Simply Pray: A Modern Spiritual Practice to Deepen Your Life - by Erik Walker Wikstrom.

Simply Pray: A Modern Spiritual Practice to Deepen Your Life - by Erik Walker Wikstrom. 

The practice of prayer appeals to something deep within many of us, especially those of us who grew up reciting Catholic prayers on a rosary, or those of us fascinated by the mala beads carried by Buddhist practitioners. But what if our journey has taken a path different from the traditional religions and the often moving rituals they provide? How, and why, should we pray? In Simply Pray, Erik Walker Wikstrom reveals the universal qualities of prayer and offers a way to incorporate this spiritual practice into your personal journey.

The first two sections of Simply Pray unravel the meaning and practices of prayer within world religions and consider how these ideas are relevant to the individual. The third section, Making a Practice of Prayer, describes how to make your own set of prayer beads and begin to use them. The fourth section, Pray Like This, insightfully translates traditional prayers, such as the Lord's Prayer, into fresh new language, demonstrating how the practice of prayer may be shaped for your individual needs.

This is a wonderful guide for all of us who want to integrate our personal beliefs with the practices we enjoyed as children or who want to enliven our spiritual practices with something new.

"Simply Pray is an excellent and much needed bridge for people who struggle with a way to pray that is authentic to them and their sense of the Holy. Not only does Wikstrom help readers to understand the four fundamental forms of prayer shared by all major religions but he offers a practical new form of prayer based on a modern use of prayer beads. A great many people realize that they need a fresh, steady spiritual practice and an understanding that opens their larger being to the Sacred amidst cultural pressures.
This book goes a long way toward feeding the hunger of such people with a nourishing spiritual feast. You will not be disappointed in the practical yet deep wisdom drawn from the world's faith traditions found throughout its pages." --Rev. Dr. Tilden Edwards, Founder and Senior Fellow, Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation

"Wikstrom writes about a topic as slippery and elusive as prayer in a style that is both clear and accessible, while maintaining a profound sense of mystery. His guidance is at once down to earth and deeply wise, and his tone both serious and tinged with a sense of well rooted humor bubbling just under the surface." --Ethel Hornbeck, Parish Assistant for Spiritual Formation, Sheperdstown Presbyterian Church, West Virginia

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsgentle, human book

By T. Stephenson on April 18, 2012

Format: Paperback

This fresh, lovely little volume has an openness to all religious experience I've not found in other books on the subject. Practical and accessible explication of the human phenomenon known as prayer. If you're looking for a non-doctrinal companion to your spiritual practice searching, this is a very good place to start.

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5.0 out of 5 starsI am constantly referring this book to clients, friends, family...

By SheChanges on October 10, 2013

Format: Paperback Verified Purchase

I was out here grabbing the link for this book (yet again), and I was aghast to see that there were only THREE comments about it - and only two of them were positive. Really!? Seriously!? So I felt compelled to add my voice to the mix. After discovering this book on a spiritual quest in the midst of a personal crisis, I literally felt like I had found something of SUBSTANCE to grab onto. What I love about this book is that invites the reader - no matter WHAT your denomination - to connect with something that universal...the need to belong, the need to believe in something greater than ourselves, and the need to know we are not alone (which allows us to ask for help/guidance). And the author does all that by connecting us with this ancient practice of using prayer beads as a form of meditation - a practice that has stood the test of time (and been translated/adapted to many religions).

And bonus! It also got me FINALLY to integrate meditation into my life, so I felt like it was a twofer on my to-do list: prayer + meditation. Check!

The reason I was aghast at the lack of reviews for this book was because I feel like it saved me spiritually. When I was in crisis and went to pray, I felt like I couldn't until I was clear on the power/name/entity I was praying to...and at the time, they were all jumbled up in my mind (God, the divine, my spirit guides, Gaia, the Goddess...) The author gave me permission to step over that, inviting me to "simply pray" as a means to discover the power/entity I was praying to...just as you would begin ANY relationship with someone new to you. Simple, indeed.

