Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Comtemplation (Hardcover)

Into the Silent Land: The Practice of Contemplation by Martin Laird 5.0 out of 5 stars (3)  £7.67

The Shack by William P. Young 3.8 out of 5 stars (271)  £3.99

A Book of Silence by Sara Maitland 4.3 out of 5 stars (15)  £12.59

Silence and Honey Cakes: The Wisdom of the Desert by Rowan Williams 4.8 out of 5 stars (4)  £5.49

Why Go to Church? 2009: The Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book by Timothy Radcliffe 4.6 out of 5 stars (10)  £6.59

› Explore similar items

Review
"This is a beautifully written book. The language is profound, poetic, and free of worn cliches. It has obviously grown out of a life of study, erudition, and personal prayer." --Worship
"Into the Silent Land by Martin Laird is a wonderful introduction to the subject of contemplation. It has a vitality and relevance that are gripping. Contemplative books are often dry, but I found this a page-turner." --Church Times
"In a world hungering for practical spiritual direction on how to manage distractions, moods, bodily posture, breathing, suffering, illness, addiction, and dying, Laird's book stands out as a treasure to share with anyone who is seeking greater wisdom and peace. He provides us with an eminently accessible doorway into the land of God's loving silence." --Horizons
"Larid's book defines how to sink back in God's ground physically with breathing, mentally with "prayer words," and spiritually with interior surrender. Through anecdote, Scripture, and classic wisdom, Laird illuminates a Christian path into the silent land. An able guide, he makes the trip more than worth the journey." --Christianity Today
"This book is different. There are plenty of books on contemplation that feel rather tired--either wordy and labored or unhelpfully smooth and idealistic. But this is sharp, deep, with no cliches, no psychobabble and no short cuts. Its honesty is bracing, its vision utterly clear; it is a rare treasure."--Rowan Williams, The Archbishop of Canterbury
"Often they say 'you learn how to swim by swimming' but a good coach or swimming manual is essential. Equally, we could say 'you learn how to be contemplative by contemplating' and a good guide or mentor isnecessary. Into the Silent Land is just that. I tried it and it works. Try it."--Archbishop Desmond Tutu, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize
"This is a beautifully written book. The language is profound, poetic, and free of worn cliches. It has obviously grown out of a life of study, erudition and personal prayer."--Worship
"Into the Silent Land is a beautiful and deeply consoling book, a reminder that prayer is both real and fundamentally simple. Not since Thomas Merton's Contemplative Prayer have I encountered a guide to contemplation this wise and compelling."--Douglas Burton-Christie, author of The Word in the Desert: Scripture and the Quest for Holiness in Early Christian Monasticism
"With wisdom born of a life of prayer and study, Martin Laird invites us out of distraction and into the silent land where God is waiting. Taking the realities of affliction, fear and failure seriously, Laird offers an approach to contemplative life that is within reach of us all." --Stephanie Paulsell, author of Honoring the Body: Meditations on a Christian Practice
"Martin Laird's book is a compelling introduction to contemplative prayer. He draws on insights from the Eastern Orthodox tradition of the Jesus Prayer, from the Western Carmelite tradition, from poets and novelists and from his own experience as retreat director and confessor. In the silent land, our wounds become radiant sources of compassion."--Andrew Louth, author of The Origins of the Christian Mystical Tradition: From Plato to Denys
"Into the Silent Land reflects a happy combination of wide learning, authentic spiritual experience, and clear jargon-free prose. This work should be of inestimable value for anyoneinterested in the Christian contemplative tradition of prayer."--Lawrence S. Cunningham, author of Thomas Merton and the Monastic Vision

Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt

Search inside this book:

2 Reviews 5 star:  (2) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 5.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   6 of 6 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Buy 2 copies, 4 April 2008 By  David Wells (Norwich, UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    You'll need two copies - one to keep and re-read, one to lend to your friends. An astonishingly grounded and wise guide to contemplative prayer. Not a "how to" book on techniques,but something much deeper, unpacking the nature and goal of contemplative practice as a way of uncovering the stillness deep within us, the place where we meet God. Although entirely rooted in Christian faith, the book makes some connections with other perspectives, particularly from cognitive psychology. If you have any experience of contemplative prayer, this is the book to encourage you further along the path to "the silent land". Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   4 of 4 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars A treasure of a book, 26 Jan 2008 By  Yen (South, UK) - See all my reviews Having spent the past few years reading one book after another on Christian meditation/contemplation to accompany my ongoing exploration/practice/teaching of this way of prayer, reading this book was an absolute delight. No waffle, no new-age hype, just brilliant 'puts his finger right on it' accuracy and a number of extremely useful case-studies which could be applied to many situations. I have lent this book to several people, all experienced meditators, and each one has raved about it and ended up buying their own copies. If I were to recommend just three books to people embarking on the Christian contemplative path, this would definitely be one of them. It offers a rare and refreshing combination of genuine depth, brilliant clarity and wonderful readability. A real treasure and the best book I came across in 2007. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 2 customer reviews...		Ad feedback   Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

Books on Christian spirituality & Prayer: A list by James Wright-Walker   My all time fave films of all time, all time....!: A list by A. Bland "Les grandes pantalons"   Islamism: A list by Indigena Cofe Create a Listmania! list

Search Listmania!

• Books > Mind, Body & Spirit > Thought & Practice > Disciplines & Techniques
• Books > Mind, Body & Spirit > Thought & Practice > Meditation
• Books > Mind, Body & Spirit > Thought & Practice > New Age
• Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Church History
• Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Worship & Devotion > Meditations
• Books > Religion & Spirituality > New Age > Meditation

• Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
• I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
• I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.