"The Monastic Heart" (Joan Chittister)

TITLE: The Monastic Heart: 50 Simple Practices for a Contemplative and Fulfilling Life
AUTHOR: Joan Chittister
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: Convergent Books, 2021, (288 pages).

How many times have we heard people say: "It's a crazy world out there?" Saying is one thing. Learning how to respond is yet another. With the ongoing pandemic and the constant challenges of life, we all need a better way forward, besides simply taking a break, going away on vacation, or for more serious cases, going to a therapist. Many people struggle with finding a fulfilling life, and they substitute this search for fulfillment by aiming for wrong targets. Things that ultimately do not satisfy. In a world that increasingly says that they are not religious but spiritual, we need to pin down what exactly does that reveal about us. Perhaps, if we could tweak our search, and to direct our efforts to something meaningful, something that is helpful for the soul, it would make our living on earth not only more bearable but fulfilling. The premise of the book is to mine the rich ancient wisdom from the monastic era. This is far better than to adopt conventional pep-talk that often are superficial. Phrases like: "Relax, things will get better," or "Just try to think positive" simply do not cut it. In a world that are mostly distracted by issues and multiple perspectives, our hearts are crying out for something more focused and single-hearted on the most important matters in life. Like what the ancient monastics have learned, it is one thing to withdraw from the world, it is yet another to deal with the inner turmoil happening inside our hearts. This book contains 50 monastic practices that we can adopt to help us in the single-hearted search for meaning and fulfillment. It is meant not just for Christians, but for anyone seeking to find not just meaning but our responsibility in life. 

Chittister helps us through the meditations with lots of symbolism. Using practices and things common in a Benedictine monastery, she helps us discover the historical riches and how they are still relevant to modern life. For instance, she uses the the monastery bells ringing as a way to describe our rhythms of life to point us to our duties. There is the famous Rule of Benedict that brings along an ordered spirituality to give us spiritual direction. Other symbols include the choir, the incense, the candles, the divine office, vespers, private prayer, and many more. 

My Thoughts

For anyone wanting to find out more about what goes on in a Benedictine monastery, this book gives a glimpse of the daily routines. Just like a story book to tell us the meaning of a Sunday Church service liturgy, these 50 practices chosen by Chittister gives us a good idea of the rituals, the reasons, and the relevance today. Each chapter is a fascinating trip to the historical background of the symbol or practice, showing us why they were adopted in the first place. These practices draw us to reflect upon our own lives, how the simplicity of the rituals could help us read our own life stories. The author explains a spiritual aspect of each practice. For example, on solitude, we learn that it is less of an escape from life but more about an immersion in the quietness in order for us to listen to the voices in our hearts, and for Christians, to listen to the soft prompting of the Holy Spirit. 

How do we make sense of the crazy world outside of us? How do we grow spiritually? How do we become spiritual seekers in an increasingly secular society? This book provides 50 different ways to use monastic lens to view our modern world. Instead of relying on the world to tell us what to do or think, we are invited to put everything aside and to go simple. Be still and start noticing life. Chittister is not just a nun, but an extremely perceptive spiritual guide. If we could learn from how she manages to take the simple monastic practices she has learned as a Benedictine nun and apply it to daily life, once we capture the gist of it, we too could be more contemplative about our own world. Use this book as a reference, as a spiritual guide, and as a way to let the simple things of life speak to a complex world.

Joan Chittister is a Benedictine Sister who hails from Erie, Pennsylvania. She is also is a best-selling author and well-known international lecturer on topics of justice, peace, human rights, women's issues, and contemporary spirituality in the church and in society. She presently serves as the co-chair of the Global Peace Initiative of Women, a partner organization of the United Nations, facilitating a worldwide network of women peacebuilders, especially in the Middle East. 

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Convergent Books and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.