The artist in me loved the fact that I got to string my own beads, once I got over the fact that there was not a "one-click" prayer bead making kit option... Since that time, I have made them with my kids, I have used this book as a guide for multiple women's retreats and have offered it to countless of my coaching and consulting clients that say they are deeply "spiritual" and are craving a connection/form of meditation, but aren't "religious".

So get it. It's as simple to read as it is to practice. But it's chocked full of historic examples and suggestions on how to apply that lend both substance and grease to get you on your way...to simply praying.

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4.0 out of 5 starsPray Now and Live Better

By Grandpa Bill on February 20, 2016

Format: Paperback Verified Purchase

This book really helps me to find a way to make my life work better. It has been a big hit in our family and with other members of the UUFB (Universalist Unitarian Fellowship Beaufort SC). It will help you learn how to pray and how to make it happen for you!!!!!!!!!!! Grandpa Bill

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5.0 out of 5 starsWonderful overview of prayer practices

By Bethany M. on February 13, 2014

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

This book gives a wonderful overview of the four main types of prayer - Naming, Knowing, Listening and Loving. The author does a fantastic job of sharing many examples of prayer from various religious/ spiritual traditions, allowing the reader to decide what is of value to them. As a former Catholic turned Unitarian Universalist, I took special interest in the chapter on modern prayer bead practices. The use of modern prayer beads outlined by the author seems like a wonderful way to carry on the cherished practice of praying the Rosary, but in a way that is more meaningful to me today. His suggestions for making your own prayer beads provides a template for a prayer practice that can be wholly adopted or individually adapted by any person seeking to begin such a practice. Most importantly for us UUs, this book reminds us that it's okay not to know whom/what we are praying to at all times...it is okay to simply pray.

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5.0 out of 5 starsBeginning a more prayerful life?

By SRenee09 on June 17, 2013

Format: Paperback Verified Purchase

This was the best way to begin...I borrowed the book from and then purchased it to read again. I also purchased a copy for my sister. I have actually incorporated some of the phrases in my mediational-prayer bead sessions.

Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening - Kindle edition by Joseph Goldstein. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening Kindle Edition

by Joseph Goldstein  (Author)

http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-A-Practical-Guide-Awakening/dp/162203063X

The mind contains the seeds of its own awakening—seeds that we can cultivate to bring forth the fruits of a life lived consciously. With Mindfulness, Joseph Goldstein shares the wisdom of his four decades of teaching and practice in a book that will serve as a lifelong companion for anyone committed to mindful living and the realization of inner freedom.

Goldstein's source teaching is the Satipatthana Sutta, the Buddha's legendary discourse on the four foundations of mindfulness that became the basis for the many types of Vipassana (or insight meditation) found today. Exquisite in detail yet wholly accessible and relevant for the modern student, Mindfulness takes us through a profound study of:

• Ardency, clear knowing, mindfulness, and concentration—how to develop these four qualities of mind essential for walking the path wisely
• The Satipatthana refrain—how deeply contemplating the four foundations of mindfulness opens us to bare knowing and continuity of mindfulness
• Mindfulness of the body, including the breath, postures, activities, and physical characteristics
• Mindfulness of feelings—how the experience of our sense perceptions influences our inner and outer worlds
• Mindfulness of mind—learning to recognize skillful and unskillful states of mind and thought
• Mindfulness of dhammas (or categories of experience), including the Five Hindrances, the Six Sense Spheres, the Seven Factors of Awakening, and much more

"There is a wealth of meaning and nuance in the experience of mindfulness that can enrich our lives in unimagined ways," writes Goldstein. InMindfulness you have the tools to mine these riches for yourself.

