Gratefulness - The Heart of Prayer, was Brother David's first successful book published in 1984 .What is striking about his writing is that it is often so beautifully simple, the economy of its expression remarkable. Nothing about it unnecessary or flowery or surrounded by a theological mist or containing emphatic assertions that require further explanation, that never come.
Like all spiritual teachers he has developed his own special emphasis through his own practice. His experience of it, and of teaching it, broadening its scope. His work with other faith traditions means he is perfectly aware that his is just one way of looking at spiritual life and practice, through a Christian lens. But he strives to make more generally applicable use of gratefulness, that doesn't just work for those of a Christian faith or any other religious disposition. We all could benefit from being more grateful, just for being alive.
The universality of his spiritual approach is grounded in lived experience. Nothing, not even the mystical, is for him, beyond being located somewhere in the life of here and now. Encouraging the development of a grateful attitude and response. And a particular interpretation of prayer, as an opening up to something other, a faith filled receptivity. As opposed to 'prayers' which are more intercessions, requests or expressions of a catechism. Faith has an intuitive connection with the mystical, whereas beliefs tend to rest upon doctrinal certainties and practices of a particular tradition. Brother David seems always to be more interested in excavating the mystical and faithful responses out from the dead weight of dogmatic assertion.
'Awakened by surprise, we can recognise that what we call a 'given' world is truly given. For we have not made it, earned it, or deserved it; chances are that we have not even fully approved of it. What confronts us is a given reality, and we recognise it as given. But only if we ackowledge this gift will our recognition lead to gratefulness. And acknowledging a gift may be far more difficult than recognising it.'
Whilst the book remained exploring the subject of gratefulness in this more universally applicable manner, I found it an easy inspiring read. As he began talking more from a specifically Christian perception, my connection with what he was communicating weakened. Early on he presents a way of perceiving what God is, as something we align ourselves with, or discover within ourselves, akin to a Way or Buddhahood. But then, for the second half of the book, proceeds to talk and refer to God as if it were something personified, an anthropomorphized deity. Something capable of beseeching and asking favours of. There seemed to be an inconsistency here.
The Way of Silence - Engaging the Sacred in Daily Life, was published in 2016. So over thirty years later. The difference in depth of understanding and presentation has noticeably progressed. The inconsistency in his earlier book barely present. His central idea here is our relationship with what we hold to be true. He uses the capitalised term Word, though a Buddhist might use Dharma. He's again exploring our felt faith filled relationship with what is limitless yet hard to come into complete relationship with. There is a role here for the cultivation of Silence in deepening our understanding.
''We can quite readily distinguish between a mere exchange of words and a meaningful conversation. In a genuine conversation we share something that goes deeper than words. We allow the silence of the heart to come to word. In contrast to an exchange of words, a true dialogue between friends is rather an exchange of silence with silence by means of words.'
'Without understanding neither Word nor Silence have meaning. What then is understanding? We may think of it as a process, by which Silence comes to word and Word, by being understood, returns into Silence.'
'When Word deeply touches us, it takes us, sends us into action.'
He goes on to further expound the connection to gratefulness and through gratitude to the state of joy. Of the three books I've read by Brother David, this is by far the most rounded and complete presentation of his spiritual approach and practice. He is much more careful in his expression and aware not to let his own Christian faith obscure or get in the way, of what might be more universally helpful to all humanity.
Faith beyond Belief - Spirituality for Our Times, is an edited series of conversations from 2015 between Brother David and Brother Anselm Grun. Both have training in psychology, both Christians with a more open minded perspective on their faith. Brother Anselm tending to bring a more theological perspective than Brother David, who is more experiential in focus. One brings the absolute perspective to the relative, the other the relative perspective to the absolute. So there is something quite balanced about their conversations, as they each seek out a connection with what is fundamental to human experience, whilst also being tuned in to the larger mystery.
Though they both are devoutly Christian, it is an inescapable thing in this dialogue, it is only a particular window through which they are viewing humanity. The focus remains on what it is to be human and the purpose of faith in our fully embodying that. So I still found much of it useful to read. There are glittering gems here, such as:~
Brother Anselm Grun.
'When I listen to music, I encounter the Mystery. When I go into Nature, I can experience it. Being able to be astonished, being moved and seized by the Mystery - those would be the signs for me that someone believes. The fundamentalists separate other people into believers and non believers. But every one of us is believing and non-believing. Each of us has a godless side, and doubt is also part of faith. Doubt purifies faith'
Brother David Steindl-Rast '
I'm a Christian, and I identify totally with that. But that only means that I express my humanity in a Christian way. What we are really talking about is not the Christian or the Buddhist thing but the human. I believe that the greatest glory of Christianity is that it really leads to what is human. The greatest glory of Buddhism is that it also leads to what is human. The human is greater and more important than the form in which we express it.'
Brother Anselm Grun
'We don't have to be grateful all the time. When suffering comes, I am not grateful - that would be too heroic a gesture. In the midst of suffering I experience pain. But I can still remember that I have not only experienced suffering and that I am not only pain. I may have people who stand by me so that I am not left alone, so that I am still alive. In the midst of suffering I will find something for which I can be grateful. It is like a handle to hold on to, so that I don't sink utterly into misery.'
Brother David Steindl-Rast
Personally, I see gratitude as the fundamental attitude here as well. Naturally - here I agree with you - I don't believe you can be grateful for everything. There are a great many things for which we can't be grateful. But: in every situation we can be grateful because every moment gives us opportunity. Even sickness and suffering often give us the opportunity to grow, or we learn something from them. Likewise, the situations of exploitation, war and corruption give us the opportunity to protest and oppose them. Doing something with the opportunities that are offered to us: for me that is the most important way to exercise gratitude. I concede that sometimes it can be very hard'
Gratefulness - The Heart of Prayer -Brother David Steindl-Rast, Publisher Paulist Press ~ ***
The Way of Silence - Brother David Steindl-Rast, Publisher Darton,Longman & Todd ~ *****
Faith Beyond Belief - Brother's David Stendl-Rast & Anselm Grun, Publisher Liturgical Press ~ ****
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