Customer Reviews

Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation

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This book is a true gem. It is a wonderful guide for anyone seriously interested in contemplative prayer. Laird draws on the spiritual traditions of both Eastern and Western Christianity to produce a true classic, filled with practical guidance about the method of contemplative prayer, the difficulties and distractions (and how they can become gifts), and the way contemplation can teach us to deal with afflictive emotions and situations. Laird writes for the experienced person as well as (perhaps even more than) the beginner. He draws primarily upon the Jesus Prayer as his method, with nods to Centering Prayer as an alternative approach. He includes passages from some of the greatest writers on (and practitioners of) contemplative prayer in the Western Church and the Estern Orthodox tradition which may be less familiar to readers but has much to offer us. This book has real depth, and is obviously written by someone who knows the silent land well himself. It is a treasure!

In this book Laird explains passages on the contemplative journey in ways that were new to me. (Perhaps I should admit here that I didn't even know there were identifiable stages of silence.) He names the doorway into each stage, the treasure one finds there, and what is entailed in opening the door - the riddle that must be solved before entering. As a student and practitioner of centering prayer for 15 years, I found these insights fascinating as well as wonderfully presented. But Laird doesn't just leave us with theories; he offers practical applications of his lessons. Here are real people struggling with real difficulties, practicing contemplative methods, solving the riddles, moving through the stages, gaining new freedom and joy. Laird offers not only mysteries and metaphors, but tools and tips! I would recommend this book to anyone on the contemplative journey.

Martin Laird gives an authentic presentation of Contemplative Prayer Practice within the Christian tradition. This presentation portrays a deep openness of heart and mind from the inside out. Laird offers a wealth of knowledge related to Christian contemplative practice. His own interiority and experience shines throughout the book. The book offers the rich insights of other contemplative traditions (Eastern) but it is clearly rooted in the heart of the vast landscape of the Christian contemplative lineage where the divine/human relationship soaks in silence, nature, and Word. The mingling together of these contemplative nuances form a language of ancient wisdom that can be understood and accessible today. Each chapter in Laird's book has an invitational and creative title which often is not found in books of this nature: 1) Parting the Veil: The Illusion of Separation from God, 2) The Wild Hawk of the Mind, 3) The Body's Call to Prayer, 4) The Three Doorways of the Present Moment; the Way of the Prayer Word, 5) The Riddles of Distration, 6) From Victim to Witness: Practicing with Affliction, 7) The Liturgy of Our Wounds, and his Epilogue: Who Am I? A Tale of Monastic Failure. The book brings to life the teachings of the desert abbas and ammas. Laird quotes Meister Eckhart on p. 23 of the book: "Meister Eckhart says, "The noblest entertainment in this life is to be silent and let God work and speak within." Many would probably disagree with that statement in today's world. The book is for the beginner, the intermediate, and advanced practitioners alike. *Into the Silent Land* takes the reader into the landscape of the Psalmist's heart: "Let us live every moment in "applying our hearts to wisdom." (Psalm 90:12)

I'm a liberal/pantheistic Quaker and have over the years read manuals and practiced meditation in Christian, Buddhist and Taoist traditions. This is the best meditation manual I have ever encountered in any tradition. It's also the only one I've ever recommended online. With its combination of clear description and deep intuition, I think that almost anyone who is interested in contemplation in any tradition would gain from reading it. I wish somebody had written it thirty years ago--it would have saved me a lot of time and trouble.

Of all the books I've read on this subject, this would be the first I'd recommend to anyone interested in contemplative meditation/prayer. Many other helpful books can be found in Laird's footnotes. My favorites are "The Cloud of Unknowing" by an anonymous 14th century Christian monk and the "Art of Prayer" edited by Igumen Chariton. But this small book speaks directly to the modern practitioner of contemplation in ways that are both very helpful and illuminating. Nor is this simply a guide book for Christian contemplatives. Virtually everything Laird describes can be applied to contemplatives of every tradition and even those practicing beyond all traditions. I've called this an "introduction" to contemplative meditation because in a sense all works on mystical contemplation are introductions since words can only lead one into practice and only through practice can one be carried into the kingdom within, beyond all words and concepts.

Great Guide for Beginners! Very Simple Instructions, and Good Explanations of the Ground-lay of the "Silent Land." Instructions are again repeated as from a gentle teacher, so that the reader understands, so that the info can saturate.... I recommend the book for the Christian who wants to go deeper in his communion with Christ Jesus.

I seldom read books that someone else recommends but this one came straight from relief work at Katrina. The understanding that this author has of the often referred to monastic thinkers is simply amazing. I believe he brings a very clear view of what this silent prayer is and how it can help the spiritual life in this modern world. I highly recommend this book to all who are looking to increase prayer life and shut down the mind with its many distractions. I even like the picture on the jacket, and I might add, I am not a Catholic .

I have read many books on contemplative prayer practice and I beleive this book is the most concise and well written one I have read. It is difficult to describe spiritual realities with spoken language but the author does a good job of doing this.

Only a few months ago I was introduced to Centering Prayer via a Workshop that was held at the church I attend in San Francisco. The material taught was from Contemplative Outreach (Fr. Thomas Keating). I shortly came to realize that the practice of Centering Prayer and the journey to Contemplative Living has created a profound life change for me, bringing healing to parts of my life that I thought had been emotionally destroyed forever. Among the many articles and several books I have read, this book; Into The Silent Land, was often recommended, so I borrowed it from the local Public Library. Midway into the book I realized that this isn't a book to simply be read and set aside. It seems that nearly every paragraph presents wonderfully profound insights that I want to have imprinted in the depths of my being, and so I purchased a copy from Amazon as well as a second copy for the friend who introduced me to Centering Prayer. If you are familiar with the writing of Thomas Keating, William Menninger,Cynthia Bourgault, Thomas Merton, Basil Pennington, this great gift to Contemplative living will be an addition you will treasure.

This is a very readable, fairly concise guide to the contemplative life. The author cites many sources and covers almost 2,000 years of writings, and his stories relate well to the subject. In order to really benefit, the book should probably be read through a number of times. For someone who wants to connect with God, it is a good primer.