Description
Book SynopsisThomas Keating was a Cistercian monk who founded the worldwide ''Contemplative Outreach'', teaching people the art of meditation. Invitation to Love provides a road map for the journey that begins when Centering Prayer is seriously undertaken. Pointing to some of the recognizable landmarks on this journey, as well as to its ultimate destination, Father Keating addresses common questions regarding contemplative practice: How will it affect my life? Where does it lead us spiritually? What obstacles will I encounter along the way? How does it work? Following on from
Open Mind, Open Heart, this book establishes a dialogue between the insights of contemporary psychology and the classic Christian spiritual masters, providing a solid conceptual background for the practice of Centering Prayer. This is a practical book, articulating the stages of the process of spiritual growth, and outlining how we might develop a deeper relationship with God and move from contempla
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction
1 The Emotional Programs for Happiness
2 The False Self in Action
3 The Afflictive Emotions
4 The Human Condition
5 Mythic Membership Consciousness
6 Attitudes Towards God
7 Mental Egoic Consciousness
8 The Four Consents 52
9 Bernie 58
10 Anthony as a Paradigm of the Spiritual Journey
11 The Night of Sense: Freedom from the False Self
12 Special Trials in the Night of Sense
13 Anthony in the Tombs: Freedom from Cultural Conditioning
14 The Fruits of the Night of Sense
15 The Stages of Contemplative Prayer
16 The Night of Spirit
17 The Transforming Union
18 The First Four Beatitudes
19 The Last Four Beatitudes
20 The Essence of Centering Prayer
21 A Pure Faith
22 From Contemplation to Action
23 Contemplation in Action
24 Spirituality in Everyday Life Appendix I Appendix II Appendix III Notes Glossary of Terms Bibliography
