Spiritual Direction and Meditation
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Best for readers who...
Good fit if you want...
- You follow Thomas Merton’s modern monastic teachings and want concrete guidance on contemplative prayer.
- You enjoy short church-ready manuals from Liturgical Press that fit daily devotional practice.
- When you want strong worldbuilding, the narrator’s perspective shifts your trust.
Maybe skip if...
- You seek an academic biography of Thomas Merton rather than practical meditation instruction.
- You want a comprehensive handbook on multiple faith traditions instead of Christian contemplative guidance.
- You need the newest edition, freshest examples, or the most current framing.
Summary
This short 108-page Liturgical Press volume gathers Merton’s reflections on spiritual direction, contemplative prayer, and practical steps for meditation rooted in Christian monastic tradition. It blends instruction with personal insight for everyday devotional life.
Edition on file: 1986 • Liturgical Pr • 108 pages • ISBN 9780814604120.
Why this book now
In an era of distracted spirituality, Merton’s clear directions for disciplined meditation and guidance through prayer feel urgently practical.
Reader guide
Quick signals that help you decide faster.
Reading commitment
Quick Easy to move through
At 108 pages, expect a focused, session-friendly book: read in a few sittings or revisit individual short chapters during daily prayer over several weeks.
What stands out here
This Liturgical Press edition emphasizes Merton’s practical directives and accessible essays on spiritual direction rather than exhaustive theology.
Best way to approach it
Approach it slowly: read a short section, practice the suggested meditation, journal impressions, and return repeatedly to apply Merton’s guidance.
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This looks built around a reflective pace and a tone shaped more by contemplation than urgency. Overall, it looks like a compact read that should get to its point quickly. It also has the feel of a backlist title rather than a brand-new release.
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