Customer Reviews

The Other Side of Silence: Meditation for the Twenty-First Century (Revised)

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This book really changed my focus in life. It satisfied the craving that I had as a Christian for a deeper understanding of my relationship with God. I think that many Christians shy away from the unknown, like meditation and yoga, and as a result, cut out an essential part of our sprituality. Kelsey explains that this is why so many people today are turning to Eastern religions. Through this book, I found a way to incorporate silence and meditation into my life, and as a result, have found a deep peace, the peace that passes all understanding.

I was first introduced to Morton Kelsey and his wonderful books in 1975. All of his books have come at a time when I was looking for confirmation of my lived experiences, expecially the inner life. What a blessing to have this author give of himself in this way. I will be eternally grateful for his passion for the spiritual. In his book The Other Side, one very important point has stayed with me all these years and that would be the focus on dreams. Morton Kelsey does justice to dreams in the christian life when so many other christian authors avoid this means of communicating with God. Morton Kelsey explains that dreams are the safest and least threatening way to visit the other side. God only goes where he is wanted, He will not intrude. MT 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Morton T. Kelsey's `The Other Side of Silence', originally released in a hardcover edition by Paulist Press in '76 is now available in revised, paperback format. Kelsey, theologian, psychologist, priest and educator (professor of Theology at Notre Dame Univ.) is to be congratulated for being among one of the first Western, Christian theologians to attempt to make some inroads into the field of meditation that seemed to be the private domain of Eastern spirituality at the time.

Positives: Kelsey does an adequate job of laying out a solid intellectual framework for the novice meditator in his explanation of both the physical and spiritual aspects of the human soul, the presence of both angelic and demonic forces that one may encounter when meditating and most importantly how to recognize the presence of the Divine Lover (Christ).

Negatives: `The Other Side of Silence' turns out not to live up to the claim of being `A Guide to Christian Meditation'. It falls more into the category of intellectual discussion rather than practical "how to" guide. Yes it includes some personal experiences and the re-telling of a dream here and there, but it never really initiates the process of going within.

Kelsey is a good place to start for appropriating some basic concepts on Christian meditation and gaining an initial understanding of some of the subtle differences between Western and Eastern practice. However when you're really ready to seriously begin the journey you'll have to look elsewhere for your guide.

This updated book by Morton Kelsey is easy to read and well documented. It is geared to anyone who is starting to develop their spiritual journey. Rather than include only a single method of meditation, the author speaks of the various methods available. He is careful to indicate that each person has a method which is best suited to them.

It is a book which one will turn to time and again as they mature in their spiritual journey. It is an excellent book for spiritual advisers as well as for spiritual seekers.

I LOVE this book, so much so that when I went to get my old copy, it fell into two parts in my hands!!! Since I needed a replacement, I came to Amazon and was pleased to find the Revised Edition of The Other Side of Silence. Worth reading, if only to learn how to quiet your heart and mind in the loudness of today.

What Kelsey is suggesting here is a melding of Eastern meditation practices - such as those from yoga and Zen - and Jungian psychology with Christian meditation. He advocates such techniques as breath control, stilling the mind, and self-discovery. This approach is completely wrong. Christian meditation, as presented in the Bible, involves thinking about God and His Word, and focusing one's attention on Him. It has nothing to do with self.

Furthermore, as Kelsey himself points out, this type of practice can be dangerous. There is the potential for encountering radical Evil, and / or sinking into mental and emotional instability and even illness.

To learn more about prayer and hearing God, I would suggest books by such writers as Norman Grubb, Joyce Meyer, and Dutch Sheets.

Our study group chose this book as a source to learn more about comtemplative meditation. I am very disappointed in the book. Kelsey repeats himself over and over again. He makes statements that have no legs to stand on - and without giving them any - it seems that he assumes everyone accepts his pronouncements as truth.

The short (of the long and the short) is that the book is poorly written and very confusing. It lacks clarity on every page.