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Knowing how hard it is to buy a book unseen, we have put together this list of recommended books for contemplative prayer. Along with each title is a synopsis of the book and our personal comments along with some from our good friends, Vic and Debbie Kerekes. Most of the descriptions have come off of the cover of the books or from the website where they were purchased. Hopefully this will help as you choose books to read about contemplative prayer.

The most simple to understand books are listed first with the list moving on to the more difficult. The majority of these books can be purchased on-line from Friends of the Bridegroom at www.fotb.com or ordered through your local Bible bookstore.

We will be producing a Contemplative Prayer manual in October of 2003, which will help in your study and practice of contemplative prayer. It is a combination of the teachings we do at Contemplative Prayer retreats. We’ve taken the bulk of information found in the following books, and others, and reduced it down for a practical understanding and application of contemplative prayer.

Wasted On Jesus: Reaching for the Lover of Your Soul
by Jim W. Goll
Wasted on Jesus defines a new generation of passionate lovers of the Lord Jesus. Within the pages of this book you will be introduced to the hunger and passion of these “wasted ones.” You will experience the collision of religion with reality, theology with thirst, and legalism with extravagant love. These desperate souls cry out for spiritual mentors, someone to guide them toward the secret places where God dwells. This is a love book where you will learn the language of the bedchamber and feel the throbbing of the Divine heartbeat.

* "An easy read, simple to understand and the material is basic stuff. New believers and Charismatics will find this a good starting place to understand contemplative prayer."
Susan Gaddis

Total Surrender
By Mother Teresa

* "This book contains quotes from Mother Teresa on an intimate life with Christ. Because Mother Teresa spent so much time with non-Christians she had a language that transcended religious jargon, which makes this book very understandable. I carried this book my purse for a year just for meditation and inspiration. A good companion book." Debbie Kerekes

Plain Living: A Quaker Path to Simplicity
By Catherine Whitmire

* "Inspiring quotes from various Quakers about living a contemplative life style. Some language is distinctly Quaker (not New Age as you might assume.) An inspirational book rather than a study book." Debbie Kerekes

When the Soul Listens: Finding Rest and Direction in Contemplative Prayer
By Jan Johnson
This book will guide you away from formulas and step-by-step plans toward true contemplative prayer. Learn to find rest and guidance in God, opening yourself to God’s presence and direction through this practical approach. If you are disillusioned, searching for something that makes sense, or experiencing spiritual dryness, this book offers a clear path to a fulfilling connection with God and helps you allow God to work change in your life through prayer.

* See next book comment by Susan Gaddis

Enjoying the Presence of God: Discovering Intimacy with
God in the Daily Rhythms of Life
By Jan Johnson
This book offers simple, tangible insights into practicing God’s presence and makes them relevant to ordinary people as they play sports, dig in the garden, or rock a baby. It shows that continual awareness of God is not just for the “super-spiritual”, but that anyone can sense His companionship in the mundane, in-between moments of life. If you’re tired of feeling like spending with God is a chore or performance, this book will give you the opportunity to surrender to His presence and enjoy just being with Him.

* "I like Jan Johnson’s books as she is so practical and writes in an easy to read fashion. She is not a Catholic, which might help some, and is one of the writers for Navpress on their Spiritual Formation Book series. If some of the Catholic stuff is too much for you or you find other books too “heady,” try these and others that Jan has written. Personally, I think they are some of the best, especially in the area of living a contemplative lifestyle in the midst of a busy and productive life." Susan Gaddis

Practicing His Presence
Brother Lawrence and Frank Laubach

* "This book is actually two books put together into one. The first is a series of letters written by Brother Lawrence to his superiors explaining how he stayed so close to God while being so busy as a cook for the monastery. The second part is by Frank Laubach, a contemporary author, who makes practicing God’s presence simple and easy to obtain." Debbie Kerekes

The Little Way of Saint Therese of Lisieux: Into the Arms of Love
By John Nelson
Each section of this book focuses on one of the five core elements of Therese’s Little Way: humility, confidence in God’s mercy and loving kindness, tranquil trust, persistence in prayer, and daily practice of the way of love. Excerpts from Therese’s letters, meditations, and sayings are interwoven with selections from Scripture and The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis, whose writings fired Therese’s own ideas and gave her inspiration and confirmation.

