Useful Instructional Tool

books:


	• Armchair Mystic: Easing into Contemplative Prayer Mark E. Thibodeaux Saint Anthony Messenger Press, 2001 - 180 pages average customer review:based on 10 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Useful Instructional Tool

Fr. Mark Thibodeaux is a spiritual director and retreat leader. When reading this book one gets the impression that he has taken a course on prayer and put it into book form. As such this book is exactly what the sub-title claims, a class on "Easing Into Contemplative Prayer." This book doesn't delve as deeply into the contemplative life as some, but it makes an excellent beginning text, perhaps the best "first word" on the subject I have read.

My suggestion . . . All spiritual directors and retreat leaders should glance through this material and consider teaching a course on the subject, using this as the text. This book is a great inspirational read, but it doesn't stand alone. The retreat leader will need to make some decisions as to the format, location, and duration of the retreat. No doubt the leader will also want to add some supplemental material.

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One step at a time

Speed prayer has its place ~ perhaps at work, on the road but certainly it isn't for those times of deep prayer and prayerful listening to God. This is a book for those who want a deeper richer spiritual connection to God.

Armchair Mystic is an easy read although very thought and prayer provoking. Rather than just rules to pray by Fr. Thib laces humor with sharing his inner joy of a deeper connection with God during prayer and his own blocks to contemplative prayer. He deftly uses his own experiences and needs to show the reader how to obtain and gain from contemplative prayer.

I'm not one for highlighting areas of books but this one is highlighted and highlighted again. It's a book to read cover to cover and then to go back and read and experience a section at a time. Always near my favorite chair or bedside,this book has yet to make it to the bookshelf. It's just plain too useful to put away. It's very much like having my own spiritual director on call 24/7.

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Highly readable

This book is both well laid out, highly readable, well researched and authentically orthodox and historical in its presentation. Steers well clear of "new age" philosophy and TM reworks.

Basics to prayer life

This book is like listening to a dear friend sharing with me his love for prayer and containing me with his passion for prayer.

Extreemly Practical

The purpose of prayer is to enable us to be more like Christ. Too often, however, prayer becomes simply a laundry list we hope to turn into God's "to do" list! Contemplative prayer calls us to a place where we can be in God's presence simply for the sake of relationship. Thibodeaux gives a marvelous four-part explanation of how prayer evolves. It provides a useful framework to use in examining one's prayer life. He also gives a number of very practical "step-by-step" instructions in how to begin to pray contemplatively. I would recommend this book most highly to anyone wishing to move to a deeper level in their relationship to God.

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reviews: page 1, 2

This user-friendly book blends theory and practice, gently and concretely taking the reader through the first steps of contemplative prayer. Armchair Mystic begins with the necessary details of time and place to pray, then presents the maturation of the prayer life in four stages: Talking at God, Talking to God, Listening to God, and Being with God. Each chapter begins with an Orientation and ends with a concluding summary. Step-by-step exercises throughout the book provide concrete examples of how to use the concepts discussed.

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