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Thomas Merton’s groundbreaking last major work—a provocative and pivotal look into contemplation and the true meaning of spirituality
“True contemplation is not a psychological trick but a theological grace."—Thomas Merton
Revised directly before his untimely death and released in full for the first time ever, Merton’s book on contemplation has captivated readers for decades. In it, Merton takes us down a different spiritual journey than his previous books, one that bridges eastern and western religions in his signature brilliant insightfulness.
Thought-provoking and challenging, The Inner Experience delves into contemplation by exploring both Catholic monasticism and mysticism alongside Buddhism and the ancient traditions of meditation and spirituality.
Merton was still tinkering with this book when he died; this was profoundly the book he struggled with most during his career as a writer. But now Merton’s legacy lives on, through evergreen discussions on what a spiritual path can look like when you relinquish the need to be all-knowing, and how a lack of self-reflection and inner trust is actually the ultimate sin. Merton’s last words are for anyone seeking faith in a higher power—or simply seeking a deeper faith in themselves.
Thomas Merton’s last book, The Inner Experience, provides a comprehensive understanding of contemplation that draws on the best of Western and Eastern traditions. Originally published as a series of articles in an academic journal, The Inner Experience was revised by Merton shortly before his untimely death. The book fuses Merton’s early work on Catholic monasticism, mysticism, and contemplation with his later writing on Eastern, especially Buddhist, traditions of meditation and spirituality.
Merton was still tinkering with this book when he died; it was the book he struggled with most during his career. However, the Merton Legacy Trust and experts determined that the book makes such a valuable contribution as his major comprehensive presentation of contemplation, they allowed its publication. Thomas Merton (1915-1968) was a Trappist monk, writer, and peace and civil rights activist. His works have had a profound impact on contemporary religious and philosophical thought. Merton is best known for his autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain, and New Seeds of Contemplation, which this book complements. William Shannon is professor emeritus, Nazareth College of Rochester, New York. He is the founding president of the International Thomas Merton Society, and was the general editor of the Thomas Merton Letters and the Thomas Merton Encyclopedia. He is author of the much acclaimed biography of Merton, Silent Lamp. He lives in Rochester, New York. Merton speaks to us even now -- and freshly -- with these perceptive insights into the contemplative life.” - Paul Wilkes, author of Beyond the Walls: Monastic Wisdom for Everyday LifeYou may also like
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