{"title":"Books by Jon M. Sweeney","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781642970456","title":"Meister Eckhart's Book of Darkness \u0026 Light","description":"Gold Winner, Lyric Prose or Hybrid Works, Nautilus Book Awards“Within each of us is a divine treasure, and if we hope to discover it, we need to go deep into the heart of who we are.” —Meister Eckhart Meister Eckhart has been a huge figure in spirituality for more than eight hundred years—spiritual leaders such as Eckhart Tolle, Richard Rohr, and Matthew Fox have all credited Eckhart as being an important influence on their thought.    This book of Meister Eckhart meditations is for people seeking the “wayless way.” It is not for those looking for a simple path. These fresh, stunning renderings of Eckhart’s writings in poetic form bring life to one of the great spiritual voices of any age. They reveal what it means to love God and find meaning in darkness. Not darkness in general, but your darkness, because it is the one thing you know something about—without facing your darkness, you’ll never know what it means to desire the light. Only when you are in the darkness, Meister says, do you have even the possibility of seeing the light.    “What Coleman Barks has done for Rumi, Sweeney and Burrows have done for Eckhart—making his insight accessible and his wisdom sing.” —Carl McColman, author of The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism and Eternal Heart  “Sweeney and Burrows, in poems that are as elegant as they are scholarly, revoice Meister Eckhart’s grounding and expansive instructions to ‘seek the light that shines \/ out of the darkness.’” —Pádraig Ó Tuama, poet and host of Poetry Unbound, from On Being Studios","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56303064777077,"sku":"9781642970456","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781642970456_deebe558-0af4-4b28-b3c7-be79ab836efb.jpg?v=1786024347"},{"product_id":"9781506470733","title":"Feed the Wolf","description":"\u003cp\u003eTurn from fear and find peace with one of the most recognized figures in Christian history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSaint Francis of Assisi understood that the surest way for a person to turn from fear and find grace was to embrace a life filled with ordinary miracles. And for twenty-first century living, we can learn from the teachings of this beloved sainttofind a path where our faith is made tangible again and where we embrace listening and gentleness in the face of fear and uncertainty.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom author and Saint Francis scholar Jon M. Sweeney comes \u003ci\u003eFeed the Wolf\u003c\/i\u003e, exploring fifteen spiritual practices from the essential wisdom of Saint Francis. Each lesson begins with an invitation to \"embrace the wolf\"--to consider another viewpoint, to befriend our fears, and to discover something new--and illustrates the ordinary miracles of Saint Francis's life, such as touch what is frightening; refuse power; have nothing to lose; spend time in the woods; pray with the moon; turn toward what's simple; and more. The nature of these ordinary miracles is that they can be repeated become spiritual practices that lead us toward peace.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAllow the insights from the world's most popular saint to move into your heart, feet, mouth, and hands, and discover a peaceful path forward to navigate today's precarious times.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56312501567861,"sku":"9781506470733","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781506470733_58fb97ea-2cc2-4f7c-90a8-936784700b77.jpg?v=1786021807"},{"product_id":"9781966608059","title":"Experiencing God","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"It has given me a friend in Saint Francis for a lifetime. A divine encounter.\" -Karen Kiefer, Director, The Church in the 21st Century Center, Boston College \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eReplicable experiences of God according to Francis of Assisi, offered on the 800th anniversary of his death.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNever have we needed more to experience God—to \u003ci\u003efeel\u003c\/i\u003e God. Francis of Assisi was spiritual before anyone used that word, and he was religious in the best ways. We love him because he cut through the paraphernalia to get back to religion where it belongs: working in the human heart, making a difference in everyday life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnyone can do the things Francis did, summarized in these 36 ways of experiencing God. Examples offered through anecdote, text, and explanation include:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFree captive creatures \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePray alone in the woods \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAllow yourself to weep \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStand between those who fight \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMake a cross with your arms \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePray Who are you, God? And who am I? \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eSweeney introduces each with faithful attention to the original sources and comparisons to spiritual teachers from other traditions, including Thich Nhat Hanh, Roshi Bernie Glassman, Evelyn Underhill, Richard Rohr, and Mary Oliver.