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Just This
Just This is a collection of brief and evocative meditations and practices. It invites us to cultivate the gift of waking up to the beauty of reality in all its glorious ordinariness. With his signature blend of contemplation, theology and pastoral sensitivity, Fr Richard Rohr creates a spaciousness for the soul to grow into a kind of seeing – one that goes far beyond merely looking, to recognizing and thus appreciating.
This is the heart of contemplation, the centerpiece of any inner dialogue that frees us from the traps of our perceptions and preoccupations. The contemplative mind does not tell us what to see; it teaches us how to see what we behold.
Praise for Richard Rohr’s The Divine Dance:
‘A beautiful choreography for a life well-lived.’
Bono, U2
133 pages, Unknown Binding
First published October 1, 2017
89 people are currently reading
766 people want to read
About the author
Richard Rohr
254 books2,367 followersFr. Richard Rohr is a globally recognized ecumenical teacher bearing witness to the universal awakening within Christian mysticism and the Perennial Tradition. He is a Franciscan priest of the New Mexico Province and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Fr. Richard's teaching is grounded in the Franciscan alternative orthodoxy—practices of contemplation and expressing itself in radical compassion, particularly for the socially marginalized.
Fr. Richard is author of numerous books, including Everything Belongs, Adam’s Return, The Naked Now, Breathing Under Water, Falling Upward, Immortal Diamond, Eager to Love, and The Divine Dance: The Trinity and Your Transformation (with Mike Morrell).
Fr. Richard is academic Dean of the Living School for Action and Contemplation. Drawing upon Christianity's place within the Perennial Tradition, the mission of the Living School is to produce compassionate and powerfully learned individuals who will work for positive change in the world based on awareness of our common union with God and all beings. Visit cac.org for more information.
Fr. Richard is author of numerous books, including Everything Belongs, Adam’s Return, The Naked Now, Breathing Under Water, Falling Upward, Immortal Diamond, Eager to Love, and The Divine Dance: The Trinity and Your Transformation (with Mike Morrell).
Fr. Richard is academic Dean of the Living School for Action and Contemplation. Drawing upon Christianity's place within the Perennial Tradition, the mission of the Living School is to produce compassionate and powerfully learned individuals who will work for positive change in the world based on awareness of our common union with God and all beings. Visit cac.org for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
March 6, 2018
Another great book by Richard Rohr. He shares a lot of wisdom about how to live and not be angry or anxious, and connect to the world around you. Very timely for me.
August 17, 2018
This might just be the book I read everyday, over and over and over again. Contemplation + being present to the moment = that’s it, that’s all.
April 13, 2024
BEAUTIFUL book!
I love Rohr’s work and the way he is able to break down spirituality and psychology in a way that is tangible and meaningful.
This one took me a while to get through because it is dense and I loved to read a section and take a bit to soak it in.
Rohr’s words are so kind and wise and full of grace.
I love Rohr’s work and the way he is able to break down spirituality and psychology in a way that is tangible and meaningful.
This one took me a while to get through because it is dense and I loved to read a section and take a bit to soak it in.
Rohr’s words are so kind and wise and full of grace.
August 28, 2024
seriously life changing. if you’re even considering reading this book, put it to the top of the list
February 12, 2025
this book changed my life
September 19, 2018
This has to be one of the best books I have ever read. I have owned it for three weeks and have read it three times so far. The pages are highlighted and the edges worn in just three weeks. If I had the money I would send it to many people I know. This is a wonderful guide to living a calm peaceful life through the use of contemplation. This book actually provides with with steps to make changes in yourself. As a Christian I can think of no better books to read. As a person wanting to live in peace I can think of no better book to read.
August 24, 2023
Whenever I take a break from Richard Rohr and then come back, I am always reminded how no other author compares for me. His words resonate in my innermost being and speak directly to whatever is going on in my present circumstances. It’s almost mystical in nature. Just This is the latest example of picking up a book exactly when I needed to read it.
January 8, 2020
This is worth getting and keeping close by... contemplations on how we get stuck in our small lives and advice, or rather wisdom, that leads you to truly see, in the present moment, how to continually choose an alternative experience, to be awestruck by great love or profound loss.