* "A very simple book by a very wise, unadorned woman. Theresa of Lisieux is very much in love with Jesus and is recognized as one of the great contemplatives, although she only lived to be 24 years old. This is a very easy read and has some good thoughts for “pondering.” My friend Debbie Kerekes loves this book. I didn’t get as much out of it as she did."
Susan Gaddis

Contemplative Prayer
By Thomas Merton
This is Thomas Merton at his contemplative best, applying ancient wisdom to the longings of our age through his thoughtful commentary on Scripture and important writers of the Western spiritual tradition.

* "Anything by Thomas Merton is worth reading." Tom Gaddis

Finding The Mystic Within You
By Peggy Wilkinson
For those without time or inclination for intensive spiritual reading and study, this handbook is a find! The work is firmly grounded in scripture and Christian teachings on growth through contemplation. The wisdom of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross has been distilled to help us understand the stages and experiences of the inner journey. The reader is guided through the classic works of these time-tested directors in logical, easily understood fashion. Enlightenment, encouragement, and energy are drawn from these pages, and a sense of adventure beckons the reader to new perspectives.

* "This book is extremely inspiring but some Catholic ideology could be distracting."
Debbie Kerekes

* "I liked this book but wouldn’t recommend it if you are still young in the Lord because of some of the philosophy that can be confusing. She seems Biblically correct in many places, and then other times you wonder, “Where did she get that?” Some of her terminology could be confused with New Age ideas if you are not aware of where she is coming from on her definitions of terms. Read it knowing not to swallow all of it. I did find some really, Biblically sound thoughts in this book and therefore recommended it." Susan Gaddis

Listen to the Desert: Secrets of Spiritual Maturity
from the Desert Fathers and Mothers
By Gregory Mayers
The 1500-year-old spiritual philosophy known as "Desert Wisdom" offers a compelling resource for facing contemporary challenges. Gregory Mayer presents this ancient thought and lifestyle by introducing traditional Wisdom Stories in which characters, actions, and sayings address deep, universal human needs. The lessons emerge from what the author calls "experiencing the wall in life...the emptiness that drains off the meaning and joy of living." These writings, direct accounts of desert monastic life gathered and used by the monks themselves, are brief, loosely connected passages that range in length from a few sentences to a page or two. The stories are followed by Mayers' provocative interpretations that blend contemporary psychology and contemplative practice with wisdom traditions around the world. Readers with special interest in the evolution of spiritual consciousness, as well as those who want to look into monastic wisdom for the first time, will find much here to nourish and enlighten their way.

* "This is a good introduction to the Desert Fathers and Mothers for anyone who has never taken the time to investigate their contribution to Christianity. Some have found their simplicity to be confusing while others have found a depth of wisdom." Susan Gaddis

The Way of the Heart: Desert Spirituality and Contemporary Ministry
By Henri J. M. Nouwen
Nouwen's modern classic interweaves the solitude, silence and prayer of the fourth and fifth century Egyptian Desert fathers with our contemporary search for authentic spirituality. Christianity Today describes the book as '…hauntingly relevant for us today'. Highly recommended by Mike Bickle.

* "Henri Nouwen gives language to very difficult concepts. This book would be very helpful for those who have some experience in contemplative prayer and want to go deeper."
Vic Kerekes

* "I have enjoyed all of Henri Nouwen’s books. One of the things I so admire about him was his commitment to celibacy even though he had homosexual tendencies. Christ was his total focus and love. As a priest, he was willing to say, “I have these desires, but I am not willing to go there.” He also laid down his position as a prominent Christian speaker and scholar to become a caretaker of handicapped adults. Henri Nouwen is one of the best-known 20th century contemplatives." Susan Gaddis

The Imitation of Christ
By Thomas a Kempis
Only the Bible has been more influential as a source of Christian devotional reading than The Imitation of Christ. This mediation on the spiritual life has inspired readers from Thomas More and St. Ignatius Loyola to Thomas Merton and Pope John Paul I. Written by the Augustinian monk Thomas a Kempis between 1420 and 1427, it contains clear instructions for renouncing worldly vanities and locating eternal truths. No book has more explicitly and movingly described the Christian ideal: "My son, to the degree that you can leave yourself behind, to that degree will you be able to enter into Me."

