. The power and beauty of his book is that he unabashedly celebrates this love and slowly gets us to become aware of and appreciate its presence and also to recognize the ways we seek to stifle it or twist it or run away from it and some of the reasons why we do this. Like his other works, May here again blends his unique experiences of prayer and psychology into a touching re-affirmation of our heart's basic goodness. His book opens an inner door to a greater trust in the instincts, intuitions and spontaneous acts of love that arise from that sacred space. How courageous for a man to write about and value the apparent "weaknesses" and "vulnerabilities" of love in a time when the "virtues" of efficiency and action are so exalted. By now, having read most of his works, I feel like a friend. And so as a friend, I say, thank-you Jerry.

69 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the wisest books on spirituality I know., August 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Awakened Heart (Paperback)

This is one of the wisest books I have ever read. Whether I can read it or not is a good measure of my spiritual openness to God, or at least, of my willingness to be open. If I am closed down, I don't want anything to do with this book. But if I am yearning for God's yearning for me, this book is meat and drink. How one person can be so spiritually wise is astonishing.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful book, March 5, 2006

By 

N. Marr - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Awakened Heart (Paperback)

This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. A friend passed this onto me and I remember reading the first 20 pages on a bus and not being able to stop crying. It was so beautiful and it made me look at myself and others differently. The one thing that we are all searching for is Love. That is the fundamental purpose of life. Absolutely amazing book in it's simplicity and beauty.