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Mystically Wired: Exploring New Realms in Prayer
We are designed to make connections to God through prayer in more ways than we can imagine. Prayer can be so much more than a simple conversation. It can be a wordless connection with God, a step beyond the boundary of the separated self. It can be a way to listen to the silence. And it can be learned. We can learn how to pray in ways we never thought possible. It doesn't take more effort; it takes more understanding.Wilson's book shows how the brain is designed by calm itself To relax into love To become increasingly aware of how connected everything is in God To experience a deeper intimacy with our Creator Prayer is something that our brains want to do with a little help. Ken Wilson tells us how.Praise for Mystically "Smart, savvy, candid, credible, unafraid, self-effacing, and shot through with passionate love of Jesus . . . yes, hands down, this is the best book on prayer that I have ever read.-- Phyllis Tickle, Compiler, The Words of A Gospel of the Sayings of Our Lord"I confess, I don't normally like books on prayer, but Mystically Wired is a big exception. While this book is incredibly practical, I was routinely blown away by the intuitive genius of Ken's view and application of prayer. Page after page, thinking I knew what was next, I was surprised with fresh insight and unique perspectives on connecting with God. Being an evangelist, I was excited to realize I could also send this to spiritual friends who don't follow Jesus as a way to introduce him."-- R. York Moore, National Evangelist InterVarsity Christian Fellowship USA"It began the day Jesus' disciples came to him and asked, 'Lord, teach us to pray.' Ever since, Christ-followers have been wanting to learn the ways of prayer. Ken Wilson's Mystically Wired is an extraordinary contribution to that learning tradition. It's a wonderful read that leaves you feeling, 'Yes, this is for me. Yes, I can do this. Yes, it's within reach.'"-- Brian McLaren, Author/Speaker/Activist"I wandered away from religion because religion thought it had all the answers. Pastor Ken Wilson, though, understands that life and faith are really about having the right questions. If you want to pray for favors, put this book down now. If you want the answers, the help here is only partial. But if you're looking for a wide-ranging inquiry, and a path that can bring you closer to the mystery--without the mumbo-jumbo--delve within."-- Carl Safina, Author, Song for the Blue Ocean and The View From Lazy Point"Mystically Wired was a breath of fresh apologetic air for me. I pray and I experience God, and I find fixed hour prayer deeply meaningful, but this book shows that God made us to do such things and our brain is wired to communicate with God."-- Scot McKnight, Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies, North Park University"In my library there are scores of books on prayer--by legends and modern guides as well. It is not easy to make a genuine contribution to this body of literature. But Ken Wilson has done so. Mystically Wired manages to bring together the best of the sciences and philosophies of mind, brain, and consciousness with deep spirituality and candid personal reflection. While it will happily fit my on my shelf, it fits best in a heart yearning to pray."-- Todd Hunter, Anglican Bishop
210 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2010
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71 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 15, 2022
I gave this book 5 stars because I think it's worth reading. It's an easy read really, if you are interested in deepening your connection to the divine. It has practical suggestions but isn't so dry like a text book. You can pick and choose which chapters speak to you. As the author says, "Come on in, the fire is fine You cannot hope to be touched by this without it burning in you, in some small way. The boundaries of your heart do not shrink under the influence of this love. They expand."
August 18, 2021
Great
January 15, 2011
I recently read the book "Mystically Wired" by Ken Wilson and was pleasantly surprised. It's not often that you are able to find a book that takes prayer and makes it something completely approachable. Prayer is something that most people are intimidated by, so by making it approachable Wilson does something powerful for millions of people looking to get closer to God.
Wilson breaks the book into what I think are two basic sections: how God wired us to pray and relate to him, and then how we can actually go about doing that. The way that he breaks this down is key I think - first understand how it works, then understand how to make it work. Since this is a basic approach to most things that we encounter and tackle in our daily lives, it makes coming to God in prayer a completely realistic thing for someone who may have previously been nervous, intimidated, or just avoided prayer thinking it's too hard. By demonstrating that we're all wired to pray, explaining that we're all uniquely wired, and giving several practical ways to step into the shallow end of the "prayer pool", Wilson removes the barriers that most people have to engaging with God in prayer.
