Thoughts in Solitude by Thomas Merton | Goodreads But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. Merton challenges us (all of us) to reevaluate our priorities, question our materialism, and seek Truth. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. Incredible wisdom if you read it slowly and ponder what Merton is saying. It absolutely boggles my mind to think what the world might have missed had his road taken him into the military and not the cloister at Gethsemani. Susan Bauer-Wu Future We Can Love, Are Inner Peace & External Activism Interconnected? ~Thomas Merton, "Thoughts in Solitude", pp. Im a wisdom junkie. In 1934, he left Cambridge and moved to America. I do not see the road ahead of me. The Merton Prayer, first published in 1958, was likely created by Merton during his early years at the monastery, in the mid-1940s, during his well-known search for more solitude. By upheaval I do not mean a disturbance, but a breaking out of routine, a liberation of the heart from the cares and preoccupations of ones daily business. To meditate is to think. If any visitor has such information, please do contact us Thank You. Why should I cherish in my heart a hope that devours methe hope for perfect happiness in this lifewhen such hope, doomed to frustration, is nothing but despair? Religion is a language to access the sacred, and what makes us choose one over another boils down to whether or not it resonates with us personally. The humble man speaks only in order to be spoken to., What is the use of praying if at the very moment of prayer, we have so little confidence in God that we are busy planning our own kind of answer to our prayer?, A man becomes a solitary at the moment when, no matter what may be his external surroundings, he is suddenly aware of his own inalienable solitude and sees that he will never be anything but solitary., Laziness and cowardice are two of the greatest enemies of the spiritual life., This, then, is our desert: to live facing despair, but not to consent. PDF Thomas Merton: Session 2 - Center for Action and Contemplation Your email address will not be published. The hermit is one who knows the mercy of God better than other men because his whole life is one of complete dependence, in silence and in hope, upon the hidden mercy of our Heavenly Father. And just for claritys sake, the subject of his prayer is Jesus: Why should I want to be rich, when You were poor? Ephesians Limits are torn down Following years of agnosticism, he converted to Catholicism during his time at Columbia and began exploring the idea of entering religious life. My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. Nutrition Nothing else matters except what pleases God. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. Photojournalist & Founder of Your Reaction News - howdidyoureact. DIALOGUES WITH SILENCE: Prayers and Drawings Thomas Merton, . 7/9/2014 6 Comments Photo courtesy of: thomasmerton.eu/en My mentor shared this prayer with me a few days ago, and it really spoke into my season. And we cannot see that it is good unless we accept it.. I've not read nearly enough Merton, and this was excellent. What a beautiful soul he is. To be a person implies responsibility and freedom, and both these imply a certain interior solitude, a sense of personal integrity, a sense of ones own reality and of ones ability to give himself to society or to refuse that gift., When men are merely submerged in a mass of impersonal human beings pushed around by automatic forces, they lose their true humanity, their integrity, their ability to love, their capacity for self-determination. LinkedIn and 3rd parties use essential and non-essential cookies to provide, secure, analyze and improve our Services, and to show you relevant ads (including professional and job ads) on and off LinkedIn. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. Many of his later works reveal a profound understanding of Eastern philosophy and mysticism unusual in a Westerner. And yet, paradoxically mile after mile my indifference increased, and my interior peace. After you have prayed with the text (and feel free to pray with it more than once - St. Ignatius wrote about the deep value of repetition in prayer, especially when something feels particularly rich) spend some time journaling what insights arise for you. All Quotes Its too rich, too essential to be casual about. He taught English at St. Bonaventure College in 1940-41. Further posthumous publications included the essay collection Contemplation in a World of Action (1971); The Asian Journal of Thomas Merton (1973); seven volumes of his private journals; and several volumes of his correspondence. Such a simple read filled with gold nuggets on every page. Thank you! 2023 Stillness Speaks. Enjoy this short video tribute to Thomas Merton: Stillness Speaks Teacher pages for Thomas Merton and Richard Rohrincluding the Traditions page for Christianity will be coming soonand as is typical of our Teacher pages, it will provide a comprehensive view about theirbackground, and work. August 2014 & Weekly Bible Study every Tuesday at 7PM, Please Light a Virtual "Kandili" (Votive Candle) The gate at Gethsemani, which reads . Almaas Nondual Love. On November 16, 1938, he was baptized and received into the Catholic Church at Corpus Christi in New York City. I found that even as a non-christian, I could understand most of Merton's message in the first half. