Spiritualise your Life

With the publication of so much eclectic work in the field of spirituality, it is refreshing to have a clear statement of the essential disciplines of spiritual life relating to traditional Christianity. This path requires real dedication and is a lifelong process of 'patient ferment'. The first part gives a different theoretical and practical slant on meditation, beginning with the chemistry of stress and the need for techniques of relaxation, then moving on to the nature of concentration, conceptualisation and controlled imagining. All this is simply and lucidly explained, with excellent practical step-by-step guidelines. Next comes the art of this kind of meditation itself, beginning with reflection on the day's events in relation to what Allan calls the transient self, with a focus on mind, imagination and will at various levels. The second part covers the nature of prayer, helpfully explaining its various forms, especially the importance of interior prayer for our personal development and in relation to the cultivation of virtues. He devotes a chapter to the beatitudes and to contemplative reading or lectio divina, with its four stages of lectio, meditation, oratio and contemplatio. He also explains the stages of the Devotio Moderna method and the daily rhythm of prayer. Finally, he selects some themes for meditation consisting of well-known passages from the Bible. Allan has distilled over 40 years of practice into this guide for spiritual practice, and anyone wishing to deepen their knowledge of Christian meditation and contemplation should read this book.