New Seeds of Contemplation by Merton
New Seeds of Contemplation (1961)
by Thomas Merton
297 pages - New Directions
This a book of thoughts about contemplation, related in a mostly conversational tone. Some of it is probably advanced enough only to be applicable to a monk or nun, but most of it easily applies to anyone with an interest in prayer or meditation. This book is a revised and expanded version of a previously-published book called Seeds of Contemplation, hence the title.
This is widely considered Merton's greatest work, and I also thought it was quite good; though at 300 pages it's a bit long. You'd probably need at least a bit of a mystic outlook to get anything out of it. I'd readily admit that several aspects of it probably went over my head, and it would be interesting to read through it again several years from now.
'To think that you are somehow obliged to follow the author of the book to his own particular conclusion would be a great mistake.' (pg.215)
by Thomas Merton
297 pages - New Directions
This a book of thoughts about contemplation, related in a mostly conversational tone. Some of it is probably advanced enough only to be applicable to a monk or nun, but most of it easily applies to anyone with an interest in prayer or meditation. This book is a revised and expanded version of a previously-published book called Seeds of Contemplation, hence the title.
This is widely considered Merton's greatest work, and I also thought it was quite good; though at 300 pages it's a bit long. You'd probably need at least a bit of a mystic outlook to get anything out of it. I'd readily admit that several aspects of it probably went over my head, and it would be interesting to read through it again several years from now.
'To think that you are somehow obliged to follow the author of the book to his own particular conclusion would be a great mistake.' (pg.215)