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. His body was returned to the U.S. on a transport plane that was carrying many American soldiers who had been killed in Viet Nam (the irony of which is ripe and often noted, given Mertons anti-war writings). I really enjoyed this book because it felt very personal. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. 4.5 out of 5 stars 4.7 out of 5.0 5 Stars 26 4 Stars 3 3 Stars . Talks On Nonduality Joan Tollifson. How many of us can even find a half hour each day to sit quietly with ourselves, and with God? One cloud upon the hillside, After teaching English at Columbia (193839) and at St. Bonaventure University (193941) near Olean, New York, he entered the Trappist Abbey of Gethsemani near Louisville, Kentucky. Our privacy policy: We will not share your email address with anyone else, ever. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. On December 10, 1941, he entered the Trappist Monastery south of Bardstown, Kentucky, known as The Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani. Jean Klein Listening. It was what made life real and alive. where everything I touch is turned into prayer: where the sky is my prayer, I wanted to read this book on solitude first (after Seven Story Mountain) because it contains one of my favorite prayers: Oh Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. The reason why so few people apply themselves seriously to mental prayer is precisely that this inner upheaval is necessary, and they are usually incapable of the effort required to make it. Especially the part Meagan pointed out, thanks for sharing :). It requires unending courage and perseverance, and those who are not willing to work at it patiently will finally end in compromise. Of a giant world Thomas Merton's Most Famous Prayer - A Good Prayer for Lent And the light strikes home. In a world of smartphones, Netflix, social media and everything else, I'm grateful for any clear headed thoughts that point me towards silence and contentment, rather than endless cycle of consuming. The Merton Prayer, first published in 1958, was likely created by Merton during his early years at the monastery, in the mid-1940s, during his well-known search for more solitude. Great thoughts on spiritual formation and deepening our love in Christ through prayer and meditation. This post is an edited and enhanced version of a 2010 Stillness Speaks post. Man oh man is Merton something. As a thank you for signing up, you'll receive a video we produced that is unavailable anywhere else on the Internet. A Trappist monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani, Kentucky, he was a poet, social activist, and student of comparative religion. Let me seek, then, the gift of silence, and solitude, You can update your choices at any time in your settings. He truly captured the true essence of humility, total submission and love for God that is so very hard to do His prayers put me to tears, it pierces my heart knowing that I must earn how to pray like him, He taught me how to revere God as we all must. For if our emotions really die in the desert, our humanity dies with them., For true humility is, in a way, a very real despair: despair of myself, in order that I may hope entirely in You., As soon as you are really alone you are with God., The whole of life is to spiritualize our activities by humility and faith, to silence our nature by charity., The proud man loves his own illusion and self-sufficiency. The sun in the pool. We quite literally cannot bear to be alone. Two shadows in the valley During a trip to Asia in 1968, he met several times with the Dalai Lama, who praised him as having more insight into Buddhism than any other Christian he had known. What listeners say about Thomas Merton on Solitude and Togetherness Average Customer Ratings. We text our friends or browse the internet. Refresh and try again. There is much to learn from in this short book and I know I've only scratched the surface. Learn more in our Cookie Policy. Sign up to receive new posts in your inbox. Prayer is then not just a formula of words, or a series of desires springing up in the heartit is the orientation of our whole body, mind and spirit to God in silence, attention, and adoration. We live as spiritual men when we live as men seeking God. For silence, he writes, expresses respect for God, for the fact that it is he who rules and he alone to whom wisdom and understanding belong.. Required fields are marked *. ^^^^ I LOVE THAT PART!!! He died in 1968, on December 10th, the exact same day of the year on which he had entered Gethsemani, twenty-seven years earlier. Merton was the son of a New Zealand-born father, Owen Merton, and an American-born mother, Ruth Jenkins, who were both artists living in France. When we have really met and known the world in silence, words do not separate us from the world nor from other men, nor from God, nor from ourselves because we no longer trust entirely in language to contain reality., When society is made up of men who know no interior solitude it can no longer be held together by love: and consequently it is held together by a violent and abusive authority. 2023 Stillness Speaks. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone we find it with another., Thomas Merton worked at the Roman Catholic Center in Harlem while attending and teaching at Columbia University. In thoughtful and eloquent prose, Merton writes of our inalienable right to solitude and interior freedom. Indeed, if the Desert Fathers a term used to characterize the first Christian hermits of the 4th century AD were alive today, I suspect they would rejoice in the opportunity to practice solitude, unwelcome as it may be, believing as they did that solitude is a gateway to the inner peace and fulfillment we so often seek in the distractions of the world. Closer and clearer Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk, is perhaps the foremost spiritual thinker of the twentiethcentury. I think I would have liked this book more if it were all prayers. Or hails the first morning I had done everything that was in my power; the rest was in His hands. Or sees the last star. Merton outlines some aspects of the spiritual life that set the stage for solitude: gratitude, keeping awake, practicing humility, listening, and unifying our lives. Thomas Merton Thoughts in Solitude Prayer Card Thoughts in Solitude stands alongside The Seven Storey Mountain as one of Merton's most uring and popular works. His diaries, social commentary, and spiritual writings continue to be widely read after his untimely death in 1968. Individuals need a retreat from the exigencies and pressures of work in order to dialogue with God. Thoughts in Solitude stands alongside The Seven Storey Mountain as one of Merton's most enduring and popular works. Mad And suffering undone Merton felt that two things were essential to the practice of this kind of prayer: solitude and silence. Solitude The Communion with Silence : Thomas Merton, Thomas Merton: The True Purpose of Christian Solitude. We welcome your donations to keep this project thriving. The activity proper to man is purely mental because man is not just a disembodied mind. Thoughts in Solitude, a Prayer From Thomas Merton. I found the book to be quite inspiring and such a pleasure to read. Jonathan Star, Value Of Silent Life? October 2014 Thank you so much for even coming and reading love! I've benefited from the timeless wisdom and though provoking writings of all these authors. As a poet, writer, activist, monk, and teacher, Merton touched the lives of many throughout the world. Thoughts in Solitude stands alongside The Seven Storey Mountain as one of Merton's most enduring and popular works. Thoughts in Solitude, a Prayer From Thomas Merton Rumi & Kabir Helminski, Tao Te Ching: What is Hidden Yet Shines In Every Corner? The Trappists are considered one of the most ascetic of the Roman Catholic monastic orders, and there Merton grew as a mystic and pursued imaginative spiritual quests through dozens of writings. Indeed, Mertons understanding of Buddhism is praised by the Dalai Lama ironically Merton died during his trip to Bangkok for a conference on East-West monastic dialogue.. Instead of doing my usual meditation, I decided to meditate on Merton this morning from your entries. Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for dropping by. Thomas Merton "My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. Invitation to Lectio Divina: Thomas Merton on Silence Like all life, it grows sick and dies when it is uprooted from its proper element, Grace is engrafted on our nature and the whole man is sanctified by the presence and action of the Holy Spirit. Than the clamorous ocean, It was during this trip that Merton was fatally electrocuted by a faulty wire at an international monastic convention in Thailand. Shikara 822 books view quotes. We are like pilots of fog: bound steamers, peering into the gloom in front of us, listening for the sounds of other ships, and we can only reach our harbor if we keep alert. Thanks again for reading! (1939) degrees. I resonate with Merton because I too have had the conflicted longing for both the contemplative and active life. Deep Relaxing To Calm To Awareness: You Can Try? Reminiscent of Henri Nouwen. Genesis They disturb themselves, they throw themselves into agitation by the violent efforts they make to get recollected, and finally they end in hopelessness. Watching the work of God: The elder said to him: Go, sit in your cell, and your cell with teach you everything.. As one of their many sayings goes, recorded in Thomas Mertons book, The Wisdom of the Desert (1960): A certain brother went to Abbot Moses in Scete, and asked him for a good word. December 28, 2014 "It's no stretch of the imagination to say that Thomas Merton changed my life." Thomas Merton is one of those figures in modern life that has had a profound impact on so many Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Rumi & Kabir Helminski, Tao Te Ching: What is Hidden Yet Shines In Every Corner? "My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. The "turning" of our whole self to God can be achieved only by deep and sincere and simple faith, enlivened by a hope which knows that contact with God is possible, and love which desires above all things to do His will. Of the tallest fortune, One has only to look. And for all the tremendous and increasing intensity of my desire to be in the cloister, the thought that I might find myself, instead, in an army camp no longer troubled me in the least. In true prayer, although every silent moment remains the same, every moment is a new discovery of a new silence, a new penetration into that eternity in which all things are always new. Now act is waste And rages end: One bird sits still His New Zealand-born artist father, Owen Merton, died in 1931 when Thomas was only sixteen. Being alone is a frightening thought for most. Solitude The Communion with Silence : Thomas Merton, Thomas Merton: Prayer, Silence & Solitude. Seize up my silence Deep Relaxing To Calm To Awareness: You Can