Fruits and Gifts of the Spirit

by Thomas Keating

Thomas Keating has spent more than fifty years in sustained practice and devotion to the spiritual life. The results of this creative, humble activity are now summarized in this remarkable book, Fruits and Gifts of the Spirit. As Father Keating says, the spiritual journey is a gradual process of enlarging our emotional, mental, and physical relationship with the divine reality that is present in us, but one not ordinarily accessible to our emotions or concepts. The spiritual journey teaches us, first, to believe in the Divine Indwelling within us, fully present and energizing every level of our being; second, to recognize that this energy is benign, healing, and transforming; and third, to enjoy its gradual unfolding step-by-step both in prayer and action.

Genres: Spirituality, Catholic, Faith, Christian

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Keating entered the Cistercian Order in Valley Falls, Rhode Island in January, 1944. He was appointed Superior of St. Benedict's Monastery, Snowmass, Colorado in 1958, and was elected abbot of St. Joseph's Abbey, Spencer, Massachusetts in 1961. He returned to Snowmass after retiring as abbot of Spencer in 1981, where he established a program of ten-day intensive retreats in the practice of Centering Prayer, a contemporary form of the Christian contemplative tradition.

He is one of three architects of Centering Prayer, a contemporary method of contemplative prayer, that emerged from St. Joseph's Abbey in 1975. Frs. William Menninger and Basil Pennington, also Cistercian monks, were the other architects.
n 1984, Fr. Thomas Keating along with Gustave Reininger and Edward Bednar, co-founded Contemplative Outreach, Ltd., an international, ecumenical spiritual network that teaches the practice of Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina, a method of prayer drawn from the Christian contemplative tradition. Contemplative Outreach provides a support system for those on the contemplative path through a wide variety of resources, workshops, and retreats.
Fr. Keating currently lives at St. Benedict's Monastery in Snowmass, Colorado.

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super quick and delightful read on the benefits of centering prayer. I can certainly see myself returning to the book to read through more slowly. It strikes me as a little odd that the last few chapters become really heavily biographical in terms of the examples provided, but then again it’s possible that at that point in the journey there’s really only one’s own experience that can be used to explain. Also, it’s so refreshing to get through a book by a catholic religious that is just utterly free of self-righteousness. Honest, simple, and compelling. Excellent stuff!

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful Affirmations of the Holy Spirit

Who could ever be so clear about the Holy Spirit? Perhaps the Bible. Other than that, it clearly speaks to the heart. However, I don't feel comfortable with several examples that Father Keating addressed. Nonetheless, I'm truly moved. Highly recommended.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book sparked an interest into reading other books by Thomas Keating.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this beautiful book that assists u!s in improving our spiritual journey

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sort of spiritual reference book, never quite finished.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book.

[Alberto Lagomarsini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aunque es un libro que el autor explica el mismo tema de la Oración Centrante, hay que admitir que lo hace hermosamente. Es verdaderamente un libro de mucha hermosura espiritual.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was all right.

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

Keating is a monk in search of God via Centering Prayer. This book has some very good information on prayer and spirituality but it is easy to miss these gems and when you do find them he dosen't expand on them. It is easy to read at one level yet it has another level with is not easy to read and doesn't fulfill the depth he shows is there. But it is worth reading.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, partly because it is easy to read. A good guide into the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit which slips below the threshold of knowledge about them. It invites us to the "tasting" knowledge of wisdom. Stories and anecdotes assist the book's point very well. A helpful guide for prayer and for those involved with the preparation of the Sacrament of Confirmation.

[Keith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thomas Keating is an excellent author and i enjoyed his concepts. i gave this book two stars because i mainly got it to explore the fruit of the Spirit, but there were only a few pages dedicated to this. The book mainly concerns the gifts of the Spirit.

[Dan Brunner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really 4.5 stars. I really like Keating and this 'Catholic' take on spiritual giftedness has caused me to revisit my traditional understanding. It will change how I teach this subject, which in quite excited about.

[Kathy]

Every paragraph holds so much to think about, must be read and reread.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Father Keating really is able to teach difficult concepts of spirituality and this book is his best.

[Les Walters]

Read this, or most of it, almost 2 years ago, but I can't remember much about it for the purposes of review. I did do a lot of underlining, so I must have been liking it!

[Helen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was disappointing because a lot of it was a rehash of Fr. Keating's other books. My Centering Prayer group has decided not to finish it.

[Contemplative Outreach Hawaii · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suggested for those continuing a practice of Centering Prayer.