Thomas Merton

[Voivod30]

I have been having some issues with focus over the last year. So a mentor of sorts dropped off this small book called When the Trees Say Nothing by a man named Thomas Merton. Apparently he's some thing of a religious scholar who deals with Christianity in an eastern spirituality sort of manner. I'm intrigued and the fact that it's small is a major selling point. Any way, I don't wish to be preached to but the person who loaned it to me never steers me wrong. Any information or opinions would be warmly welcomed.

[Lady19thC]

I have been having some issues with focus over the last year. So a mentor of sorts dropped off this small book called When the Trees Say Nothing by a man named Thomas Merton. Apparently he's some thing of a religious scholar who deals with Christianity in an eastern spirituality sort of manner. I'm intrigued and the fact that it's small is a major selling point. Any way, I don't wish to be preached to but the person who loaned it to me never steers me wrong. Any information or opinions would be warmly welcomed.

I love Thomas Merton. He wrote some amazing stuff and very inspirational. His works make you think. He was a Trappist Monk who ended up traveling the world, talking about his literature. He passed away ages ago, supposedly from getting electrocuted while taking a shower in China, or some such place. There are many beliefs that it was murder, not an accident, and that they didn't want him teaching his beliefs.

The first book I read by him was Wisdom of the Desert, which is a collection of wise sayings of the early Desert Fathers. I moved on to New Seeds of Contemplation, Seven Story Mountain and other works. He had a lovely way of combining the practices of Buddhism (Zen in particular) with Christianity and how they don't clash, but rather fold over unto each other gracefully.

[PeterL]

I have been having some issues with focus over the last year. So a mentor of sorts dropped off this small book called When the Trees Say Nothing by a man named Thomas Merton. Apparently he's some thing of a religious scholar who deals with Christianity in an eastern spirituality sort of manner. I'm intrigued and the fact that it's small is a major selling point. Any way, I don't wish to be preached to but the person who loaned it to me never steers me wrong. Any information or opinions would be warmly welcomed.

He was a good writer and had some interesting thoughts, but I became convinced that he had a personality disorder. He certainly kept me from ever wanting to join a religious orde, unless I created the order.