"[W]e must be
willing to go down into the recreating silences,
into the inner world of contemplation. In
their writings, all of the masters of meditation
strive to awaken us to the fact that the
universe is much larger than we know, that there
are vast unexplored inner regions that are just
as real as the physical world we know so well.
They tell us of exciting possibilities for new
life and freedom. They call us to the adventure,
to be pioneers in this frontier of the Spirit."
(Celebration of Discipline, 1980, p. 13.)
"Richard Foster
advocates a prayer movement that indeed can be
proven to have strong links to Eastern mysticism.
And incidentally, this prayer method does not have
its origins with the Desert Fathers, as some
believe, but rather dates back much further,
probably as far back as the early days of
mankind."—Ray Yungen from:
Richard Foster - Promoting Eastern Mysticism
From Renovare's
Perspective Newsletter:
"Spend some
time this week listening to contemplative music
designed to quiet you, settle you, deepen you.
(Compact discs and tapes from the Taize Community,
John Michael Talbot, and the Monks of Weston Priory
are especially helpful.)"
Richard Foster Speaks
Out About Those Who Are Contemplative
Thomas Merton
"Thomas Merton tried to awaken God's people."
(Conversation with Ray Yungen)
"Thomas Merton has 'priceless wisdom' for the spiritual
life of the Christian."
"Thomas Merton has perhaps done more than any other
twentieth-century figure to make the life of prayer
widely known and understood ... his interest in
contemplation led him to investigate prayer forms in
Eastern religion ...[he is] a gifted teacher ..."
(Spiritual Classics - p.17)
Meister Eckhart "Today Eckhart is widely read and
appreciated, not so much for his theological opinions as
for his vision of God." (Spiritual Classics - p. 206)
"Apprehend God in all things for God is in all things.
Every single creature is full of God and is a book about
God." Meister Eckhart
Tilden Edwards (founder of Shalem Prayer Institute)
On Edward's book, Spiritual Friend, Foster says "an
excellent book on spirituality."
In this book, Edwards says, "This mystical stream
[contemplative prayer] is the Western bridge to Far
Eastern spirituality"
The Cloud of Unknowing
(Caution! Not a Christian
site)
"Why does this little prayer of one syllable pierce the
heavens?" (Spiritual Classics -p.45)
John Main (Caution! Not a Christian site)
"Dom John Main understood well the value of both silence
and solitude ...Main rediscovered meditation while
living in the Far East." (Spiritual Classics - p.155)
Agnes Sanford
"I had the privilege of being in Agnes Sanford's
home and hearing her speak on numerous occasions,
and I was always instructed by her good sense ...
more than once I saw Agnes Sanford praying with
great intensity and power one moment and laughing at
a homespun joke the next ... such experiences freed
me to be at home with God. I believe it will do the
same for you." (Spiritual classics)
