{"product_id":"christian-meditation","title":"Christian Meditation","description":"\u003cp class=\"prod_para\"\u003eIn 1967, Thomas Merton traveled to Thailand, seeking to further the Buddhist-Christian dialogue that was his passion. This beloved Trappist monk and explorer of the inner life died unexpectedly that trip, but not before writing a final letter to his brothers at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky. In the letter, Merton wrote that he now realized that everything he had been searching for could be found at his own hermitage, within the Christian tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"prod_para\"\u003eIt is in this spirit, with respect for all faiths, that James Finley offers \u003cem\u003eChristian Meditation\u003c\/em\u003e, an audio retreat about the fundamental practices at the heart of Christianity's own unique meditation tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"prod_para\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBeyond the Closed Horizon of the Ego\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"prod_para\"\u003eSince the time of the Desert Fathers in the third century, Finley begins, Christian mystics have practiced meditation as a way of opening to the direct presence of God in daily life. Legendary seekers such as Saint John of the Cross, Saint Teresa of Avila, and Meister Eckhart explored how meditation can lead us beyond the closed horizon of the ego, to an interior and holy refuge that is always available to us. On \u003cem\u003eChristian Meditation\u003c\/em\u003e, James Finley offers a gentle introduction to this all-transforming way of life, and the ever-deepening realization of oneness with Christ it leads us to.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"prod_para\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnter the Cloud of Unknowing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"prod_para\"\u003eBeginning with an overview of the Christian contemplative tradition and its historical roots, and complete with step-by-step instructions about how to progress in your own practice, Finley offers a personal retreat experience for you to practice along with, at your own pace. In 12 complete sessions and more than seven hours of basic instruction with the beginner in mind, James Finley guides you along this path of awakening, in order to glimpse the infinite union that holds the secret of who we really are. This state of awakened consciousness, referred to by an anonymous Christian mystic as the cloud of unknowing, is held in common by the world's great wisdom traditions, both Eastern and Western.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"prod_para\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDivine Intimacy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eMeditation has the power to reveal to us the surprising nearness of God, Finley teaches. As you expand your meditation practice, in concert with your faith, you will find that these divine moments come more often, until you are finally awakened to your own deepest self, one with Christ, with James Finley's \u003cem\u003eChristian Meditation\u003c\/em\u003e. \u003cp class=\"prod_para\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Learn more about:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"prod_box_list\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"prod_list_lireg\"\u003e Christian meditation—its history, traditions, and root practices\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"prod_list_lireg\"\u003eWhere life's needless complexity comes from\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"prod_list_lireg\"\u003eFaith in Christ—the foundation of Christian meditation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"prod_list_lireg\"\u003ePoverty of speech and the sacred silence of meditation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"prod_list_lireg\"\u003eThe arenas of daily life, and how meditation can enrich them\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"prod_list_lireg\"\u003eHow to move beyond the tyranny of the past and change it to the truth of the present moment\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"prod_list_lireg\"\u003eVulnerability—its your key to attaining grace\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"prod_list_lireg\"\u003eThe present moment and the eternal now, beyond time\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"prod_list_lireg\"\u003eInsights from the Christian symbols in William Faulkner's short story \u003cem\u003eThe Bear\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"prod_list_lireg\"\u003eAwakening, suffering, and the Pearl of Great Price \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"prod_list_lireg\"\u003eThe three principles for a contemplative life, and how to practice them\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"prod_list_lireg\"\u003eA way of seeing that sets us free from our egos\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"prod_list_lireg\"\u003eGuidelines for correct posture, breathing, and getting started\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"prod_list_lireg\"\u003eMore than seven hours of teachings, practices, and meditations in the Christian tradition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Sounds True","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":35316912652443,"sku":"AF00679D","price":17.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Audio Download","offer_id":35316912717979,"sku":"AF00679W","price":50.15,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0451\/0017\/1419\/products\/85.jpg?v=1596463899","url":"https:\/\/peakdesignvb-com.myshopify.com\/products\/christian-meditation","provider":"peakdesignvb.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}