* "This was the only book Therese of Lisieux read besides the Bible. Parts of it seem rather severe so keep in mind the times in which he lived. Try to get the one published by Thomas Nelson Publishers." Debbie Kerekes

Fire Within
By Thomas Dubay
Fr. Thomas Dubay spends several months every year giving conferences and retreats to contemplative Carmelites. This book is the fruit of many ears of his study and experience in spiritual direction, and in it he synthesizes the teachings on prayer of the two great doctors of the Church on prayer – St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila – and the teaching of Sacred Scripture. But the teaching that Fr. Dubay synthesized is not collected from Teresa and John for contemplatives alone. It is meant for every Christian and is based on the Gospel imperative of personal prayer and the call to holiness. All the major elements of these great teachers are ordered, commented on and put in the context of their scriptural foundations. Here is an outstanding book on prayer and the spiritual life, written by one of the best spiritual directors and retreat masters of our time and based on the writings of two of the greatest mystical doctors of the Church.

* "I have enjoyed this book and found it very helpful. It is a great overview of St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross if you have never read any of their stuff. If you are new in the Lord or just beginning to understand contemplative prayer, it might be overwhelming for you. If you are not someone who likes to read, forget buying this book. However, if you love to read and glean insights from teachers, then this is a good buy." Susan Gaddis

An Invitation to Centering Prayer
By M. Basil Pennington
Centering Prayer is a spiritual discipline rooted in the affirmative awareness of God’s dwelling within us. Our value as persons rests on that unique relationship. By focusing our attention on the Divine indwelling, we come to realize that at our center we are not empty but full of God’s creative love. We do not have to care about what anyone else thinks; we are not validated by career or by possessions. This realization empowers us to do whatever we want because it is God who strengthens us. But how do we reach that inner communion with God - that centering? It is through Centering Prayer.

* "M. Basil Pennington is a Catholic Trappist monk at St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts. He has traveled widely around the world as a teacher and lecturer on Christian Spirituality. I found this book helpful although I wouldn’t recommend it for those beginning contemplative prayer. The appendix contains workshop exercises from the retreats where he has taught which some might found helpful as well as a good question and answer section." Susan Gaddis

Experiencing the Depths of Christ
Madame Jeanne Guyon

* "Madame Guyon is a mystic, not an author. The book is inspiring and helpful for those who have had some experience in contemplative prayer. I felt it was life changing." Debbie Kerekes

* "Debbie loves it, but I found it hard to wade through." Susan Gaddis

Interior Castle
St. Teresa of Avila
Interior Castle is the most sublime and mature of Teresa of Avila's works and expresses the full flowering of her deep experience in guiding souls towards spiritual perfection. This account of a soul's progress in virtue and grace is the record of the interior life of Teresa of Avila, whose illuminous mind, and endearingly human temperament, hold so deep an attraction for the modern mind.

* "St. Teresa of Avila gives us seven stages of contemplative prayer that make prayer development a maturing journey. This is done through describing mansions within our “interior castle.” The benefits of studying her work are that it describes our destination (the seventh mansion of transforming union) in addition to giving encouragement along the way. It also allows us to recognize when we have made progress and what the different stages of prayer growth look like. Just as we become acquainted with the growth of a baby into an adult, so can we appreciate and use her Interior Castle as a guide for ourselves. Remember though, that this book was written in the 15th century and will be difficult to read if you are not used to the classics. Most of my friends skip it and read Fire Within by Thomas Dubay."
Susan Gaddis

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© 2003 by Susan Gaddis