December 18, 2023
Outstanding
June 23, 2024
I should probably read this once a month.
June 30, 2023
I’ve taken a year to read through this one…and will return to it regularly!
Within these pages were many new-to-me practices and perspectives on contemplative prayer that I needed, as some of my more worn practices weren’t seeming to be meaningful anymore.
A book on awe and wonder and breath prayer and surrender and relationship and non-dualistic thinking…this invitation to take a long, loving look at the real…will be returned to again and again.
Within these pages were many new-to-me practices and perspectives on contemplative prayer that I needed, as some of my more worn practices weren’t seeming to be meaningful anymore.
A book on awe and wonder and breath prayer and surrender and relationship and non-dualistic thinking…this invitation to take a long, loving look at the real…will be returned to again and again.
January 17, 2025
Meditative practices and principles inspired by Christ and informed by Scripture. A great book that provided my first time experiencing Eastern practices such as meditation, heart awareness, and breath work coming together with worship and prayer. Overall message is to behold the love and grace of God all around you, and look around at any given moment and say “Just this!”, this is all I need and everything I’ve longed for. Quick easy read. A book I will reference for years to come!
February 13, 2026
Awakening in the Present: A Dialogical Review of Just This
Introduction
In Just This: Prompts and Practices for Contemplation, Richard Rohr proposes a contemplative vision centered on “awe,” “awakening,” “nondual consciousness,” “suffering,” and radical presence in the “now.” The book is neither a systematic theology nor a technical manual of prayer; rather, it is a spiritual invitation. Rohr calls readers to relinquish control, suspend judgment, and inhabit reality as the primary locus of divine encounter.
This review engages Rohr dialogically. Each of his central themes will be briefly presented and then critically engaged from a broadly evangelical theological standpoint, particularly emphasizing revelation, Christology, and the role of the Holy Spirit.
Awe as the Beginning of Contemplation
Rohr opens with a foundational claim: contemplation begins in awe. Awe interrupts habitual consciousness—our constant analyzing, judging, comparing, and controlling. It “stops you in your tracks” and ushers the soul into simple presence. Contemplation, he suggests, is not discursive reasoning but “a different way of knowing,” a direct, loving gaze upon reality.
This insight carries genuine spiritual weight. Human beings often reduce faith to moral correctness or doctrinal precision. Awe destabilizes such reductionism. It exposes the limits of the ego and reorients the self toward receptivity rather than mastery.
Yet a theological question emerges: Is awe sufficient to ground authentic spiritual awakening? While awe may interrupt self-enclosure, it does not necessarily interpret itself. Without divine revelation, awe may devolve into aesthetic mysticism or vague transcendence. From a gospel-centered perspective, awe becomes transformative not merely because reality is overwhelming, but because reality is illuminated by God’s self-disclosure in Scripture and in Jesus Christ. Awe before creation finds its fullness when directed toward the Creator; awe before suffering becomes redemptive when interpreted through the cross.
Thus, while Rohr rightly identifies awe as an experiential threshold, evangelical theology insists that revelation gives awe its saving orientation.
Growing Up vs. Waking Up: The Question of Consciousness
One of Rohr’s most provocative distinctions is between “growing up” and “waking up.” A person may mature morally, psychologically, and religiously (“grow up”) without experiencing a fundamental shift in consciousness (“wake up”). Awakening involves liberation from the ego’s need to be right and from dualistic thinking that divides reality into rigid binaries.
Rohr critiques what he calls the “dualistic mind,” arguing that ego-driven certainty fuels division and violence. Awakening, in his account, entails a “nondual way of seeing”—a mode of perception that transcends oppositional categories and fosters compassion.
Here, the dialogical tension intensifies. Evangelical theology affirms the danger of self-righteous certainty. Indeed, history—both secular and ecclesial—demonstrates how the claim to moral superiority breeds conflict. However, Christian faith is not a rejection of truth distinctions. God remains the source and standard of truth; good and evil are not mere constructs of limited consciousness.