I was truly amazed by how incredibly practical this book was. There were several points at which I agreed with the author, appreciated his challenges, and felt encouraged to take simple steps to come to God in prayer. As someone who found my faith relatively recently, prayer is not always something that comes naturally to me. What Wilson does that I really appreciated was recognize that a lot of people are coming from this position of discomfort and present ways to get past and challenge those barriers. The thing that Wilson does that I found really handy was that he not only give several steps and tools with which to approach God in prayer; at the end of the book he provides an appendix of 10 steps for the reader to use as an easy reference. A month from now I won't remember every single thing that he spelled out in the book, but having an appendix certainly helps with that issue.
Something that may turn a person off to this book is that in the first chapter or two he heavily references the mystics in his discussion of how we are wired to pray. A lot of people may be turned off by this, but I would encourage anyone deciding to read this book to be patient with Wilson as his points are incredibly relevant if you hear him out with an open mind. I personally don't have any problem with the concept of mystics and mysticism, but I understand where this may be a put-off to some.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for practical tools and understanding when it comes to prayer. Again - I caution that some may be turned off by the first chapter or two, but I encourage anyone who gets this book to seriously get past that and hear out the author. His points are valid, they make sense, and the fact he offers simple things that we can do to become more engaged in prayer on increasingly deep levels is great. The reviews on the back of the book all basically state that this was the best book on prayer that they had ever read - and on a lot of levels I would agree. If you struggle with prayer or are just looking to explore new/deeper areas of prayer - get your hands on this book.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Wilson breaks the book into what I think are two basic sections: how God wired us to pray and relate to him, and then how we can actually go about doing that. The way that he breaks this down is key I think - first understand how it works, then understand how to make it work. Since this is a basic approach to most things that we encounter and tackle in our daily lives, it makes coming to God in prayer a completely realistic thing for someone who may have previously been nervous, intimidated, or just avoided prayer thinking it's too hard. By demonstrating that we're all wired to pray, explaining that we're all uniquely wired, and giving several practical ways to step into the shallow end of the "prayer pool", Wilson removes the barriers that most people have to engaging with God in prayer.
I was truly amazed by how incredibly practical this book was. There were several points at which I agreed with the author, appreciated his challenges, and felt encouraged to take simple steps to come to God in prayer. As someone who found my faith relatively recently, prayer is not always something that comes naturally to me. What Wilson does that I really appreciated was recognize that a lot of people are coming from this position of discomfort and present ways to get past and challenge those barriers. The thing that Wilson does that I found really handy was that he not only give several steps and tools with which to approach God in prayer; at the end of the book he provides an appendix of 10 steps for the reader to use as an easy reference. A month from now I won't remember every single thing that he spelled out in the book, but having an appendix certainly helps with that issue.
Something that may turn a person off to this book is that in the first chapter or two he heavily references the mystics in his discussion of how we are wired to pray. A lot of people may be turned off by this, but I would encourage anyone deciding to read this book to be patient with Wilson as his points are incredibly relevant if you hear him out with an open mind. I personally don't have any problem with the concept of mystics and mysticism, but I understand where this may be a put-off to some.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for practical tools and understanding when it comes to prayer. Again - I caution that some may be turned off by the first chapter or two, but I encourage anyone who gets this book to seriously get past that and hear out the author. His points are valid, they make sense, and the fact he offers simple things that we can do to become more engaged in prayer on increasingly deep levels is great. The reviews on the back of the book all basically state that this was the best book on prayer that they had ever read - and on a lot of levels I would agree. If you struggle with prayer or are just looking to explore new/deeper areas of prayer - get your hands on this book.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2010
When Thomas Nelson offered me the opportunity to review “Mystically Wired” by Ken Wilson, I was glad to accept. I’ve recently read several books on prayer, so the description immediately caught my attention. The premise-that our brains are “wired”, so to speak, for prayer-was intriguing. The dust jacket claims that, “Mystically Wired is a practical guide to cooperating with your brain’s innate capacities in order to experience a richer, fuller prayer life...prayer is a human instinct, not an impossible chore.” Chapters 1-5 explore a new way to understand prayer based on recent research on the human brain. Chapters 5-10 are practical application...exploring new ways to pray in light of that information.
