Customer Reviews

The World Is My Cloister: Living from the Hermit Within

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This book is a refreshing reminder that it is possible to stay true to our inner spirit while interfacing in the hectic world. The chapters are generally 3-4 pages making this great bedtime reading. Chapters include Midnfulness, Sacred Space, The Active and Contemplative Life, Reality and Truth etc. They each provide spiritually nourishing information written in such a clear, almost melodic manner.They are short enough that you can read each chapter and spend time reflecting on just that. Makes it very accesible and easy to integrate into your daily life. What I really like about Talbot is that he has spent time living "in the real word" as a rock musician. His personal journey has involved challenges, disappoinments and temptations as we all experience. He is not just preaching from an ivory tower but has walked his own spirtual journey (with bumps, bruises and humility). As an amazingly talented musician and writer, he beautifully communicates the wisdom and truths he has learned along the way staying true to St Francis with simplicity, purity and clarity.

I'm a John Michael Talbot fan from way back, but this book left me cold. It's a series of short chapters, each of which seems like an introduction to its topic and stops just when it should be getting into the nitty gritty. But, the one chapter I expected the least from ("Obedience" - what a concept in the 21st Century) was the one that really spoke to me. So maybe the problem was that I read it straight through. Some books reward a more contemplative approach of reading a short passage and letting it ruminate. I will try that on a second pass.