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Thomas Keating: The Making of a Modern Christian Mystic
The first portrait of spiritual luminary Thomas Keating’s remarkable evolution, in the last decades of his life, into a fully realized modern-day Christian mystic.
In the first four decades of his life as a Trappist monk, Thomas Keating created a comprehensive, unified psychospiritual pathway leading from healing to holiness and from contemporary psychological wellness to classic mystical sanctity and beatitude. As one of the key innovators of the meditative practice of Centering Prayer, he fashioned a powerful on-ramp to the Christian contemplative tradition. Yet, as beloved author and Keating disciple Cynthia Bourgeault shows, that was not the end of Keating’s story—his evolution as a spiritual thinker and mystic continued in ways few have explored in depth. In this unique blend of biography, personal experience, and close reading of his late works, Bourgeault illuminates Keating’s remarkable spiritual development from the late 1980s until his death in 2018. She
Keating’s increasing engagement with nondual spiritual practice His contributions to interspiritual dialogue The evolution of his early teaching on the movement from “false self” to “true self,” to that from “true self” to “no self” His final “dark night of the spirit” and passage through death New evidence that he never left Christianity but carried it with him to new places
These profound final stages of Keating’s spiritual journey demonstrate how readers might find their own way as modern mystics, fundamentally at home and at peace in the universe.
In the first four decades of his life as a Trappist monk, Thomas Keating created a comprehensive, unified psychospiritual pathway leading from healing to holiness and from contemporary psychological wellness to classic mystical sanctity and beatitude. As one of the key innovators of the meditative practice of Centering Prayer, he fashioned a powerful on-ramp to the Christian contemplative tradition. Yet, as beloved author and Keating disciple Cynthia Bourgeault shows, that was not the end of Keating’s story—his evolution as a spiritual thinker and mystic continued in ways few have explored in depth. In this unique blend of biography, personal experience, and close reading of his late works, Bourgeault illuminates Keating’s remarkable spiritual development from the late 1980s until his death in 2018. She
Keating’s increasing engagement with nondual spiritual practice His contributions to interspiritual dialogue The evolution of his early teaching on the movement from “false self” to “true self,” to that from “true self” to “no self” His final “dark night of the spirit” and passage through death New evidence that he never left Christianity but carried it with him to new places
These profound final stages of Keating’s spiritual journey demonstrate how readers might find their own way as modern mystics, fundamentally at home and at peace in the universe.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 26, 2024
51 people are currently reading
1402 people want to read
About the author
Cynthia Bourgeault
55 books357 followersModern day mystic, Episcopal priest, writer, and internationally known retreat leader, Cynthia Bourgeault divides her time between solitude at her seaside hermitage in Maine, and a demanding schedule traveling globally to teach and spread the recovery of the Christian contemplative and Wisdom path.
She has been a long-time advocate of the meditative practice of Centering Prayer and has worked closely with fellow teachers and colleagues including Thomas Keating, Bruno Barnhart, and Richard Rohr. Cynthia has actively participated in numerous inter-spiritual dialogues and events with luminaries and leaders such as A.H. Almaas, Kabir Helminski, Swami Atmarupananda, and Rami Shapiro.
Cynthia is a member of the GPIW (Global Peace Initiative for Women) Contemplative Council and recipient of the 2014 Contemplative Voices award from Shalem Institute. She is a founding Director of both The Contemplative Society and the Aspen Wisdom School. She continues to contribute to The Contemplative Society in her role as Principal Teacher and advisor.
Cynthia is the author of eight books: The Holy Trinity and the Law of Three, The Meaning of Mary Magdalene, The Wisdom Jesus, Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening, Mystical Hope, The Wisdom Way of Knowing, Chanting the Psalms, and Love is Stronger than Death. She has also authored or contributed to numerous articles on the Christian Wisdom path in publications such as Parabola Magazine, Gnosis Magazine, and Sewanee Theological Review.
Cynthia Bourgeault is currently one of the core faculty members at The Living School for Action and Contemplation.
from http://www.contemplative.org/cynthia-...
She has been a long-time advocate of the meditative practice of Centering Prayer and has worked closely with fellow teachers and colleagues including Thomas Keating, Bruno Barnhart, and Richard Rohr. Cynthia has actively participated in numerous inter-spiritual dialogues and events with luminaries and leaders such as A.H. Almaas, Kabir Helminski, Swami Atmarupananda, and Rami Shapiro.
Cynthia is a member of the GPIW (Global Peace Initiative for Women) Contemplative Council and recipient of the 2014 Contemplative Voices award from Shalem Institute. She is a founding Director of both The Contemplative Society and the Aspen Wisdom School. She continues to contribute to The Contemplative Society in her role as Principal Teacher and advisor.
Cynthia is the author of eight books: The Holy Trinity and the Law of Three, The Meaning of Mary Magdalene, The Wisdom Jesus, Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening, Mystical Hope, The Wisdom Way of Knowing, Chanting the Psalms, and Love is Stronger than Death. She has also authored or contributed to numerous articles on the Christian Wisdom path in publications such as Parabola Magazine, Gnosis Magazine, and Sewanee Theological Review.
Cynthia Bourgeault is currently one of the core faculty members at The Living School for Action and Contemplation.
from http://www.contemplative.org/cynthia-...
