Description
Book SynopsisIn this unique and encouraging guide to prayer, Kent Ira Groff, a longtime retreat leader and inspiring writer-poet, explores how to engage in spirituality that blesses your soul-and the world. Whether you're advanced or just starting on your spiritual path, this practical prayer path breaker will lure you in with its novel combination of touching, true stories, pithy thoughts and inspiring prayer practices. For those turned off by shopworn religious language, it offers innovative ways to pray in four metaphorical movements that parallel both Native American traditions and Ignatian spirituality: · East-Morning / Prayer as Awareness Waking up to reality-opening · South-Noon / Prayer as Empowerment Embracing your dreams and possibilities-expanding · West-Afternoon / Prayer as Relinquishment Letting go of attachments-emptying · North-Night / Prayer as Paradox Uniting the opposites of life-integrating Prayer practices for each of the four "movements" provide for personal and group enrichment at home and work, in formal programmes and informal friendships. They interweave the author's own experience to say: "This is honest to God spirituality and I'm seeing myself."
Table of ContentsIndex of Prayer Practices Orientation Prologue Integrating Native American and Ignatian Spiritual Streams Theme I Prayer as Awareness: Opening Chapter One. Waking Up to Reality: The Grounding for Awareness Chapter Two. Living Awake to What Is The Process of Awareness Practices for Cultivating Awareness Theme II Prayer as Empowerment: Expanding Chapter Three. Claiming Possibilities: The Grounding for Empowerment Chapter Four. Embracing Dreams: The Process of Empowerment Practices for Cultivating Empowerment Theme III Prayer as Relinquishment: Emptying Chapter Five. Negative Capability: The Grounding for Relinquishment Chapter Six. Shedding Attachments: The Process of Relinquishment Practices for Cultivating Relinquishment Theme IV Prayer as Paradox: Integrating Chapter Seven. Rediscovering Mystery: The Grounding for Paradox Chapter Eight. The Active Contemplative Life: The Process of Paradox Practices for Cultivating Paradox Bring It All Together: Morning Prayer in Four Directions Acknowledgments Notes Resources for Further Reading
