A Monk in the World: Cultivating a Spiritual Life

by Wayne Teasdale, Ken Wilber (Foreword)

In A Monk in the World, Teasdale explores what Griffiths’ charge has meant for him - to live as a monk outside the monastery, to integrate teachings from the world’s religions with his own Catholic training, to combine his vigorous spiritual practice with the necessities of making a living and pursuing a course of social justice in a big American city-as well as how readers can find their own spiritual path amidst the rigors of everyday life. Along the way, Teasdale explores the real world topics of friendship; time, work, and money; the problem and opportunity of the homeless; a contemplative understanding of suffering; the struggle to promote personal and social change; as well as the as the role of the church and nature in building spiritual understanding.Building on the success and insights of his first book, The Mystic Heart, Teasdale gives a compelling glimpse of the unique spiritual path he has followed, and how everyone can find their own internal monastery and bring spiritual practice into their busy lives.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Religion, Christianity, Inspirational, Biography

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2002

Reviews

[Mary Overton]

"I distinguish between two forms of awareness - horizontal and vertical. Vertical awareness always relates to the transcendent Mystery, while the horizontal relates to our relationships to others, whether they be people, other sentient beings, the natural world, or even the entire cosmos. Most important, horizontal and vertical awareness become integrated in the contemplative process as it matures, when we encounter the Divine in everyone and everything. And both directions display themselves in four dimensions of knowing, each implicating and reflecting the others like a hologram.
"These are the four elements present in awareness: metaphysical, epistemological, mystical, and moral dimensions - four ways of revealing, or 'translating,' the mystery of the Divine and applying it to our human condition. First, the metaphysical, as grounded in the transcendent One, is limitless vertical truth. The epistemological, or what we can know, is moment by moment a horizontal reality pointing to its vertical Source. The mystical, from the horizontal into the boundless, is the spacious verticality of the Divine. Finally, the moral combines transcendent vertical awareness with the horizontal - appropriate attitudes and actions in everyday life. In its spiritual expression, developing from its moral character, awareness is love in action, and the attributes of limitless sensitivity, kindness, compassion and mercy - actual acts of living." pp.198-9

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the Book a Monk in the World, Wayne Teasdale is the main narrator. He became a lay monk and mainly combined the traditions of Christianity and Hinduism, and took Sannyasa. Most of his drive and determination came from the fact that he was encouraged to explore the spiritual dimensions of any religion. In this book, he connects with us by explaining the monk within us and how we can practice this spirituality wherever we are. He lived outside of the Monastery for the majority of this book.

He talks about the vital lessons he learned while visiting the poor in Chicago. He describes it as almost being a test, where we can learn to expand our love and patience to others. One major aspect of spiritual practice in a Monks heart is the service of others, and this was an action that Wayne Teasdale completed. He was a devoted monk and spent a lot of time in his activities. These strengthened his mind and compassion, as well as his prayer. Meditation, nature walks, and solitude were some of the daily activities he did. These helped him with his practices in compassion, sensitivity, kindness and love. Because he was able to learn and master these traits, he applied these virtuous practices into the people he met.

Wayne Teasdale’s spiritual practices led him on his Spiritual Path. The spirituality of a monk lies in his integral spirituality. Wayne Teasdale learned to embrace his earth, as well as maintain a close spiritual relationship with his friends, as well as God, for his spirituality was a combination of Christianity and Hinduism. Through his time as a Monk, he learned that Humankind has two spiritual aspirations; one is this worldview, and the second is the other-worldly view. This could also be known as the worldview on this earth, and the worldview of heaven. Through his studies, he described this heaven as having multiple names, the mythical heaven beyond earth, or Nirvana that broke free from Samsara. No matter what this heaven is called, the freedom from this world’s source of evil is when we escape for salvation.

Through his journey, Wayne Teasdale shows how prayer and compassion is vital parts of a monk’s life a long with many other virtues. With these two types of actions, it helped lead him to explore the richness of the spiritual path that he endured. Anyone can follow this and find themselves on their own spiritual path.

I really enjoyed reading this book because it was very nice to see that Wayne Teasedale was trying to combine religions together. It is something unique and different and it definitely was a great read. I would definitely encourage people to read this book because it is something different from your ordinary book and it is full of surprises.

[Fredrik Raadal-Simonsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wayne Teasdale shows how it is truly possible to live a spiritual life in the midst of a busy, noisy everyday life. And in the process, he demonstrates with great conviction the essential elements of any spiritual quest: Openness, humility, loving-kindness, disciplined practice and fellow seekers and mentors from which to draw inspiration and guidance.