I appreciated the conversational style of the writing and Wilson’s attempts to make prayer seem “do-able” and not something to be intimidated by. I liked that he pointed out that our brain-not just our spirit-is engaged when we pray. He also rightly pointed out that Western civilization, shaped by rationalism, tends to distrust spiritual experiences. I especially enjoyed the explanation of the Eastern Orthodox concept of prayer as “descending with the mind into the heart” and the use of the Jesus Prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ, son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner”) in order to focus our minds on Jesus and tune out all our distracting thoughts that hinder prayer. The discussion of heaven as a real place and the possibilities for how resurrection actually works in light of new discoveries in physics, though not entirely new to me, were intriguing.
I found several helpful sections in the practical application portion of the book. The tips for meditating on Scripture were good. Chapters 7 and 9 were probably the best material in the book, in my opinion. Ch. 7 addressed the concept of “fixed hour prayer” throughout the day rather than one long prayer session once a day, as well as daily, weekly, and seasonal praying. Ch. 9 addressed meeting God in “the outdoor cathedral”...nature...and made the point that not everything has to be put into words. As Wilson said, “Your brain is not just a word processor.”
Despite finding a few helpful nuggets and tidbits, I’m left uncomfortable and disappointed with the book overall. The message that came across throughout most of the book was that we can manipulate our brains to achieve a desirable result in our mood, attitude, or outlook on life if we use the right prayer “techniques”. Often there was almost a “power of positive thinking”, self-help tone. The purpose of prayer seemed to be reduced to the experience itself and the benefits we can get out of it, rather than a way for us to open ourselves to the Spirit and align ourselves with God’s will. So, although some of the techniques and methods given were helpful, the underlying theology of what prayer actually is and what it’s purpose is meant to be seemed flawed. For that reason, I don’t recommend this book. Instead, I’d recommend “Praying Backwards: Transform Your Prayer Life by Beginning in Jesus' Name" by Bryan Chapell and “Creative Prayer: Speaking the Language of God's Heart” by Chris Tiegreen for those who are interested in deepening their prayer life. Both have been wonderfully helpful to me in this area.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing the review copy of “Mystically Wired” to me. All opinions I’ve given are my own. I’m disclosing this information in compliance with FTC regulations.
I appreciated the conversational style of the writing and Wilson’s attempts to make prayer seem “do-able” and not something to be intimidated by. I liked that he pointed out that our brain-not just our spirit-is engaged when we pray. He also rightly pointed out that Western civilization, shaped by rationalism, tends to distrust spiritual experiences. I especially enjoyed the explanation of the Eastern Orthodox concept of prayer as “descending with the mind into the heart” and the use of the Jesus Prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ, son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner”) in order to focus our minds on Jesus and tune out all our distracting thoughts that hinder prayer. The discussion of heaven as a real place and the possibilities for how resurrection actually works in light of new discoveries in physics, though not entirely new to me, were intriguing.
I found several helpful sections in the practical application portion of the book. The tips for meditating on Scripture were good. Chapters 7 and 9 were probably the best material in the book, in my opinion. Ch. 7 addressed the concept of “fixed hour prayer” throughout the day rather than one long prayer session once a day, as well as daily, weekly, and seasonal praying. Ch. 9 addressed meeting God in “the outdoor cathedral”...nature...and made the point that not everything has to be put into words. As Wilson said, “Your brain is not just a word processor.”