Theologically, the fall narrative suggests that humanity’s problem is not the existence of moral distinctions, but the autonomous appropriation of them. Human beings “decide good and evil” apart from God. In that sense, Rohr’s critique of ego-centered dualism resonates. Yet the solution is not merely a shift in awareness; it is reconciliation through Christ. Awakening, from a gospel perspective, is not only psychological expansion but spiritual regeneration. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin and illuminates the depth of divine love—dimensions that exceed contemplative self-observation.
Thus, while Rohr’s nondual emphasis can function as a corrective to self-righteous religion, it must be integrated with a robust theology of revelation and redemption.
Suffering and Surrender
Rohr presents suffering as a “necessary teacher.” Loss of control exposes the fragility of the ego and creates the possibility of surrender. Surrender, he insists, is not defeat but trust—“giving over” rather than “giving up.”
This framework aligns with widely recognized human experience. Even outside Christian faith, suffering often catalyzes maturity. It disrupts complacency and demands re-evaluation of priorities. Rohr’s insight that suffering confronts the illusion of control is psychologically astute.
Yet the theological depth of suffering cannot rest on existential realism alone. Without hope rooted in God’s sovereignty and redemptive purpose, suffering may just as easily produce bitterness as transformation. The gospel situates suffering within a larger narrative: God remains sovereign; Christ has entered human suffering; resurrection reframes despair. Trust, therefore, is not an abstract spiritual posture but confidence in a personal, covenantal God.
In this light, surrender is not merely acceptance of reality but participation in divine providence. It involves repentance, recalibration of desires, and renewed obedience. Rohr’s language of surrender becomes more theologically grounded when placed within this covenantal framework.
The Present Moment as the Place of Encounter
A central thesis of Just This is that the present moment is the only place where God can be encountered. We cannot meet God in nostalgia or in speculative futures; we meet God in the concrete now. “Just this” becomes both spiritual discipline and theological claim.
This emphasis is compelling. Christian discipleship is indeed enacted in present obedience. While memory of God’s past faithfulness and hope in future promise are indispensable, relationship with God unfolds in lived immediacy. Faith is not an abstraction; it is embodied choice in the present.
However, theological nuance is required. The present moment is not sacred simply because it is immediate; it is sacred because God is sovereign over it. The Christian does not merely embrace reality as it is but entrusts it to divine governance. Thus, presence is inseparable from providence. The believer’s acceptance of the present is grounded in the conviction that history—including the present—is under God’s redemptive authority.
Contemplation and Action
Rohr resists the accusation that contemplation is escapist. Instead, he argues that contemplative awareness purifies action. By exposing ego-driven motivations, contemplation enables more compassionate engagement with the world.
This claim finds resonance within evangelical spirituality. True inward renewal precedes authentic outward service. When believers discern their pride, insecurity, and hidden ambitions, their ministry becomes less about self-justification and more about love.
Nevertheless, the transformative power of contemplation must again be connected to grace. Self-awareness alone cannot overcome sin. The Spirit’s sanctifying work, grounded in Christ’s atonement, sustains moral transformation. Contemplation, therefore, is not an autonomous technique but a means of grace—effective insofar as it draws the believer into deeper communion with the triune God.
Conclusion
Just This offers a profound invitation: stop controlling, stop judging, and inhabit reality with awakened awareness. Rohr’s emphasis on awe, surrender, presence, and compassionate seeing provides a needed corrective to anxious, performance-driven religiosity.
Yet his framework requires theological anchoring. Awe must be illuminated by revelation; awakening must be grounded in regeneration; surrender must rest upon providence; presence must be sustained by hope in Christ. Without these, contemplation risks becoming anthropocentric spirituality. With them, it can become a deepened mode of discipleship.
In the end, Rohr’s work provokes both affirmation and discernment. It challenges readers to wake up—but the Christian must ask: wake up to what? The fullest answer, from an evangelical standpoint, is this: to the living God revealed in Jesus Christ, present in this moment, sovereign over suffering, and faithful in redeeming grace.
Introduction
In Just This: Prompts and Practices for Contemplation, Richard Rohr proposes a contemplative vision centered on “awe,” “awakening,” “nondual consciousness,” “suffering,” and radical presence in the “now.” The book is neither a systematic theology nor a technical manual of prayer; rather, it is a spiritual invitation. Rohr calls readers to relinquish control, suspend judgment, and inhabit reality as the primary locus of divine encounter.