Highly recommended for anyone looking for inspiration on how to live in touch with something much larger than ourselves.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I could rate this book higher but the book didn't live up to its name "A Monk in the World: Cultivating a Spiritual Life". Very few chapters dealt with the practicalities of living a contemplative life in a secular world. Most of the book consisted of the author's options on what should be done concerning the Catholic Church, social justice, interfaith sharing, friendship, and helping the homeless. All very important topics, but the author lost me on chapter 3, where he states that the Catholic Church should be more open in practicing and exploring other faiths (among other options on what the Church should do). I disagree, I think definitely there should be dialogue and support between all religions however the Church should not adopt practices from other religions, the Catholic Church should focus on becoming solidly Christian, following the Gospel. Christianity has such a rich history of Saints that we don't need to look elsewhere, all we need is to follow Christ. I enjoyed a few of his chapters: his intro was interesting and chapter 2 where he writes about spiritual practice and experiences was fun to read, and I enjoyed chapter 8 about the contemplative understanding of suffering. My opinion is that if you follow Christ, I don't think you need to read this book. If you are still searching, it might be an interesting read.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the fact that this book sheds light on the modern endeavor to live as a "lay monk" or nun in the midst of society/the world, though I found that he veered off into discussions of interspirituality that were redundant or elementary for me based on my life experience. Rather than a discussion of inclusion and extraction and the universality of religion, I would have liked more to read of the every day challenges of incorporating spiritual practice and perspectives, particularly a chapter that I was eager to read and seemed to have missed somehow, on "dealing with challenging people".

[Kate Bednarski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read from an important interfaith voice with a direct message to me about my destiny

[LuAnn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I find this dry, didactic and redundant; I did not find it inspiring. Who is the intended audience?

I don’t know what the author is saying with paragraphs like this:
“Interspirituality is essentially an agent of a universal mysticism and integral spirituality. We often walk the interspiritual or intermystical path, and an intuitive attempt to reach a more complete truth. That final integration, a deep convergence, is an integral spirituality. Bringing together all the great systems of spiritual wisdom, practice, insight, reflection, experience, and science provides a truly integral understanding of spirituality and its practical application in our lives, regardless of our tradition. Interspirituality presupposes an integral vision, in terms of all the traditions. In the same way, integral spirituality must include all forms of spirituality. Integral spirituality in its own course becomes a universal mysticism.”

Besides paragraphs like that, many sentences are lists of what concepts do, include, contain, etc. Richard Rohr and others write much more clearly about similar concepts.

This book is less how to be a mystic in world but about Teasdale’s vision for the compassionate, interspiritual mystical community the world needs and what he thinks the Roman Catholic Church’s role should be in that. Published in 2002, two years before Teasdale died, I can’t help wondering what he would think of the current state of politics and religion in the US and the world, and how he would be heartened by at least Pope Leo XIV.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author has four main interests in this book - contemplation and meditation, inter-religion dialog, homelessness and Tibet. He definitely connects the first two to the second two world problems. I think the author's message is important, but the book did not really resonate with me. He seemed very dry to me.

[Christian Deysson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Das Buch hält leider nicht wirklich, was der Titel verspricht: Die ersten Kapitel lesen sich zwar sehr gut und mit spirituellem Gewinn, doch dann driftet der Autor vom Thema ab und schreibt m.E. zu viel über Hinduismus und Glaubensbezüge zwischen Katholizismus und östlichen Religionen.

[David Edgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book inspired me. What a wonderful way to walk the path of this life - as a monk in the world. Filled with great stories and interspirituality that challenges all forms of personal, tribal, denominational and faith-based elitism. I'm very glad I read this book!

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Veers from organized religion to self-help to I don’t know what..

[Edward · Rating 3 out of 5]

A monk in the world? Isn't residing in an isolated monastery the habitat of a monk? Not necessarily according to Teasdale, himself a monk, who argues that we do too much categorizing and that the monastery and the world can complement one other. The world, specifically the city, is where most people conduct their everyday lives, but at the same time can engage in the life of a monk - interludes of silence, meditation, and a compassionate reaching out to others.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Monk in the World: Finding the Sacred in Daily Life" by Wayne Teasdale was dull. It wasn't that I disagreed with Teasdale: much if not most I did agree with. I really wish Teasdale made much more use of examples and stories. He didn't. And I found it tough going with writing that was too often vague.

[Leanne Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider this book to be essential reading for anyone who is struggling to live out his faith in a meaningful way in the world. It is informative, inspirational and challenging,calling the reader to an ever higher level of awareness and action. A definite candidate for rereading.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book that is written by a Catholic Monk living in Chicago, but that transcends spiritual traditions.

[Emillam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great guide for better understanding Interspirituality and the practices for being a contemplative within society....Superb!

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

What does true spirituality look like? It is not running from reality. It is becoming in reality. This book gives me clues as to what this may look like.

[Noel · Rating 2 out of 5]

have tried to read this and couldn't get into it. Will try again this winter.

Did finally read and thought it was just OK.

[TheAcaciaTree · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book! One of my favorites books on being spiritual in the world.