Try? But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. The further I advance into solitude the more clearly I see the goodness of all things., To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us and He has given us everything. To me, the above quote from the very young monk, published in his seventh year at Gethsemani, confirms that he was then already living the precepts of The Merton Prayer, knowing that the Lord was leading him on the right road though that was not at all clear to him as the train lumbered toward the monastery. I've always wanted to read Merton, but this is the first book of his I've read. Laju, this prayer is posted on my wall and also near the front door. It is much more than affections, much more than a series of prepared acts which one goes through. And just for clarity's sake, the subject of his prayer is Jesus: "Why should I want to be rich, when You were poor? Love this sis! Mertons first published works were collections of poemsThirty Poems (1944), A Man in the Divided Sea (1946), and Figures for an Apocalypse (1948). Thanks for sharing this. Get help and learn more about the design. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. Why did Christ become Man if not to save men by uniting them mystically with God through His own Sacred Humanity? I do not see the road ahead of me. I feel this 100%! Whom I have never seen. We also want to send our latestarticles, videos, and podcasts via email once per week. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. As a youth, he largely attended boarding schools in England and France. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone., The G.O.D Blog: Grace Overcomes Destruction. I present compelling news through my photography & artwork. With the publication of the autobiographical Seven Storey Mountain (1948), he gained an international reputation. As he is far more eloquent than I, I will include some of my favorite quotes form the book in order to illustrate some of his most thought-provoking points. Almaas Nondual Love. Thomas Merton on the Necessity of Solitude for a Healthy Society One turning leaf, I do not see the road ahead of me. Thoughtful and eloquent, as timely (or timeless) now as when it was originally published in 1956, Thoughts in Solitude addresses the pleasure of a solitary life, as well as the necessity for quiet reflection in an age when so little is private. 2 Corinthians Welcome back. TOP 25 QUOTES BY THOMAS MERTON (of 608) | A-Z Quotes In an age when totalitarianism has striven, in every way, to devaluate and degrade the human person, we hope it is right to demand a hearing for any and every sane reaction in the favor of mans inalienable solitude and his interior freedom. Great job with the blog. Thomas Merton: The Solitude I Am - Stillness Speaks Your email address will not be published. . It is clothed in the friendly communion of silence, and this silence is related to love. DIALOGUES WITH SILENCE: Prayers and Drawings by Thomas Merton . Thomas Merton, a trappist monk, has written the most sublime book on his relationship with God and his life in solitude as a monk. Catherine 873 books view quotes. Required fields are marked *. Not many, I would guess. June 2014, All When society is made up of men who know no interior solitude it can no longer beheld together by love: and consequently it is held together by a violent and abusive authority., The solitary life, being silent, clears away the smoke-screen of words that man has laid down between his mind and things. In 1949, he was ordained to the priesthood and given the name Father Louis. I cannot know for certain where it will end. If it isnt, then the language may be too much for you. Wonderment Despite Climate Change? Shaped by the End You Live For - Liturgical Press We also want to send our latestarticles, videos, and podcasts via email once per week. Thomas Merton on Solitude and Togetherness - Audible.com Updates? Contemplative Prayer by Thomas Merton | Goodreads A Prayer from Thoughts in Solitude by Thomas Merton - SoundCloud Detachment is not insensibility. It is from from Thoughts in Solitude (1958). Thomas Merton was one of the great spiritual masters: a Trappist monk, profound mystic, and brilliant writer. The hermit is one who knows the mercy of God better than other men because his whole life is one of complete dependence, in silence and in hope, upon the hidden mercy of our Heavenly Father. Thomas Merton Thoughts in Solitude Prayer Card. Faith alone can give us the light to see that Gods will is to be found in our everyday life. It is all very well to insist that man is a social animalthe fact is obvious enough. Let us not fear the responsibilities and the inevitable distractions of the work appointed for us by the will of God. However, this was the first book I've read by Merton. As spiritual as he was, he also struggled everyday with his faith as much as anybody. I've written about him often through Assist News Service, found here, here, and here . Still, it was a good insight into the mind of a significant religious thinker of the 20th century. Your email address will not be published. The spiritual life is, then, first of all a matter of keeping awake. This is already a Favorite. A Prayer for Anxious Times from Trappist Monk Thomas Merton Mysterion, Rumi & Kabir Helminski, True Meditation Is Awareness? While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. I was altogether absorbed in that one idea. I cannot know for certain where it will end.
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