Despite finding a few helpful nuggets and tidbits, I’m left uncomfortable and disappointed with the book overall. The message that came across throughout most of the book was that we can manipulate our brains to achieve a desirable result in our mood, attitude, or outlook on life if we use the right prayer “techniques”. Often there was almost a “power of positive thinking”, self-help tone. The purpose of prayer seemed to be reduced to the experience itself and the benefits we can get out of it, rather than a way for us to open ourselves to the Spirit and align ourselves with God’s will. So, although some of the techniques and methods given were helpful, the underlying theology of what prayer actually is and what it’s purpose is meant to be seemed flawed. For that reason, I don’t recommend this book. Instead, I’d recommend “Praying Backwards: Transform Your Prayer Life by Beginning in Jesus' Name" by Bryan Chapell and “Creative Prayer: Speaking the Language of God's Heart” by Chris Tiegreen for those who are interested in deepening their prayer life. Both have been wonderfully helpful to me in this area.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing the review copy of “Mystically Wired” to me. All opinions I’ve given are my own. I’m disclosing this information in compliance with FTC regulations.
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June 14, 2010Review for Mystically Wired
Exploring New Realms in Prayer
By Ken Wilson
c. 2009
Thomas Nelson
ISBN 9780849920011
$17.99
Book Description
We are designed to make connections to God through prayer in more ways than we can imagine.
Prayer can be so much more than a simple conversation. It can be a wordless connection with God, a step beyond the boundary of the separated self. It can be a way to listen to the silence. And it can be learned. We can learn how to pray in ways we never thought possible. It doesn't take more effort; it takes more understanding.
Wilson's book shows how the brain is designed by God. To calm itself. To relax into love To become increasingly aware of how connected everything is in God To experience a deeper intimacy with our creator Prayer is something that our brains want to do and can do with a little help. Ken Wilson tells us how.
My Review
Ken Wilson is part of the mega-faith movement in America. It’s one of those areas of “change” that usually raises the hackles of traditionalists. I’m dismayed to discover that I’m not so eager to seek out new life and boldly go as much as I was in my university “radical faith” days. Sometimes, once the old channels are dredged, there’s not so much need to build new ones.
But I cannot dispute the fact that, yes, definitely, Christianity is a religion that arose on the western edge of what we consider the Asian continent. Calling it a faith of Eastern mysticism kind of makes me grimace, and Wilson’s use of scientific papers to give credence to his claims that physical changes in the brain occur during deep communion with God brings up the image of an episode of the television show “House” where a convert to orthodox Judiasm evidenced these changes while undergoing tests.
While reading the book I did resolve to be more purposeful in my prayer life, however, and I think that maybe that was the point of the book. I breathe in the presence of the Spirit wherever I am, in any state of being, and I don’t need to be in a special quiet place to “channel the spirit,” so to speak. Which also reminds me of a song that deeply influenced my spiritual life from my university days, a song from Keith and Melody Green that says, “Make my life a prayer to you.” Amen.
Exploring New Realms in Prayer
By Ken Wilson
c. 2009
Thomas Nelson
ISBN 9780849920011
$17.99
Book Description
We are designed to make connections to God through prayer in more ways than we can imagine.
Prayer can be so much more than a simple conversation. It can be a wordless connection with God, a step beyond the boundary of the separated self. It can be a way to listen to the silence. And it can be learned. We can learn how to pray in ways we never thought possible. It doesn't take more effort; it takes more understanding.
Wilson's book shows how the brain is designed by God. To calm itself. To relax into love To become increasingly aware of how connected everything is in God To experience a deeper intimacy with our creator Prayer is something that our brains want to do and can do with a little help. Ken Wilson tells us how.
My Review
Ken Wilson is part of the mega-faith movement in America. It’s one of those areas of “change” that usually raises the hackles of traditionalists. I’m dismayed to discover that I’m not so eager to seek out new life and boldly go as much as I was in my university “radical faith” days. Sometimes, once the old channels are dredged, there’s not so much need to build new ones.
But I cannot dispute the fact that, yes, definitely, Christianity is a religion that arose on the western edge of what we consider the Asian continent. Calling it a faith of Eastern mysticism kind of makes me grimace, and Wilson’s use of scientific papers to give credence to his claims that physical changes in the brain occur during deep communion with God brings up the image of an episode of the television show “House” where a convert to orthodox Judiasm evidenced these changes while undergoing tests.