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56369451991413,"sku":"9781966608059","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781966608059_603d2469-e802-4652-90c0-9d25497b32a2.jpg?v=1786030862"},{"product_id":"9781642970784","title":"Meister Eckhart: Inside the Heart of a Mystic","description":"Discover the wisdom and spiritual life of Meister Eckhart, renowned as one of the most influential figures in Christian mysticism.   Meister Eckhart: Inside the Heart of a Mystic offers a deep dive into Eckhart’s life, exploring his early years as a Dominican, his rise to prominence as a teacher and preacher, and his eventual condemnation by the Church. Delving into his innovative and controversial ideas, this book includes the concepts of emptiness, presence, radical freedom, facing darkness, and the “wayless way.”Visionary theologian Meister Eckhart (1260–1328) has experienced a resurgence of interest in recent years through the work of Richard Rohr, Eckhart Tolle, and others. His radical teachings continue to inspire and challenge spiritual seekers today.   Presented in a clear and accessible manner, Eckhart’s teachings offer practical insights for daily spiritual life, along with guidance on how to apply practices such as letting go, internal poverty, and radical freedom to your spiritual journey. Explore the depths of your own being and discover a profound connection to the divine.   Whether you’re a seasoned student of mysticism or just beginning to explore Eckhart’s work, Meister Eckhart: Inside the Heart of a Mystic offers a valuable and illuminating guide to the life and teachings of one of the great figures in Christian spirituality.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56998960693621,"sku":"9781642970784","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781642970784_c5927e75-a249-4311-a6b7-ee34924dedc4.jpg?v=1786034047"},{"product_id":"meister-eckharts-book-of-the-heart","title":"Meister Eckhart's Book of the Heart","description":"Meister Eckhart (1260-1328) was a priest, a mystic, and nearly a heretic (he died before the Church court's verdict). In the 20th century, the Roman Catholic Church rehabilitated him and the late Pope John Paul II spoke of his work with fondness.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHowever, what makes him of particular interest is the fact that he has influenced a wide range of spiritual teachers and mystics both inside and outside the Christian tradition. Erich Fromm, Eckhart Tolle, Richard Rohr, D. T. Suzuki, and Rudolf Steiner have all credited Eckhart as being an important influence on their thought. In addition, his work has influenced the development of 20th century American Buddhism and the Theosophical tradition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEckhart wrote at a time--much like our own--when society appeared to be coming apart at the seams. In the midst of all that chaos and uncertainty, he captured the many forms and stages of the love of God, the mystic path, and the journey of transformation--in language so startling that he, too, was often accused of heresy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNow, seven centuries later, this fresh, stunning rendering of his work translates the essence of one of Christianity's greatest poetic and spiritual voices. Here is a book that conveys the heart of Eckhart's teaching on what it means to love God and embark on an authentic spiritual journey--a journey that is characterized by mystery, paradox, and an embrace of the unknown.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57484361695605,"sku":"9781571747648","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781571747648.jpg?v=1786266428"},{"product_id":"meister-eckharts-book-of-secrets","title":"Meister Eckhart's Book of Secrets","description":"\u003cb\u003e\"I think Mark Burrows and Jon Sweeney achieve something quite rare and wonderful here. They make Eckhart clear, concise, and very compelling!\" —Richard Rohr, OFM, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eFalling Upward\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn elegant rendering of the great mystic's thoughts on the mysteries of authentic life\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This is a little book about soul freedom. It is a book about discovering the secret to all the things we most desire: contentment, meaning, peace of mind, and true freedom. This skillfully edited translation of selections from the writings of Meister Eckhart provides a roadmap to the spiritual life for contemporary seekers. Eckhart takes us on a journey of discovery; a journey in which we learn to let go, relinquish our need to know everything, and lose those things that we think are important for a life of worth. And in the end he shows us that the true secret is this: to find yourself, you must lose yourself. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Here is timeless wisdom from a medieval mystic who has influenced a wide range of spiritual teachers and mystics both inside and outside the Christian tradition. Erich Fromm, Arthur Schopenhauer, Dag Hammarskjöld, Eckhart Tolle, Richard Rohr, D. T. Suzuki, Rudolf Steiner, and Matthew Fox have all credited Eckhart as being an important influence on their thought. In addition, his work has influenced the development of 20th-century American Buddhism and the Theosophical tradition. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Divided into five sections—Seeking the Light, Facing Darkness, Risking Love, Knowing Nothing, and Embracing Everything—the book leads readers on the path to an authentic spiritual life.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57484366676341,"sku":"9781571748478","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781571748478.jpg?v=1786266434"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-jon-m-sweeney.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}