This review engages Rohr dialogically. Each of his central themes will be briefly presented and then critically engaged from a broadly evangelical theological standpoint, particularly emphasizing revelation, Christology, and the role of the Holy Spirit.
Awe as the Beginning of Contemplation
Rohr opens with a foundational claim: contemplation begins in awe. Awe interrupts habitual consciousness—our constant analyzing, judging, comparing, and controlling. It “stops you in your tracks” and ushers the soul into simple presence. Contemplation, he suggests, is not discursive reasoning but “a different way of knowing,” a direct, loving gaze upon reality.
This insight carries genuine spiritual weight. Human beings often reduce faith to moral correctness or doctrinal precision. Awe destabilizes such reductionism. It exposes the limits of the ego and reorients the self toward receptivity rather than mastery.
Yet a theological question emerges: Is awe sufficient to ground authentic spiritual awakening? While awe may interrupt self-enclosure, it does not necessarily interpret itself. Without divine revelation, awe may devolve into aesthetic mysticism or vague transcendence. From a gospel-centered perspective, awe becomes transformative not merely because reality is overwhelming, but because reality is illuminated by God’s self-disclosure in Scripture and in Jesus Christ. Awe before creation finds its fullness when directed toward the Creator; awe before suffering becomes redemptive when interpreted through the cross.
Thus, while Rohr rightly identifies awe as an experiential threshold, evangelical theology insists that revelation gives awe its saving orientation.
Growing Up vs. Waking Up: The Question of Consciousness
One of Rohr’s most provocative distinctions is between “growing up” and “waking up.” A person may mature morally, psychologically, and religiously (“grow up”) without experiencing a fundamental shift in consciousness (“wake up”). Awakening involves liberation from the ego’s need to be right and from dualistic thinking that divides reality into rigid binaries.
Rohr critiques what he calls the “dualistic mind,” arguing that ego-driven certainty fuels division and violence. Awakening, in his account, entails a “nondual way of seeing”—a mode of perception that transcends oppositional categories and fosters compassion.
Here, the dialogical tension intensifies. Evangelical theology affirms the danger of self-righteous certainty. Indeed, history—both secular and ecclesial—demonstrates how the claim to moral superiority breeds conflict. However, Christian faith is not a rejection of truth distinctions. God remains the source and standard of truth; good and evil are not mere constructs of limited consciousness.
Theologically, the fall narrative suggests that humanity’s problem is not the existence of moral distinctions, but the autonomous appropriation of them. Human beings “decide good and evil” apart from God. In that sense, Rohr’s critique of ego-centered dualism resonates. Yet the solution is not merely a shift in awareness; it is reconciliation through Christ. Awakening, from a gospel perspective, is not only psychological expansion but spiritual regeneration. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin and illuminates the depth of divine love—dimensions that exceed contemplative self-observation.
Thus, while Rohr’s nondual emphasis can function as a corrective to self-righteous religion, it must be integrated with a robust theology of revelation and redemption.
Suffering and Surrender
Rohr presents suffering as a “necessary teacher.” Loss of control exposes the fragility of the ego and creates the possibility of surrender. Surrender, he insists, is not defeat but trust—“giving over” rather than “giving up.”
This framework aligns with widely recognized human experience. Even outside Christian faith, suffering often catalyzes maturity. It disrupts complacency and demands re-evaluation of priorities. Rohr’s insight that suffering confronts the illusion of control is psychologically astute.
Yet the theological depth of suffering cannot rest on existential realism alone. Without hope rooted in God’s sovereignty and redemptive purpose, suffering may just as easily produce bitterness as transformation. The gospel situates suffering within a larger narrative: God remains sovereign; Christ has entered human suffering; resurrection reframes despair. Trust, therefore, is not an abstract spiritual posture but confidence in a personal, covenantal God.
In this light, surrender is not merely acceptance of reality but participation in divine providence. It involves repentance, recalibration of desires, and renewed obedience. Rohr’s language of surrender becomes more theologically grounded when placed within this covenantal framework.
The Present Moment as the Place of Encounter
A central thesis of Just This is that the present moment is the only place where God can be encountered. We cannot meet God in nostalgia or in speculative futures; we meet God in the concrete now. “Just this” becomes both spiritual discipline and theological claim.
This emphasis is compelling. Christian discipleship is indeed enacted in present obedience. While memory of God’s past faithfulness and hope in future promise are indispensable, relationship with God unfolds in lived immediacy. Faith is not an abstraction; it is embodied choice in the present.
However, theological nuance is required. The present moment is not sacred simply because it is immediate; it is sacred because God is sovereign over it. The Christian does not merely embrace reality as it is but entrusts it to divine governance. Thus, presence is inseparable from providence. The believer’s acceptance of the present is grounded in the conviction that history—including the present—is under God’s redemptive authority.
Contemplation and Action
Rohr resists the accusation that contemplation is escapist. Instead, he argues that contemplative awareness purifies action. By exposing ego-driven motivations, contemplation enables more compassionate engagement with the world.
This claim finds resonance within evangelical spirituality. True inward renewal precedes authentic outward service. When believers discern their pride, insecurity, and hidden ambitions, their ministry becomes less about self-justification and more about love.
Nevertheless, the transformative power of contemplation must again be connected to grace. Self-awareness alone cannot overcome sin. The Spirit’s sanctifying work, grounded in Christ’s atonement, sustains moral transformation. Contemplation, therefore, is not an autonomous technique but a means of grace—effective insofar as it draws the believer into deeper communion with the triune God.
Conclusion
Just This offers a profound invitation: stop controlling, stop judging, and inhabit reality with awakened awareness. Rohr’s emphasis on awe, surrender, presence, and compassionate seeing provides a needed corrective to anxious, performance-driven religiosity.
Yet his framework requires theological anchoring. Awe must be illuminated by revelation; awakening must be grounded in regeneration; surrender must rest upon providence; presence must be sustained by hope in Christ. Without these, contemplation risks becoming anthropocentric spirituality. With them, it can become a deepened mode of discipleship.
In the end, Rohr’s work provokes both affirmation and discernment. It challenges readers to wake up—but the Christian must ask: wake up to what? The fullest answer, from an evangelical standpoint, is this: to the living God revealed in Jesus Christ, present in this moment, sovereign over suffering, and faithful in redeeming grace.
July 26, 2022
I listened to this on Audible as my morning meditation; it was so good. I actually want to buy the book so I can highlight it and make notes. That would mean buying on Kindle because I find it so much easier to highlight and make notes. But there is no Kindle edition for this so I am thinking of buying a paperback. However I've just bought a book by Fr. Keating, whom Rohr recommends in the book as a good "go to" for centering prayer so that may have to wait.
Anyway, if you are interested in prayer and seeking God in the Christian sense, you might enjoy the book. One section that especially caught my attention, and that I try to think about whenever I get into that frame of mind, is the one about the Furies. Rohr describes them as Ancient Greek goddesses who wreak havoc. Where the word "furious" comes from of course. His point is that thinking about those images--of harridans with snakes in their hair, screaming--is a good one to call to mind whenever our mind becomes "furious." However he hastens to say that righteous anger is not a "bad" thing--sometimes it's important to get angry about injustice. But he goes on to say that living in that anger is what is damaging. Absolutely true and sometimes I live in my anger too long. Good reminder to let it go.
Anyway, if you are interested in prayer and seeking God in the Christian sense, you might enjoy the book. One section that especially caught my attention, and that I try to think about whenever I get into that frame of mind, is the one about the Furies. Rohr describes them as Ancient Greek goddesses who wreak havoc. Where the word "furious" comes from of course. His point is that thinking about those images--of harridans with snakes in their hair, screaming--is a good one to call to mind whenever our mind becomes "furious." However he hastens to say that righteous anger is not a "bad" thing--sometimes it's important to get angry about injustice. But he goes on to say that living in that anger is what is damaging. Absolutely true and sometimes I live in my anger too long. Good reminder to let it go.
December 11, 2018
This book was perfect for daily meditations. I went through an excerpt everyday. They are short writings but pack a powerful punch. Just like the book says, the writings in this book truly are prompts for practices and contemplations. I basically highlighted the whole book and several prompts caused me to sit in silence for periods of time or to journal. I will return to this book again and again.