While reading the book I did resolve to be more purposeful in my prayer life, however, and I think that maybe that was the point of the book. I breathe in the presence of the Spirit wherever I am, in any state of being, and I don’t need to be in a special quiet place to “channel the spirit,” so to speak. Which also reminds me of a song that deeply influenced my spiritual life from my university days, a song from Keith and Melody Green that says, “Make my life a prayer to you.” Amen.
May 25, 2010
The book Mystically Wired: Exploring New Realms in Prayer by Ken Wilson looked like a new major one on prayer. I was really looking forward to reading it. I am always looking out for ways to help my prayer life. This seemed like it might have a chance of helping.
This is a tough book to review, to be honest, because if you are new to prayer or have no knowledge of how faith and science meet – this could be a great book for you. Alas, I am not one of those people. Ken keeps saying throughout the first part of the book something to the effect of “Whoa that is deep – I know – take a breath… ok let’s keep going. To me it was not that deep.
The second part of the book is a basic primer on how you could do prayer – time frame, place, methodology, to name a few. I wouldn’t call this a “Christian” book – it is written by a Christian but honestly the way it is written and he even states at times in the book… this is a book on the act of prayer and what it possibly does to the brain and our temperaments.
It is a decent book not great – possibly thought provoking for a novice or a person looking for books on how the brain works and how our thoughts affect our brain. It has some great footnotes on books. But if you are looking for a great book on prayer look toward E.M. Bounds’ Power Through Prayer or his Complete Works on Prayer.
I would possibly suggest this book as a good read for a prayer novice or someone who is looking at the basics of prayer but over all there are better books on prayer out there.
I received this book free from Booksneeze to freely review and blog about. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.
This is a tough book to review, to be honest, because if you are new to prayer or have no knowledge of how faith and science meet – this could be a great book for you. Alas, I am not one of those people. Ken keeps saying throughout the first part of the book something to the effect of “Whoa that is deep – I know – take a breath… ok let’s keep going. To me it was not that deep.
The second part of the book is a basic primer on how you could do prayer – time frame, place, methodology, to name a few. I wouldn’t call this a “Christian” book – it is written by a Christian but honestly the way it is written and he even states at times in the book… this is a book on the act of prayer and what it possibly does to the brain and our temperaments.
It is a decent book not great – possibly thought provoking for a novice or a person looking for books on how the brain works and how our thoughts affect our brain. It has some great footnotes on books. But if you are looking for a great book on prayer look toward E.M. Bounds’ Power Through Prayer or his Complete Works on Prayer.
I would possibly suggest this book as a good read for a prayer novice or someone who is looking at the basics of prayer but over all there are better books on prayer out there.
I received this book free from Booksneeze to freely review and blog about. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.
December 22, 2010
Both my friend and apparently author Phyllis Tickle called this the best book on prayer they'd ever read. It wasn't quite that for me, but it was definitely good. Wilson takes a refreshing approach to prayer. He avoids ratcheting up the "you really ought to pray more" language and instead focuses on practical ways to help busy distracted people experience prayer. He especially advocates older, more contemplative approaches which will probably be new for many Protestants. But he does this in a way that is accessible and even appealing to beginners. I, for one, was motivated to pray in new ways by this book. Also, interestingly, Wilson focuses a lot on the science of the brain and recent discoveries about how our minds work. This mixing of modern science and mysticism is done well and helped me to better apply my own mind in prayer. This may be THE book for people who've found it hard to integrate prayer into their daily lives. This wasn't, for me, the best book I've ever read on prayer, but it did give me whole new ways to think about my spiritual life and some practical suggestions which I may use for a long time. It was definitely a worthwhile read.
August 15, 2011
Ken Wilson makes a unique contribution to the vast panoply of books on prayer. Fusing insights from the ancient spiritual disciplines and modern neuroscience, Wilson explores how prayer shapes our brains and how our brains are remarkably designed for such practices. Just as much as I enjoyed his insights on prayer, I pleasantly identified with many of his personal reflections that relate how he stumbled upon, and was subsequently changed by, fixed hour and contemplative prayer. His chapter on "prayer as a place" was itself worth the price of the book. If you've ever found your prayer life dull, difficult, or ostensibly devoid of God this book just might help you discover, not only new realms in prayer, but the truth that you are mystically wired "to perceive God, to experience God, and most of all to participate in God – the God who is love" (p175).
