Finding Your Hidden Treasure: The Way of Silent Prayer [Paperback]

My wife and I had never ever seriously tried silent prayer before purchasing this little book and it's no exageration to say that the content has made us look at and renew our prayer life from top to bottom. The Author, Father Ben, is an Augustian Friar and lives in community at Clare Priory in Suffolk and he has written an absolute classic which will help many on their road to the discovery of God within them.In short, this book is a spiritual gem and when Father Ben says the most important journey in life is the journey inwards and to the depths of our own being, his words really inspire you to want to start the journey is earnest.

We recommend this book to everybody but if you purchase it, be prepared to be challenged and changed for the better!

This delightful book dropped into my lap as a present this Christmas 2010 from someone I'd only known a little while. I picked it up with care and perused the cover. The edition I received has a tree in a field on the cover. I love rambling in nature so immediately the picture appealed and also the symbol of the tree has many meanings for me being a yoga practitioner. As is my wont with books I cherished it turning it over to read the blurb on the back cover. 'The most important journey in life is the journey inwards, to the depths of our own being. It is a journey we are all invited to make. It takes us beyond words and images into silence' These were the first few sentences greeting me. And there I had been looking at an image and reading the words. I stopped for a moment, closed my eyes and rested in the silence holding the book in my hand.

The book revealed its hidden treasure. It summarised and reinforced all the words I had read from those spiritual writers such as St Augustine, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Thomas Merton, the author of the Cloud of Unknowing, John Main, Anthony de Mello to name but a few who have interpreted the message of Christianity. St Augustine's writings are particularly prominent as Benignus O'Rourke is an Augustinian Friar at Clare Priory in Suffolk (a retreat centre). And of course this book reinforces the source - the words of Christ in the Gospels and particularly the Gospel of John. So simply and so sweetly the author has condensed the message of the Way of Silent Prayer that Christ invited us to undertake by withdrawing to a quiet place, shutting the door and listening to God. This invitation to just 'be' with God and listening to the silence is what this book is asking of us.

In 64 chapters Father Ben reveals to the reader the benefits of regular silent prayer to discover the depths of our being and resting in God. By regularly sitting in the Presence of God, making no demands of the divine nor of ourselves we begin to uncover the hidden treasure within. It might be covered in dust and weeds might have grown up around the treasure but by acceptance of our findings and careful removal we come to the gems within and we can then begin to polish our inmost treasure. The 64 Chapters describe the journey beautifully. Yes, there are ups and downs as with any journey but throughout there is a feeling that there is always support and love along the way and that there is honey and a wellspring just waiting to be tapped.

The book is divided into seven parts. Part One describes and reveals what our lost treasure is and why we need to discover it. Part Two - 'Be Still and Know' guides us as to how we might start this journey to the lost treasure and what we might find as we proceed. Here we learn how we might calm the chaos in our busy minds. Part Three - We shall rest and we shall see - is about abandoning our busyness and resting and waiting patiently - sometimes we seek too earnestly when we need to just rest allowing God in. We stop trying to achieve anything and rest letting God carry us. We become observers of what is happening on the outside.

Part Four - Discovering our True Selves - Slowly our perception of life begins to clear and we discover the ground of our being that has always been there but we have not had the eyes to see it. This is a beautiful part and includes chapters on seeing with new eyes, discovering the Teacher within, discovering the eye of the heart, and brings clarity and resonance to the Gospel stories of the true vine and the living waters within. We learn of compassion and healing of buried wounds and how we come to know ourselves much better and by doing so - wheat and chaff - we die to the old self. This is a key section of the book - perhaps the core.

Part Five - God Heals Our Brokeness - this part is about becoming whole again and discovering our inner beauty that was always there. Part Six - The Fruits of Silence - here we discover the gifts of regular practice of silent prayer which are so worth the discipline. Part Seven - Our Return Journey - potential deep inner peace, an ear more attuned to listening to God, praising the ground of our being and a sharing of what we have found with others. There is a beautiful little story from Herman Hesse's 'The Glass Bead Game' about a young man taking a music exam with music Master in Chapter 58 which illustrates our relationship with God as a partner. And Chapter 64 resonates with my rambler's heart along the mountain path - remember that song 'I love to go a-wandering along the mountain track and as I go I love to sing, my knapsack on my back' This final chapter gives that song a new meaning for me as it talks of us singing praise as we walk along life's path.

Absolutely beautiful and with stories of real people finding something of the peace that silence brings. So simply put and so deep. There are many sentences I could take out of this book, stick on the wall and reflect on in lectio divina. However, this is a book first and foremost about contemplative prayer - resting in silence in the presence of God asking for nothing or 'nada' as St John of the Cross would say and expecting nothing but by so doing finding deep, deep fulfilment and a basis of infinite love to share with others. What a journey we are invited to share. And all it takes is to sit in silence for a short period every day for the rest of our lives. So, so simple.

Recommended reading. (Since reading this book I have listened to some of the talks by Father Ben on the Clare Priory website and they help to reinforce what he has written in his book. Amen).

Those of us who practice contemplative prayer have been blessed with some fantastic books over the last few years. Martin Laird in particular has set a very high bench-mark with 'into the silent land'. This is a very different kind of book, at least in style. The charpters are short, just a couple of pages long. Each chapter addresses a different aspect or topic of contemplation. It's very simply written and easy to read. Consoling with gentle reflections and guidance on the practice of contemplation - perfect for someone new to contemplation or someone who has been practicing many years. I particularly enjoyed learning more about Saint Augustines teachings on contemplation. A lovely book that I will come back to again and again.