Mark+
Dago spirituality? Hmmm...do you mean Italians? I'm trying to think if
I've read any Italian spiritual writers. Are there any? But the
Elizabethans wouldn't be too disappointed in me: I'm pretty conversant with
Walter Hilton and the works of "The Cloud" author, both good 14th century
Englishmen. And I know exactly what Richard Rolle is talking about when he
speaks of affective touches of God: the fire in the bosom. My problem is
moving much beyond the 14th through 16th centuries in either direction!
Funny you mention Merton with Keating, et al. They took Merton to Merton's
natural end, especially his increasingly syncretistic interest in Eastern
religions. But then, if you're read "The Cloud" you know where the central
idea of Centering Prayer comes from.
And you're right about noise and clutter. We are surrounded by it and it's
one thing that most of us don't even realize we're bombarded with...at least
until we try to get rid of it! Centering Prayer techniques - the irony of
the whole movement, huh? - can certainly help here, but not without
isolation, entering the desert, cloistering ourselves for a bit. Close the
door, turn off everything that makes a noise, and sit silently before God.
That helps to rid the external noises so one can concentrate on trying to
still the internal noise of the mind - the really hard part of the whole
exercise.
Do you do much with lectio? I'll admit that the Spanish mystics aren't
everyone's cup of tea - I often find myself wanting to strangle Teresa when
she goes off on one of her tangents - but I think you might find lectio a
bit more to your liking. Not that they're mutually exclusive, but lectio is
another way - perhaps a better way for those of us with active minds - to
climb the ladder that leads to where all those old spiritual writers were
headed. Hilton writes of it, and it certainly is a big part of the "guided
imagery" that St Ignatius talks about in his Spiritual Exercises. I have a
few books on lectio on my library if you need some suggestions.
As for delight, that's interesting. Not exactly the same, but Alvin
Plantinga, philosopher at Notre Dame, has said that the one thing that's
never really been explored in great depth by philosophy is humor. Why do we
find some things funny? Another topic for another lifetime.
MLW+
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Clavier+ [mailto:anglican@...]
Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2006 8:18 AM
To: faithandlife@...
Subject: Re: [FaithandLife] The Orthodox View of the 'Immaculate
Conception'(died 1966)
Mike+,
You just have thing for Dago spirituality! What would the Elizabethans have
thought!
I've not read Keating, though I have his book on centering prayer, but I
have read Pennington. Certainly, their references to Buddhism bother me at
times (though I can't remember if Laird does that or not)and their tendency
to worship before the statue of Merton. One of the things all the authors
trouble me on is the importance most of them place on technique...even when
they make a point of saying that prayer doesn't equal technique! As I said
in a recent spiritual direction class, if technique is so important, why the
heck doesn't Jesus ever mention it? I also find that a lot of spirituality
is thoroughly white middle/upper class.
OTOH, I do think they're dead on when it comes to the problem of noise in
contemporary life. Centering prayer is an awfully good way to get people to
slow down their minds. In my own prayer life, I found that I couldn't get
off a very long and tiresome plateau until I effectively killed the TV. And
I'm still working on reducing my use of the machine by which I am right now
communicating with you!
I'll get the books you recommend (I have to wait a bit as I've abused my
book allowance a wee bit lately). I have to admit, though, that I've not
been able to get into your Spanish mystics...there's too much of Herbert or
Chesterton in me, I think.
Mark+
PS Did I tell you that I'm working on a short book about the role of
delight in the Christian life?
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