November 9, 2011
If you're like me, you've found prayer to be at times tedious, boring, or just ineffectual. This book helped me reframe prayer as a holistic experience that is more just about asking and receiving (or, more often than not, not receiving).
I'm biased because my pastor is the author and I took a class in conjunction with reading it, but I found it to be an incredibly helpful book. At its heart it's an overview of some of the ancient forms of prayer practices that we've largely ignored in the modern day church. It's also acts as a brief primer on some of the science--neuro and otherwise--that goes into prayer, habits, and our connection with the spiritual realm.
I'm biased because my pastor is the author and I took a class in conjunction with reading it, but I found it to be an incredibly helpful book. At its heart it's an overview of some of the ancient forms of prayer practices that we've largely ignored in the modern day church. It's also acts as a brief primer on some of the science--neuro and otherwise--that goes into prayer, habits, and our connection with the spiritual realm.
February 5, 2013
Great title; great premise; some fascinating insights.... But then the book descends into something more pedestrian: a slightly more interesting than average book on prayer. I felt that the opening offered more, and was looking forward to finding it. I wondered why such a fascinating enquiry had not been pursued further, not least theologically. Well worth a look, though, if you are exploring the meaning of prayer and looking for a bridge between charismatic experience and the mystical traditions.
March 17, 2016
God made us for prayer with Him. He wired our brains in such a way that we long for prayer with God.
So, why is it so hard for us?
Thus, this book. Wilson helps us through the hard parts, including just the very act of getting started and making prayer a habit. He suggests stillness. He suggests praying outdoors. He suggests meditating on scripture. He suggests holding loved ones in memory during prayer.
Wilson has some wonderful ideas. He is able to talk down nay-sayers of meditation using lots of Scripture, and that in itself is a feat. Recommended.
So, why is it so hard for us?
Thus, this book. Wilson helps us through the hard parts, including just the very act of getting started and making prayer a habit. He suggests stillness. He suggests praying outdoors. He suggests meditating on scripture. He suggests holding loved ones in memory during prayer.
Wilson has some wonderful ideas. He is able to talk down nay-sayers of meditation using lots of Scripture, and that in itself is a feat. Recommended.
August 25, 2011
A pretty good book. 4 chapters discussing some light science enlightened by some personal experience. 4 chapters sharing some new ways to be.
It is easy to read and will offer some useful new handholds, especially for those completely inexperienced in the contemplative. Sort of a contemplative primer.
It is easy to read and will offer some useful new handholds, especially for those completely inexperienced in the contemplative. Sort of a contemplative primer.
January 18, 2014
If you've ever felt intimidated by prayer, this book could definitely be a great resource. Wilson talks a lot about how our brains work naturally and ways that we can pray to work with the way we naturally are, instead of trying to force ourselves into a certain prayer routine that we feel obligated to adhere to. I tried a few of his methods and really liked them.
June 4, 2010
This book was just okay.. Some great points regarding prayer and how a good prayer life can change your life.. Loved the Appendix at the back which listed several ways to improve your prayer life. Overall though, the book was just too "out there" for me..
May 9, 2014
I enjoyed this book, I love books that deal with the more mystical side of prayer as that the way I'm wired. Ken Wilson shares several creative, practical ways to deepen our experience of Christ and His love through prayer. There's even an app!
October 3, 2010
If you're interested in learning how to pray in more of a contemplative mode this book is for you.
June 1, 2011
Wow! One of this best nonfiction books I've ever read. This one will change your life. Sharpen your spiritual senses and better connect you to the divine. I highly recommend it.
October 18, 2012
Outstanding book on prayer! This book will both capture your imagination and give you practical steps to take, all to help you grow in a life of intimate prayer.
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October 16, 2012Thought-provoking, ground-breaking book on prayer. This book both stretched my mind and gave me practical things I can put into practice on a daily basis.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews