Toward God: The Ancient Wisdom of Western Prayer

by Michael Casey

In clear and often delightful prose, Casey brings out the personal techniques and practicalities involved in transforming prayer from an "activity" to a way of life. The freshness of his language reinforces the basic premise of this book that spiritual communion with God must be lived, not merely studied or repeated ritualistically.

Genres: Spirituality, Prayer, Nonfiction, Christianity, Religion, Catholic, Theology

192 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1996

Reviews

[Neil Lettinga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our go-to book on prayer. This is one of those books that is actually a very slow read. You find yourself stopping to pray rather than reading. -- this is a good thing in a book on prayer.
My great sense is that Casey spent as much time praying over each chapter as he did writing. The result is a careful and thoughtful and prayerful treatment of prayer.
Highly recommended.

[Tj · Rating 4 out of 5]

He's not Thomas Merton, but I do think he is the best Monastic spiritual writer of our time.

[Stephen Prater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the book. Essentially, this book is about monastic prayer practices and how to adapt those to life as a lay person.

[Christopher Moellering · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Casey has been one of my favorite authors since I first read Living in the Truth about 5 years ago. A Cistercian monk living in Australia, he writes with wisdom garnered from decades of prayer and teaching. This is the fourth book of his I have read and in my estimation, it is his best work.

Toward God is not an academic survey of Western prayer. Casey freely admits in the opening lines that it is a personal account of one who has been steeped in the Western spiritual tradition. He quotes heavily from The Cloud of Unknowing, Julian of Norwich and Bernard of Clairvaux. While the book is personal, it is not autobiographical. It is what I imagine sitting in retreat with him might be like — encouraging, honest, practical.

While this is an accessible book, I am not sure it is a book for beginners. Well, maybe it is, but only in the sense that in the ways of prayer, we are always beginners. He presents no seven-step plans, no formulas for advancement. What he does offer is sound counsel to continually and relentlessly place ourselves humbly and honestly before God.

Casey is realistic about what prayer is and what it is not. His decades of experience allow him to write about dryness because he has experienced it. It also allows him to share that what we perceive as dryness is not always so. He keeps reminding us that the goal of prayer is not about our feelings, but about our growth in God.

“Our glory is to be transparent. If the face of God shines through us, we will be perfect in both beauty and happiness. Efforts to leave our mark result only in obscuring that radiance.”

p. 158

Ultimately, Casey reinforces that prayer is not about us influencing God, but allowing ourselves to be influenced by him. The proper aim of prayer is not to use God to order the world to suit us, but to place ourselves in God’s presence so he can shape us to suit him. At different times, this prayer can happen with or without words. It may seem like nothing is happening most of the time and yet we must persevere if we are to truly know God and be known by him.

[Fr. Daniel Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book on retreat at Ampleforth Abbey in Yorkshire England and finished it in five days. The book is a wonderful read about prayer and orientation of one's life toward God.

I have read quite a number of books on prayer and I am always astounded how each one tells a slightly different story of prayer. It has nothing even to do with styles or methods of prayer, but each personal witness to prayer has its own flavor and savory nature. I grew a great deal as a result of reading this book during my retreat.

Because I finished it a month ago and much has happened since that retreat, I wish I could say more about it because I found the book very profound. In particular I enjoyed that Fr. Casey didn't give a step-by-step process to prayer. He simply gave some guidelines and anecdotes which helped me to see more clearly some of the ways in which my prayer was lacking or needed a boost. I found his writing style easy to read and very motivational.

Any Christian looking to give a boost to their prayer life could find this book a helpful resource. I would whole-heartedly recommend it.

[Thomas Christianson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is well written enough to deserve 4 stars. But I did not enjoy it at all and only wanted to give it 2 stars. So I compromised and went with 3.

It's a fine book, it's just very generic. I don't expect to remember anything I read.

[Mallory Garrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for a class. It tackles more of the nuance, challenges, and inner transformation of prayer than the practicality of it. It’s a different look at a life of prayer while focusing on its integration through the Christian life.

[Eli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought provoking.

[Paul Dubuc · Rating 5 out of 5]

No words. Among the best of the best.

[JW Dillingham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually 3 1/2 stars. Had many interesting points but didn't think it was all that well written. Way too wordy at times with many repetitions. Would not recommend it.

[Beth Booram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just started reading this book. It's about prayer and so far I have many, many underlines, stars and circles. That typically means for me that what I'm reading is striking a chord. It isn't a light read, but one that I think will help provide language and definition to things I have been learning about prayer.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for a class. Not a favorite

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical and accessible book on contemplative prayer

[Joel Cade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good review of Western Spirituality. Great guide for getting the right frame of mind for deep transformative prayer.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone who thinks he or she knows how to pray, this book tells you what you did not know you are missing.