A Monk in the World Cultivating a Spiritual Life

by Teasdale, Wayne; Wilber, Ken

• ISBN13: 9781577314370
• ISBN10: 1577314379
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-09-18
• Publisher: New World Library

Summary

In A Monk in the World, Teasdale explores what Griffiths’ charge has meant for him — to live as a monk outside the monastery, to integrate teachings from the world’s religions with his own Catholic training, to combine his vigorous spiritual practice with the necessities of making a living and pursuing a course of social justice in a big American city—as well as how readers can find their own spiritual path amidst the rigors of everyday life. Along the way, Teasdale explores the real world topics of friendship; time, work, and money; the problem and opportunity of the homeless; a contemplative understanding of suffering; the struggle to promote personal and social change; as well as the as the role of the church and nature in building spiritual understanding.

Building on the success and insights of his first book, The Mystic Heart, Teasdale gives a compelling glimpse of the unique spiritual path he has followed, and how everyone can find their own internal monastery and bring spiritual practice into their busy lives.

Author Biography

Brother Wayne Teasdale is a lay monk who combines the traditions of Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism in the way of Christian sannyasa. An activist and teacher in building common ground between religions, Teasdale serves on the board of trustees of the Parliament of the World's Religions. As a member of the Monastic Interreligious Dialogue, he helped draft their Universal Declaration on Nonviolence. He is an adjunct professor at DePaul University, Columbia College, and the Catholic Theological Union, and coordinator of the Bede Griffiths International Trust. He is the author of The Mystic Heart: Discovering a Universal Spirituality in the World's Religions. He holds an M.A. in philosophy from St. Joseph College and a Ph.D. in theology from Fordham University. He lives at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and speaks throughout the world.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. xi
Foreword	p. xv
Introduction: Living as a Monk in the World	p. xix
The World As Presence and Community	p. 1
Intimacy with the Divine: Spiritual Practice and Mystical Experience	p. 19
Timeless Mother: The Church As Matrix	p. 51
Spiritual Friendship: A Jewel in the Midst of Life	p. 71
Keeping Our World in Order: The Preciousness of Time, the Sacredness of Work, and the Use of Money	p. 91
Light in the Streets: The Urgent Call of the Homeless	p. 111
Dancing on the Edge: The Struggle to Promote Change	p. 137
Tough Grace: A Contemplative Understanding of Suffering	p. 157
Interspirituality: The Mystical Thread of a Monk in the World	p. 173
Living in the Heart of Awareness	p. 197
Epilogue: Toward a New Catholicity	p. 215
Chapter Notes	p. 221
Index	p. 229
About the Author	p. 237
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