Dr. Finley’s five years in a cloistered Trappist monastery left him with the question, “How can I live a contemplative life in the world?” The Contemplative Heart is his response. Referring to Thomas Merton, he lists three principles of contemplative living: the divinity of what just is, the ignorance of the divinity of what just is, and the path of our contemplative self transformation. Finley describes the rhythm of the “grace-engendering-a-riddle” lifestyle by which the seeker allows her life to unfold and, by being present to her experience, is transformed.

He reminds us of the psalm, “Be still and know that I am God” and discusses stillness in meditation. He describes the practice of sitting in meditation as realizing “oneness with God manifested in and as one’s ceaselessly arising and passing away experience of the ceaselessly arising and passing away present moment.” Those of us who meditate immediately recognize the profundity of his words.

He urges the reader to find her contemplative practice and practice it, to find her contemplative community and enter it, and to find her contemplative teaching and follow it. He describes meditation practices and offers knowing suggestions for beginners about sleepiness, soreness, and emotional experiences which arise during meditation. ” . . . finding our contemplative community occurs in each and every granting of contemplative experience in which the all-in-one nature of reality is realized. And entering our contemplative community is a life-long process of allowing our contemplative experience of the unitive nature of reality to transform us to the point that we become someone whose life gives witness in the world to the unity of the world which is one with God.” Finley uses death as his reference point in “contemplative discernment” and suggests that “contemplative living is discovered to be a continual willingness to die to our egocentricity.”

Dr. Finley has set himself an impossible task–to articulate the ineffable. But he succeeds. His writing is poetic, at moments rhapsodic, always inspiring. Having meditated for over twenty-five years, I appreciate the depth of Dr. Finley’s practice which clearly informs his writing. He writes from the passion in his heart as well as vast research in the history of contemplation. Dr. Finley is a mystic who speaks to the mystic in our souls.

I recommend this book to seekers who have committed to live with depth and presence but may question the intricacies of their practice. I also recommend it to experienced practitioners of any spiritual discipline as a succinct, well-articulated reminder of the reality behind the appearance. The Contemplative Heart helps us remember home.

© 2001 Ruth Cherry

Ruth Cherry, PhD, author of Open Your Heart, A Mid-Life Fable
 
 

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