Common Ground: Letters to a World Community of Meditators

by Laurence Freeman

The first Christian meditation Center was started by John Main in 1975. Since then a steadily growing community of Christian meditators has spread around the world, from Australia to Brazil, from London to Singapore. This is the second collection of Letters to Meditators written by Laurence Freeman, director of the World Community for Christian Meditation. The theme of the book is taken from the last letter, which describes the pilgrimage of two hundred Christian meditators and their Buddhist friends to Bodhgaya, India, the most sacred site of Buddhism, where they shared three days of dialogue and meditation with the Dalai Lama and his community. "The common ground," says Freeman, "is contemplation ... By discovering the treasure of contemplative practice hidden in the field of all faiths, the common ground of humanity is brought to the open field of awareness.">

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Laurence Freeman is a Benedictine monk of the Congregation of Monte Oliveto Maggiore in the Abbey of S Maria del Pilastrello, Lendinara Italy. With Irish and English roots, Laurence Freeman was educated by the Benedictines and studied English Literature at New College, Oxford University. Before entering monastic life, he worked with the United Nations in New York, in Banking and Journalism.

He is Director of The World Community for Christian Meditation (WCCM) a global, inclusive contemplative community. He now resides at Bonnevaux, the WCCM international home in France, and a centre for peace where meditation is practiced and taught as a way to personal and organisational transformation.

A writer, citizen of the world and international teacher, Fr Laurence is the author of many articles and books including: Light Within, The Selfless Self, Your Daily Practice, Jesus: The Teacher Within, First Sight: The Experience of Faith, Web of Silence, and his latest book Good Work Meditation for Personal and Organizational Transformation. He collaborated with the Dalai Lama on many dialogues and the groundbreaking book The Good Heart.

Freeman was awarded the Order of Canada in 2012 in recognition of his work for interfaith dialogue and the promotion of world peace.