A friend gave me this book as a gift for my confirmation nearly a year ago. I wasn’t sure what I would think about it, but I was excited about Merton’s connection with Kentucky, and I figured that if my friend liked it, it ought to be pretty good.

I finally decided to dive in and while I have a good opinion of it overall, I think my response is better described as mixed. Not all of the book resonated with me—I felt that Merton talked a lot about contemplation (sometimes in very interesting ways) without ever really giving any practical information on what contemplation is and how to practice it.

However, what impressed me REALLY impressed me. I told another friend a few days ago that it was helpful for me in reframing God—especially in a way that doesn’t necessarily need to be literally and fully true in order to be useful and meaningful.

• Thomas Merton
• New Seeds of Contemplation
• contemplation
• mindfulness
• Kentucky
• non-theism
• faith transition