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 2, 2024
Cynthia Bourgeault, gifted spiritual writer and teacher, presents an intelligent and detailed description of Thomas Keating’s spiritual journey to Christian nonduality by examining his writings, oral teachings and personal conversations. Cynthia is aided by the writings of the Spanish Mystics, Bernadette Roberts and Thomas Merton, the Pseudo-Dionysian spiritual roadmap, Ken Wilber’s developmental models, the world’s great mystical traditions and Thomas Keating’s friends and family.
The book is biographical, but not a biography. I highly recommend The Making of a Modern Christian Mystic to anyone inspired by the life and teachings of Thomas Keating.
The book is biographical, but not a biography. I highly recommend The Making of a Modern Christian Mystic to anyone inspired by the life and teachings of Thomas Keating.
December 29, 2024
When it comes to centering prayer, I feel like a kid standing outside the candy store, pressing my face on the window, cupping my hands around my eyes and wishing I could come in and put the beautiful confections in my mouth and experience first hand their sweetness. I thought maybe this book could help me do that, but alas, the author made centering prayer seem even more unattainable and complicated to this untrained novice. I felt like I was slogging through neck-deep mud in the first part of the book. I was glad I was reading on Kindle as it made it easy to look up the multitude of words I didn't know. I almost gave up, but I felt the nudge to keep going. Looking back, I know now it was the Spirit nudging me, but at the time I chalked it to not wanting to waste good money. I'm glad I went on because the mud suddenly disappeared and gave way to clear spring waters when I entered the chapter with the author's commentary on the "Secret Embrace." I reread each poem and the commentary several times, and will be going back to that chapter again and again. I've also put that book on my wish list as it sounds like an incredible blessing and inspiration. I feel like I've gotten to know Thomas Keating as a person, at least a tiny bit, as well. And that alone is enough to inspire me to keep trying centering prayer, to keep practicing. I hope to find a spiritual guide.
December 29, 2024
Mud and Clear Still Water
I feel like a kid pressing my face up to the candy store window and peering inside when it comes to centering prayer. I do want to do it, to put those spectacularly beautiful morsels in my mouth and linger in their sweetness. I had hoped this book would help me to enter the store. Alas, that goal seems unattainable, and centering prayer far more spiritually complex than I had ever imagined. This book is best when the author explains specific writings of Keating’s. Her insights on his life and teachings are interesting and helpful to understanding Keating as a person. I found the first part to be like slogging through the thickest mud. I almost gave up but I needed to finish a couple more books in 2024, and I had paid good money for it. I’m glad I kept on as her chapter on the poetry of “The Secret Embrace” was such a blessing. I am glad to be introduced to those sacred poems and will be rereading that section over and over.
I feel like a kid pressing my face up to the candy store window and peering inside when it comes to centering prayer. I do want to do it, to put those spectacularly beautiful morsels in my mouth and linger in their sweetness. I had hoped this book would help me to enter the store. Alas, that goal seems unattainable, and centering prayer far more spiritually complex than I had ever imagined. This book is best when the author explains specific writings of Keating’s. Her insights on his life and teachings are interesting and helpful to understanding Keating as a person. I found the first part to be like slogging through the thickest mud. I almost gave up but I needed to finish a couple more books in 2024, and I had paid good money for it. I’m glad I kept on as her chapter on the poetry of “The Secret Embrace” was such a blessing. I am glad to be introduced to those sacred poems and will be rereading that section over and over.
April 26, 2025
As always, Cynthia Bourgeault provides a grippingly good book here. How does she manage to make dense spiritual teaching read like a thriller? Personal vulnerability, a knack for narrative, splashes of humor, profound engagement with her material, and a stunning vocabulary.
I applaud Bourgeault for lifting up Keating as a contemporary mystic. He was also a consummate teacher, so much so that his teachings permeate any biographical content. While at times Bourgeault's own teaching agenda seems to bend Keating's life and teaching to her will, for the most part the clarity of his relationship with love shines through these pages and makes itself available to us. Such a gift.
I'm also grateful these pages include his final poems. The book is worth buying for these alone.
"Anything that is not unconditional love is not really you."
I applaud Bourgeault for lifting up Keating as a contemporary mystic. He was also a consummate teacher, so much so that his teachings permeate any biographical content. While at times Bourgeault's own teaching agenda seems to bend Keating's life and teaching to her will, for the most part the clarity of his relationship with love shines through these pages and makes itself available to us. Such a gift.
I'm also grateful these pages include his final poems. The book is worth buying for these alone.
"Anything that is not unconditional love is not really you."
March 29, 2025
I was drawn to The Practice of Centering Prayer in 2008 at which time I can confidently say that it saved my life. I have had a committed practice since then and the prayer had continued to sustain and transform me during this time.
I had studied a lot of Thomas Keating’s original teachings and attended two extended retreats at St. Benedict’s Monestary. It was very informative reading Cynthia Bourgeault’s book filling in so much that I did not know about Thomas Keating, definitely a significant spiritual father for me.
I had studied a lot of Thomas Keating’s original teachings and attended two extended retreats at St. Benedict’s Monestary. It was very informative reading Cynthia Bourgeault’s book filling in so much that I did not know about Thomas Keating, definitely a significant spiritual father for me.
July 31, 2025
A very helpful overview of Thomas Keating's teachings in his last few years. Cynthia Bourgeault at her best.
September 26, 2025
A beautiful book on the later stage of Thomas Keating’s teachings. Definitely need a background in nondual christianity before reading this. So many insightful and spiritual gems.
October 6, 2025
A wonderful book about Thomas Keating. Cynthia Bourgeault is top-notch. I love all her books. Intelligent. Spiritually uplifting. Inspirational.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews