Mindful Silence: The Heart of Christian Contemplation
Our fast-paced lives are filled with distractions, frequently leaving us disillusioned and dissatisfied--with ourselves, with others, and even with God. Spiritual practices that used to sustain us fall short when life circumstances bring us to the limits of our self.After many years leading an international humanitarian organization, Phileena Heuertz experienced the deconstruction of her identity, worldview, and faith. Centering prayer, a Christian expression of mindfulness, was a crucial remedy for her fragmented condition, offering a more peace-filled and purposeful life.The hallmarks of contemplative spirituality--solitude, silence, and stillness--have never been more important for our society: In solitude, we develop the capacity to be present.In silence, we cultivate the ability to listen.In stillness, we acquire the skill of self-control.Contemplative prayer helps us discern the voice of God, uncover our true self, and live a life of meaning and purpose.Filled with insights and wisdom from personal experiences, Phileena introduces us to themes and teachers of contemplative spirituality, as well as several prayer practices, and invites us to greater healing and wholeness by learning to practice faith through prayer.This is an opportunity to go deeper with God--to experience the Divine and be transformed.
Earn by promoting books
Earn money by sharing your favorite books through our Affiliate program.
Become an affiliate"Phileena writes here with such simple clarity--and easy readability--because she knows she does not need to prove, convict, or defend anything. Mindful Silence contains not just her wisdom but the spiritual wisdom of the ages that is again standing the test of time and showing itself in the fruits of incarnational holiness. It is the great tradition of action and contemplation again showing itself."
--From the foreword by Richard Rohr"In a world marked by busyness and burnout, Mindful Silence offers us both an exit strategy and an invitation. Phileena Heuertz has written a must-read for anyone desiring to live a more mindful, meaningful life. Read this book and learn from one of the great spiritual guides of our time."
--Jonathan Merritt, author of Learning to Speak God from Scratch, contributing writer for The Atlantic"Phileena's Mindful Silence is a beautiful field guide for sustainable social action through contemplation. A timely book that offers practical tools and powerful insights for a generation grasping for methods of self-care."
--George Mekhail, executive director, Church Clarity"I can't think of a single person who wouldn't be helped by Phileena Heuertz's Mindful Silence. But people like me--who write, speak, and preach for a living--will find special gifts here because the deepest currents of awakening and discovery only begin to flow in us through the intentional, practiced silence of the contemplative way."
--Brian D. McLaren, author of The Great Spiritual Migration"Phileena Heuertz brings together the wisdom of Christian mystics past and present with her own sage vision of contemplative spirituality. Mindful Silence penetrates the heart and mind, pointing us to return to the wellspring of life found in the still small voice that emerges when we engage solitude, silence, and stillness long enough to hear it. Phileena reminds us that to do justice in Jesus' name, we must actually be still. She taps into her own experiences on the frontlines of religious nonprofits to illustrate how our zeal for justice for the oppressed must be tethered to a contemplative spiritual practice, rooted in the life that is truly life, Jesus himself. Mindful Silence is sure to become a classic of our time."
--Larycia Hawkins, Woodrow Wilson Department of Politics, University of Virginia"With an honest disarming style, Phileena Heuretz names a multidimensional travesty of our times: fragmentation, hurry, and alienation from our Source. In Mindful Silence, this wise teacher of contemplative arts guides us toward healing and reunion with love's ultimate ground, which imparts peace and courage like nothing else can."
--Amos Smith, author of Be Still and Listen"Mindful Silence impresses on all fronts and is filled with wisdom ancient and new. . . . A simply outstanding guidebook that is too important, too valuable, too user-friendly to miss."
--Linus Mundy, St. Anthony Messenger, August 2019