Product Review

In 1967, Thomas Merton traveled to Thailand, seeking to further the Buddhist-Christian dialogue that was his passion. This beloved Trappist monk and explorer of the inner life died unexpectedly on that trip, but not before writing a final letter to his brothers at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky. In the letter Merton wrote that he now realized that everything he had been searching for could be found at his own hermitage, within the Christian tradition.

It is in this spirit, with respect for all faiths, that James Finley offers Christian Meditation, an audio retreat about the fundamental practices at the heart of Christianity's own unique meditation tradition.

Beyond the Closed Horizon of the Ego

Since the time of the Desert Fathers in the third century, Finley begins, Christian mystics have practiced meditation as a way of opening to the direct presence of God in daily life. Legendary seekers such as Saint John of the Cross, Saint Teresa of Avila, and Meister Eckhart explored how meditation can lead us beyond the closed horizon of the ego, to an interior and holy refuge that is always available to us. In Christian Meditation, James Finley offers a gentle introduction to this all-transforming way of life and the ever-deepening realization of oneness with Christ it leads us to.

Enter the Cloud of Unknowing

Beginning with an overview of the Christian contemplative tradition and its historical roots, and complete with step-by-step instructions about how to progress in your own practice, Finley offers a personal retreat experience for you to practice along with at your own pace. In 12 complete sessions and more than seven hours of basic instruction with the beginner in mind, James Finley guides you along this path of awakening in order to glimpse the infinite union that holds the secret of who we really are.