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Review

"Mindfulness seems to be everywhere these days. It's clear the ideas associated with it provide helpful direction for dealing with things like addiction, emotional imbalance, and recovery from abuse. Joseph Goldstein, a leading meditation teacher and retreat leader, has put together a discussion of mindfulness in the context of its Buddhist origins, bringing it back to its relevance as a tool for spiritual awakening. Goldstein offers clearly-written discussions of things like awareness of motivation, sustainable application of effort, wholesome recollection, continuity of mindfulness, contemplating impermanence, personalizing difficulties, doubt disguised as wisdom, and mindful listening. The language of the book is down-to-earth and compassionately supportive. Non-English terms are carefully explained and used sparingly. This is a serious, yet very readable text, rooted in traditional, scholarly Buddhist philosophy without distancing itself from lay readers. Let your customers know that the welcoming tone of the writing creates the experience of opening a window and breathing in fresh air."

—Anna Jedrziewski, Retailing Insight

"Useful advice that can help any meditator, no matter where they are on the path. Mindfulness should become an instant classic."

—Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence

"Lucid, clear, enormously helpful, a wise and mature vision of Buddhism."

—Jack Kornfield, author of A Path With Heart

"America is damn lucky there is a Joseph. He has shepherded Western Buddhism in his ever-expanding teachings . . ."

—Stephen Levine, author of Turning Toward the Mystery

About the Author

Joseph Goldstein
Joseph Goldstein has been leading insight and lovingkindness meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. He is a cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society, the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, and the Forest Refuge. Since 1967, he has studied and practiced different forms of Buddhist meditation under eminent teachers from India, Burma, and Tibet. His books include A Heart Full of Peace, One Dharma,Insight Meditation, and The Experience of Insight.
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Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsJoseph Goldstein's Magnum Opus

By Jim Willems on November 26, 2013

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

I believe this to be the magnum opus of Joseph Goldstein's writings. This book is physically exquisite. Sounds True did a fine job of editing and publishing this book. The book is derived from a series of lectures on a particular sutta (talk) of the Buddha, the Satipatthana Sutta, which is found in a collection of talks called the Majjhima Nikaya. (The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, edited by Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi, Wisdom Publications). However, the sutta itself is also to be found as an appendix in Goldstein's new book. Goldstein's lectures were given at the Forest Retreat of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts. Goldstein used, for these lectures, a recent interpretation of this sutta by a Buddhist monk Analayo, named Satipatthana: the Direct Path to Realization, Windhorse Publications. Over a series of retreats Goldstein systematically commented on every verse of the sutta,using the Venerable Analayo's commentary as an comparative guide for his own commentary. This kind of commentary is a classical method of working with a sutta in the Buddhist world. ( Also, Sounds True has issued the actual talks as a three part cd series, Abiding in Mindfulness.)

The Satgtipatthana Sutta is meant to be a complete and sufficient description of a particular form of meditation that is called vipassana or Insight Meditation. (This meditation has also just been called Mindfulness and has become increasingly popular as a means for reducing stress.) The Buddha says that if this sutta's methodology is strictly adhered to, it will led to realization or Enlightenment. Goldstein takes that claim very seriously. His book reflects a careful, years long, relationship to both this sutta and to the meditations revealed by the Buddha. I believe Goldstein's work to be one of the most complete and beautifully written books about Buddhist meditation, I have read in the fifty years of my own Buddhist practice.

So what thematic concerns drive the content of Goldstein's commentary? He addresses four major foundations of inquiry for this form of Buddhist meditation. These four are mindfulness of Body, Feelings, Mind, and the Dhammas. 

'Body' is here understood as physical reality, the actual physical basis of the phenomena given to consciousness.

' Feelings' include the whole range of emotive reactions to the phenomena being investigated. 

'Mind' describes the vehicle for consciousness and its characteristics which help and also hinder realization. 

Finally, the larger part of Goldstein's book considers the fourth foundation, the Dhammas. 

This word is from Pali which is the language which the Theravadin school of Buddhism used for its texts. "Dhammas" includes an encyclopedic collection of all those conceptual factors which the Buddha considered necessary for the complete liberation from suffering. Such factors include both negative hindrances and positive aids in one's meditative investigation of Liberation.

