Awakenings

by Thomas Keating

In this book, Thomas Keating invites the reader to look afresh at the Word of God and see, perhaps for the first time, the relevance of these ancient words to life today.

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion

136 pages, Paperback

First published September 25, 1990

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

[Ed Smith]

It's hard to acknowledge that I really didn't like this book since I've liked so many of Keating's other works in the past. That I didn't like it is probably more a reflection of where I am right now than where this book is. Recently I've been enjoying reading and studying about the historical Jesus and the history of the earliest Christian texts, how they were produced, how they were altered, and how they each had their own theological biases and purposes, so to in the midst of that read a book that by and large just accepts as authentic some of the passages called into question is a little off-putting. Right now, the mystical Jesus and the historical Jesus seem to be very different individuals to me.

[Christy Hilmas]

I read this book as part of a Centering Prayer group. I found it to be very insightful. It got me thinking about spirituality in a new way.

[Wylie]

A telling of the stories in the Bible from a contemplative perspective. Third book in a row of Keating’s because I’m obsessed

[Henry Haney]

I have enjoyed other writings by Keating, This for me was just ok. A few nuggets here and there but nothing to rave about.

[John Lucy]

Every little snippet is insightful and deserving of lengthy reflection. This is a powerful book.

[David Blankenship]

Whether or not you agree with some of Keating's theology, these are good little devotional thoughts to help lead one into meditation. Good for a morning reading plan.

[Kay]

Thomas Keating is a monk who is wise and this book is good for a daily meditation.