Esther de Waal - Böcker

This book reveals the riches of the Cistercian tradition and it's relevance for today's world. It draws on such twelfth-century writers as Bernard of Chairvaux and Aelred of Rievaulx, but also Thomas Merton and other contemporary Cistercians who wrote on matters of perennial concern: the true self, growth, integration, friendship, the love of God, and above all the life of prayer. Anyone wishing to explore Cistercian spirituality will find this book an illuminating and practical guide.

Holding up segments of the Rule of St. Benedict, Ester de Waal's meditations on Benedict's words illumine the wisdom found there not only for those of Benedict's time, but for all of us today as well.

"A threshold is a sacred thing," goes the traditional saying of ancient wisdom. In some corners of the earth, in some traditional cultures, and in monastic life, this is still remembered. But in our fast-paced modern world, this wisdom is often lost on us. It is important for us to remember the significance of the threshold. While it is certainly true that thresholds mark the end of one thing and the beginning of another, they also act as borders-the places in between, the points of transition. These can be physical, such as the geographical borders of a country; others, such as the spiritual border between the inner and outer world-between ourselves and others-are intangible. In To Pause at the Threshold, Esther de Waal looks at what it is like to live in actual "border country," the Welsh countryside with its "slower rhythms" and "earth-linked textures," and explores the importance of opening up and being receptive to one's surroundings, whatever they may be.

Is it surprising that a sixth-century monastic text, the Rule of St. Benedict, should be a guide for lay Christians living in today's world? In fact, the questions which St. Benedict had to face are still questions which face us today: how do I live with others? With the world? With myself? With God? How do I bring balance into my life? St. Benedict speaks to the heart, and this commentary approaches the Rule in a prayerful and reflective way. It will help many people who today are seeking a contemplative centre in a busy life. St. Benedict's writing is steeped in scripture. In the Middle Ages, his Rule was seen as a digest of the Bible. It therefore crosses the divides of the church and speaks to Christians of all denominations.

Esther de Waal is one of today’s most beloved spiritual writers. In The White Stone, she reflects on the changes and losses that come with growing older. Esther reflects on solitude and, following a period of illness, saying goodbye to a family home and the Welsh border landscape she had known for decades which inspired some of her greatest writing, and adjusting to a new city environment. In her characteristic style, she sees everything as a portal into a deeper spiritual understanding. She draws on the wealth of the Christian tradition, especially scripture and the monastic and Celtic spiritualities she knows so well, to help her navigate her way through not only the inevitable sense of loss that accompanies such change, but also to embrace the new possibilities it brings. The white stone of the title refers to a small pebble from the river that ran through her garden that she keeps in her pocket, but also strikes a note of hope referring to the new identity promised by God (Revelation 2.17). This is a book of simple, profound wisdom that will speak to many coping with change in their own lives.

While it may seem that everything that can be said about Celtic spirituality has been said, this outstanding book has already established itself as a classic and as essential reading. Its beauty and wisdom lingers in the mind and in the heart.First published in 1996, it has sold tens of thousands of copies throughout the world and a new edition is to be welcomed. Esther writes as a historian and as a spiritual guide, avoiding the sentimentality that is so easily associated with Celtic spirituality. She draws on its rich literary and artistic traditions and its earthy realism to make vital and life-giving connections between the Celtic Christian world and the toughness and challenges of our own world. Here is a spirituality that we can live by with honesty, commitment and truthfulness. Chapters include: Journeying, the Presence of God, Image and Song, time, Dark Forces, The Cross, Praise and Healing for the World.

The celebrated spiritual writer Thomas Merton remains one of the most influential voices of our day. His many books have become modern spiritual classics and he opened up the riches of the monastic tradition for many. Here, Esther de Waal devises a seven day personal or group retreat programme using extracts from Thomas Merton's writings and a selection of the photography for which he was also renowned. She creates a retreat that can be made at home, at a centre or on holiday, over a week or a period of weeks. The focus of each of the seven days is: The Call, Response, The Solitary Within, Encounter With Christ, The Demands of Love, Ordinary Things, and Integration.

‘To take time to be apart… is not a luxury, it is essential. The gift of space for myself seems so simply, and in a way it is; but it is also surprisingly difficult to do without some form of external encouragement. And that is the very simple purpose of this book.’With these words, Esther de Waal begins to show us ways into a fuller and deeper sense of attentiveness to the world around us and to the presence of God in the world. Combining monastic, Celtic and desert traditions, she offers a practical guide to finding God through the everyday circumstances of life. Seemingly small, insignificant things then become windows through which the light of Christ can shine.Many aspects of modern life can distract us: busyness, boredom, stress, lethargy, lack of direction. Yet Christ’s invitation to each of us is ‘Come and see’. Responding to this call, Lost in Wonder clears and refreshes our inner vision, teaching us again how to use those gifts we may have come to take for granted or forgotten we had: sight, sound, silence, awareness, mystery, wonder.

Around the year 500 St Benedict wrote a short guide for a small community who wanted to live together the balanced life of body, mind and spirit. The Rule of St Benedict became not only the foundational guide for monastic life in the West, but remains a potent spiritual resource that speaks authentically to countless individuals today. Fr Laurence Freeman OSB has described the text as the most important document for Christian living after the Bible.In this reflective commentary, Esther de Waal recognises the profoundly scriptural emphasis of St Benedict’s writings. She shows how his Rule may be read personally and prayerfully by people such as herself seeking practical encouragement and support in their following of Christ.

A new edition of this contemporary spirtitual classic in which the ancient and gentle wisdom of the Rule of St Benedict is explored in realtion to the demands of modern living and the importance of balance between prayer, work and study.

The world, the Church and our personal lives are full of conflict - opposing demands pull us in all directions. This book presents the wisdom of Benedict, which shows how ambiguity and uncertainty can be transformative and healing.