Goldstein says four qualities of mind are necessary for this investigation: Ardency, Clearly Knowing, Mindfulness, and Concentration. Briefly these qualities of mind can be described as dedication, a deep knowing of that which is being investigated, a consistent and close awareness of all phenomena being investigated, and, finally, a capacity for single pointed or intense concentration of the subject being examined. In other words, one dedicates to a level of realization which is purified by a complete examination of the subject under consideration, and which is also characterized by deep and undistracted attention.

Okay, why is this book so good? 

First, because it is complete. Goldstein has been practicing for years, and he has studied with most of the major living Theravadin teachers. In addition he has gone to monasteries, temples, and centers in India and Southeast Asia to study. His knowledge and practice are nuanced and thorough. 

Second, he is vulnerable. He has learned from his "mistakes". He is open about his limitations and clearly expresses his gifts and learning. 

Third, he is a very advanced practitioner. He has become truly wise from his experience. 

I was asked once at a retreat by a well known Theravada monk, Bhante Gunaratana (auhor of Mindfulness in Plain English), if I had a teacher and who was it? I said Joseph Goldstein. BhanteJi (as he is sometimes called affectionately) said, "You could not do better!" You can not do better than with this book if you are serious about Buddhist meditation.

The book is not meant to be read straight through. Rather, it should be considered in the context of one's own meditation practice. When used as a commentary to your own practice, it will reveal how truly comprehensive and cogent the Buddha's teaching was. In the end, the Buddha's Teaching is a radical method to confront and heal your suffering. The Dharma will reveal the true basis of your suffering. It will show the way out of it. It will reveal the very real possibility of a wise, compassionate, and peaceful life.

Joseph Goldstein's new book is fully adequate to the challenge of revealing just what meditation can do in one's life. We live together now in a time when real wisdom and peace is possible. I very much believe that the deepest realization of what it means to be fully human is now available. For the sake of ourselves and for one another, please consider using Joseph's new book as a valuable resource in your own spiritual journey.

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5.0 out of 5 starsEnabling the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of hindrances..

By Jijnasu Forever VINE VOICE on November 12, 2013

Format: Hardcover

As a reader with a Hindu upbringing and essentially a secular view, my early experiments with mindfulness were based on numerous books that prescribed specific lists of exercises without fully articulating its intent (perhaps not the authors' fault - they assume that a reader may have some understanding of the theoretical/philosophical underpinnings of mindfulness) or perhaps oversimplify (lists of one-minute exercises). To borrow an analogy from Goldstein, such books felt like "trying to row a boat across a river, exerting a lot of effort in the process, but never untying the rope from the dock". Perhaps, Goldstein was trying to address similar issues many have felt - and he delivers. (Readers familiar with other Eastern philosophies could find parallels in B K S Iyengar's efforts in Light on Life: The Yoga Journey to Wholeness, Inner Peace, and Ultimate Freedom and Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali in the context of the practice of yoga)

In a very accessible exposition, Goldstein first systematically guides a reader through the various components of mindfulness and the hindrances that afflict the mind. He then explains the various dimensions of "awakening" and approaches for mindfulness in the context of the fundamental tenets of Buddhist thought. Goldstein adheres to the sequencing and tone of Satipatthana Sutra throughout this book, though the various anecdotes and reflections on his own personal journey makes this less of a commentary on the Sutra and more of a meticulous guide to understand mind-body processes that could lead to improved awareness. A purist could argue that Analayo Satipatthana: The Direct Path to Realization already provided an authoritative retelling of this critical sutra and there is very little to add to it. That may be partly true. The author clearly acknowledges that work and quotes significantly from it.

