Mindful Silence - by Phileena Heuertz (Hardcover)

About the Book

The hallmarks of contemplative spirituality--solitude, silence, and stillness--have never been more important for our fast-paced society. Filled with insights and wisdom from personal experiences, Phileena Heuertz introduces us to themes and teachers of contemplative spirituality, as well as several prayer practices, and invites us to greater healing and wholeness by learning to practice faith through prayer.

Book Synopsis

Our fast-paced lives are filled with distractions, frequently leaving us disillusioned and dissatisfied--with ourselves, with others, and even with God. Spiritual practices that used to sustain us fall short when life circumstances bring us to the limits of our self.After many years leading an international humanitarian organization, Phileena Heuertz experienced the deconstruction of her identity, worldview, and faith. Centering prayer, a Christian expression of mindfulness, was a crucial remedy for her fragmented condition, offering a more peace-filled and purposeful life.The hallmarks of contemplative spirituality--solitude, silence, and stillness--have never been more important for our society: In solitude, we develop the capacity to be present.In silence, we cultivate the ability to listen.In stillness, we acquire the skill of self-control.Contemplative prayer helps us discern the voice of God, uncover our true self, and live a life of meaning and purpose.Filled with insights and wisdom from personal experiences, Phileena introduces us to themes and teachers of contemplative spirituality, as well as several prayer practices, and invites us to greater healing and wholeness by learning to practice faith through prayer.This is an opportunity to go deeper with God--to experience the Divine and be transformed.

Review Quotes

"I can't think of a single person who wouldn't be helped by Phileena Heuertz's Mindful Silence. But people like me--who write, speak, and preach for a living--will find special gifts here because the deepest currents of awakening and discovery only begin to flow in us through the intentional, practiced silence of the contemplative way."

--Brian D. McLaren, author of The Great Spiritual Migration

"In a world marked by busyness and burnout, Mindful Silence offers us both an exit strategy and an invitation. Phileena Heuertz has written a must-read for anyone desiring to live a more mindful, meaningful life. Read this book and learn from one of the great spiritual guides of our time."

--Jonathan Merritt, author of Learning to Speak God from Scratch, contributing writer for The Atlantic

"Phileena writes here with such simple clarity--and easy readability--because she knows she does not need to prove, convict, or defend anything. Mindful Silence contains not just her wisdom but the spiritual wisdom of the ages that is again standing the test of time and showing itself in the fruits of incarnational holiness. It is the great tradition of action and contemplation again showing itself."

--From the foreword by Richard Rohr

"Phileena Heuertz brings together the wisdom of Christian mystics past and present with her own sage vision of contemplative spirituality. Mindful Silence penetrates the heart and mind, pointing us to return to the wellspring of life found in the still small voice that emerges when we engage solitude, silence, and stillness long enough to hear it. Phileena reminds us that to do justice in Jesus' name, we must actually be still. She taps into her own experiences on the frontlines of religious nonprofits to illustrate how our zeal for justice for the oppressed must be tethered to a contemplative spiritual practice, rooted in the life that is truly life, Jesus himself. Mindful Silence is sure to become a classic of our time."

--Larycia Hawkins, Woodrow Wilson Department of Politics, University of Virginia

"Phileena's Mindful Silence is a beautiful field guide for sustainable social action through contemplation. A timely book that offers practical tools and powerful insights for a generation grasping for methods of self-care."

--George Mekhail, executive director, Church Clarity

About the Author

Phileena Heuertz is the author of Pilgrimage of a Soul and a founding partner of Gravity, a Center for Contemplative Activism. For nearly twenty years she and her husband, Chris, codirected an international nonprofit. Spiritual director, yoga instructor, public speaker, retreat guide, and author, Phileena is passionate about spirituality and making the world a better place.