The Contemplative Journey (Volume 1)

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful, exciting course! Well worth the money!
Review: Father Keating eloquently re-expresses timeless truths in the light of modern ways of knowledge, with humor and great clarity. He talks sense, and isn't afraid to question established ideas. He isn't afraid to challenge us. He employs modern approaches including developmental psychology to re-present the wisdom of Christ in ways which resonate deeply with the modern mind. His clarity on a par with Anthony De Mello"s "Awareness", but he goes beyond theory to shows us how we can increasingly apply spiritual truths through our life, prayer and meditation. De Mello shunned techniques, which he regarded as programming. Easy for him to say, but we deluded ones need to start somewhere, and Fr. Keating shows us how to start. As long as we understand that "the map is not the territory" I think there is benefit in having a map of the path we are to progress. Father Keating offers us what seems to be a good one. Christians of any denomination who are stuck, or who cannot make sense of mainstream Church teachings in our age will I think come away with the renewed enthusiasm born of seeing things from a whole new angle. Father Keating shows us that the genuine teachings of Christ have great meaning and power. They have undiminished validity in our age. But our world-view, our whole paradigm today is different from that of 2000 years ago. Metaphors which convinced people fairly easily then are often not nearly so persuasive to our more questioning minds today. Some of the teachings need to be re-expressed in the light of modern ways of knowledge in order for us to be able to fully appreciate and participate in their validity today. Father Keating does this with startling clartiy. Others who are interested in meditation and spirituality will no doubt be surprised to discover what Father Keating has to teach. There is a commonality between genuine contemplative or mystical approaches to the ultimate which comes across very strongly here. Jesus said to the (significantly, as yet unconverted) Pharisees "The Kingdom of Heaven is within you". (Luke 17) To me, this is one of the most significant passages in the Bible, and yet most appear to ignore it. Why don't we experience the Kingdom? Father Keating teaches us about our false self, and gives us techniques to start to overcome its false programs for happiness, and turn ourselves towards genuine spiritual values, the road to real happiness. It says in the Bible that we must be born again. I believe this, yet many claim to have had this experience, and some of them do not show the exemplary behavior one would hope to see from such a person. I think Fr.Keating casts some light on why this is often so. Anthony De Mello tells a story of a man who went to a village and showed them how to make fire. So for a time, everyone participated in this great miracle, and gained warmth and the other benefits of fire. But after the man was gone, the people made a temple to that man, and enshrined the fire making instruments, told great tales of the wonder of fire, perhaps had heated theological arguments over the merits of different firemaking methods... But there was no more fire.. It appears that people like the anonymous medieval monk who wrote "The Cloud of Unknowing" had developed the "technology of enlightenment" which allowed humans to participate in the mystery of God, rather than just waiting around for posthumous salvation. I had long suspected that Christian Mysticism offers "technology of enlightenment" akin to Buddhist practices, but found Christian Mystic writings impenetrable compared to the clarity of modern Buddhist authors. Fr. Keating is however as clear as any Buddhist teacher, and amply demonstrates that the Christian faith offers us a complete path to spiritual growth, not just a posthumous ticket to Heaven. This is the kind of course you'll want to listen to many times.