Goldstein's book inspired me to get the above-cited work of Analayo and reading both almost simultaneously, I was able to better appreciate what Goldstein may be trying to accomplish with this effort - a less academic, accessible retelling that doesn't oversimplify or unnecessarily tries to "securalize" or 'westernize' the content. Of course. Analayo's cited work was essentially a doctoral dissertation, but that format has some advantages - a rigorous characterization and modularization of key concepts aided by a generous use of figures that helped clarify the concepts. Goldstein's approach can be mildly confusing at times for a beginner with numerous references to "five hindrances", "seven factors", "six spheres" without providing no immediate recourse for a quick check on what is being referenced (a couple of figures or a "roadmap" could have aided the beginner). But as a reader works through the initial chapters, the sheer clarity of thought, the simplicity of the expressions, the choice of the anecdotes and the well-curated level of details chosen to expound on any particular topic becomes self-evident and the book soon becomes a pleasurable journey in thought experiments. An experienced reader in this field will immediately notice the remarkably superior editing that has shaped this effort. Both a beginner and experienced reader may benefit more from this book by treating this as a companion to Analayo's work. Despite the obvious overlaps, the different styles could serve as effective reinforcement tools.

While accessible, this is not an "easy" book. With over 400 pages of dense text, a reader will be forced to think and reflect very frequently. "Finishing" the book is less important than beginning the journey, one could argue. The editorial process comes to the rescue again - with very well curated sections and logical flow and chapters that can exist almost independently. The thoughtful selection of anecdotes is what clearly stands out for me - and how it inspired me to invest in the series by Wisdom Publications (The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Digha Nikaya (Teachings of the Buddha), The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya (Teachings of the Buddha)). I know that is ambitious, but this book can inspire to be more curious.

Overall, the depth, clarity, choice of anecdotes, and the systematic approach with attention to detail, makes this a foundational book for any student of mindfulness. Strongly recommended along with Analayo's treatment.

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5.0 out of 5 starsAnother great book from one of the West's leading meditation teachers

By Cory Goldblatt on November 15, 2013

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

This is a great follow up to Joseph Goldstein's (and Jack Kornfield's) "Seeking the Heart of Wisdom". This book repeats some of the finer points of the aforementioned book and goes into more detail than his other works. I have been meditating for a few years and there were certain sections that discussed problems that I am currently facing. This definitely isn't a beginner's book so if you are new to Buddhism / meditation you may be better off starting with "One Dharma". I would recommend this book to someone who has taken a meditation retreat before or someone who is already familiar with some of the content in this book. It is definitely not an easy read, as the other reviewer pointed out, although the information contained is definitely priceless. Would recommend to everyone who is interested in learning more about Buddhist meditation from the Theravada tradition.

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5.0 out of 5 starsDharma for all beings including us Dullards

By Eduardo Duran on December 19, 2013

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

My practice over the past few years parallels that of the Dullard who was a practitioner in the time of the Buddha who wasn't very good at it... practicing that is. The other monks made fun of him and he was quite desperate when the Buddha gave him a white handkerchief and told him that his practice was to just rub the handkerchief. This he could do. Soon his defilements symbolically and literally stained the handkerchief and eventually he became awakened.

It was in one of Joseph's lectures where I first heard of my good friend the Dullard. I identify with the Dullard because I am not that good at practicing and I have to keep coming back to it and being reminded over and over to bring the mind back to awareness. Joseph in one of his lectures gave me the symbolic white handkerchief. Reading his stuff over the years has given me insight into the formal Dharma. My handkerchief was completely stained with obscurations of the mind when a Dharma Brother told me of his new book. In just the first few pages I felt as if I had a completely clean handkerchief upon which to rub and let mind hindrances go. Obscurations arose and landed on the clean kerchief in huge chunks. The words as Joseph gives in his book continue to clear my mind. Each word of Dharma as he writes them is alive and to me it is a direct transmission.

So, my fellow Dullards if you read this. Take courage and realize that the words in this book will purify your mind even if you are not a model practitioner. Each microsecond of insight will come closer and soon there will be more clarity than darkness in your mind. Awakening is not too far from this so read each word of this book with mindfulness and keep rubbing that handkerchief. If you keep clearing your mind and absorbing each word of truth as it is written by Joseph it can be no other way. Compete awakening is the result of reading and practicing at whatever level of practice you are in, even at the Dullard level.

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