An accessible introduction to Christian disciplines around meditation and prayer.

The author speaks of his own journey and experiences and introduces the reader to certain basic principles of Christian "mindfulness." Included are subjects such as meditation, centering prayer, lectio divina reading, intercession, getting rid of electronic distractions, praising God in the midst of trial, and other such ideas and practices.

If you've already considered other works on the Christian spiritual disciplines traditions there isn't much here that you would find new, but if you're new to the idea of the disciplines, this book provides a good and easily accessible and understandable way forward for you to consider.

Want a down to earth guide of how to quiet your mind and awaken your soul? This is the book just for you. Written in a way that makes it easier to understand and easier to practice. I believe we overly complicate the process. Rick takes us on a journey, with different tips on how to "find peace beyond the chatter" and points where he guides you to actually practice those tips with meditative moments built right in the book. Right now. Here in this space. Set your timer and sit in silence for one minute.
It's that easy, but yet it's not so simple. I think in a world that is built to be busy, rushed, every moment booked and double booked, we need to take time out for moments dedicated on quieting our minds and focusing in on being in the moment, in quiet, in solitude, in an act of worship, in an act of praise, or prayer, in peace, in so many different ways and yet none of it makes one feel uneasiness nor awkward. I really enjoyed this, and found the thirty days of prayer included at the end even more helpful after finishing this book.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*

I found this book to be a very…interesting read; for a number of reasons. There were things I liked and things I disliked. Some of the things I liked include: the author’s transparency - he seemed very authentic and honest. I also really appreciated how practical he was with the information on HOW to meditate. Meditating is extremely hard to do and it seems like there are very few sources on how to actually do it. There was plenty of information in this book on the “how-tos” for beginners to get started. Finally, there was a lot of Scripture used in this book and there were several instances of bringing everything ‘round back to God.

However.

There was something just a bit “off” sometimes in this book. I expected it to be all about meditating to deepen your prayer life, deepen your relationship with God, and deepen your faith. And while all those things are in the book, there’s also something else. It took a while for me to put my finger on it; at first something just wasn’t resonating quite right. I finally realized that the problem was that there were New Age thoughts woven throughout. For example, towards the end of the book the author instructs the reader to “...use tapping fingers to activate healing power in your body.” In another place earlier in the book the author mentions in a positive light that hospitals are reaching out to yoga instructors, Reiki experts, and hypnotists. These are definitely not the only instances of New Age thought, but they are some of the more blatant ones. The others are more subtle, which makes them a bit harder to detect.

So, while I applaud the author for his clear practical explanation of meditation, I have to warn the reader to be prepared to filter non-Christian content. Yes, there was a lot of information that I highlighted and several good points in this book. However, I just can’t give it a full endorsement due to the New Age content.

(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All of the above opinions are entirely my own.)

I greatly enjoyed this read on contemplative prayer and I highly recommend it! In a time when we as a culture are trying to refocus on slowing down and focusing within, this is truly a powerful and timely writing.

Contemplative prayer, as is named the act of mindfully praying, is an appropriate topic this day and age. In a time when we as a culture are focusing on meditation, mindfulness and yoga, from various religious and cultural backdrops, the mention and discussion of the Christian variant is both timely, appropriate, and supported. Thank you!

The author does a great job trying to describe the basics of contemplative prayer while being supportive and showing that it is what you make of it! This writing has significant Biblical references as backdrops to support, which I greatly appreciate.

I am very impressed with this read and look forward to sharing with colleagues! Read this, you won't be disappointed.

As an added benefit, the author has many discussions on how to start contemplative prayer, including a 30 day plan at the end. This is a great jumping point for all who are uneasy or have questions!

I enjoyed this book because of it's writing style, unique topic, and the fact that it really provided a thought-provoking experience. Recommended for readers who want to read slowly so as to take time to process.

Even Silence is a hand-holding approach to meditation. Rick Hamlin deftly displays how meditation has deep Christian roots as well as stepping someone through the journey of meditation. Most meditation books are good about introducing the practice yet rarely look at the many varied questions that surround the newcomer or guide them through multiple, gentle approaches. Hamlin is a wizard with both. I’ve read at least 40 different books and meditation and after Even Silence, I immediately moved it to one of my top recommendations for newbies. Kudos to Hamlin.