March 8, 2024
3.5 stars. This is a short, contemplative book full of spiritual wisdom. Some of my favorite thoughts include:
-Learning to “see” through contemplation (how we see determines what we see, and we become what we are willing to see)
-Engaging in more transformational than transactional prayers (allowing God to change us through this sacred communion); prayer as sacred time and divine therapy; prayers that empty the mind to fill the heart; finding rest in prayer
-Our true selves are found in divine union, holiness in connectedness
-Suffering not to wound us but to expand us; nothing is wasted, not even our mistakes, God can use all for our good
-To be taught we have to allow wonder to draw us inward and upward (See Exodus 3:2-6)
-Heaven includes Earth and Earth reveals Heaven
-Peace is found in deep gratitude and deep contentment; practice silence
My biggest problem with this book, and Richard Rohr’s books generally, is that while they are full of spiritual and philosophical ideas, I learn better and am more affected by stories and personal experiences. I would’ve enjoyed and connected more with this book if it was a mix of both wisdom and shared experience. Also, some of his thoughts feel illuminating and important, and others not as much, but any spiritual seeker will be able to find something here that speaks to their soul.
-“While philosophers tend toward the universals and poets love the particulars, it is the mystics who teach us how to encompass both.”
-“Your job as a conscious human is to awaken early to this inherit beauty and goodness. So why wait until heaven when you can enjoy the divine flow in everything that you see now?”
-“Who even puts on an apron, sits them at table, and waits on them (see Luke 12:35-38). Do you realize what an extraordinary notion of God Jesus must have had to talk that way. God waiting on us. No problem to solve, just an immediate intimacy to enjoy. It is just such a moment that can both elicit awe and surrender from you.”
-“Jesus praises faith more than love. Faith is the ability to stand on the threshold, to hold the contraries in the darkness until you move to a deeper level where it is all from love and back to love.”
-Learning to “see” through contemplation (how we see determines what we see, and we become what we are willing to see)
-Engaging in more transformational than transactional prayers (allowing God to change us through this sacred communion); prayer as sacred time and divine therapy; prayers that empty the mind to fill the heart; finding rest in prayer
-Our true selves are found in divine union, holiness in connectedness
-Suffering not to wound us but to expand us; nothing is wasted, not even our mistakes, God can use all for our good
-To be taught we have to allow wonder to draw us inward and upward (See Exodus 3:2-6)
-Heaven includes Earth and Earth reveals Heaven
-Peace is found in deep gratitude and deep contentment; practice silence
My biggest problem with this book, and Richard Rohr’s books generally, is that while they are full of spiritual and philosophical ideas, I learn better and am more affected by stories and personal experiences. I would’ve enjoyed and connected more with this book if it was a mix of both wisdom and shared experience. Also, some of his thoughts feel illuminating and important, and others not as much, but any spiritual seeker will be able to find something here that speaks to their soul.
-“While philosophers tend toward the universals and poets love the particulars, it is the mystics who teach us how to encompass both.”
-“Your job as a conscious human is to awaken early to this inherit beauty and goodness. So why wait until heaven when you can enjoy the divine flow in everything that you see now?”
-“Who even puts on an apron, sits them at table, and waits on them (see Luke 12:35-38). Do you realize what an extraordinary notion of God Jesus must have had to talk that way. God waiting on us. No problem to solve, just an immediate intimacy to enjoy. It is just such a moment that can both elicit awe and surrender from you.”
-“Jesus praises faith more than love. Faith is the ability to stand on the threshold, to hold the contraries in the darkness until you move to a deeper level where it is all from love and back to love.”
July 1, 2021
I wanted to like this book badly. It started off so well! I was drawn in by the exploration of the benefits of contemplation, and the idea of “how you see“ affecting “what you see“. But rather than build on those expectations, the book got progressively worse. I tried to get through to the end in search of more meat but I got fed up of spitting out so many bones after the section on “scanning for malware”.
I’m surprised this book was picked up by SPCK, what with all the fluffy and questionable theology in it. This quote from the aforementioned section was the last straw for me: “Stay at prayer for as long as it takes for you to move from negative energy to positive energy, from death to love; otherwise you have not prayed at all.” What of the Psalms and passages of lament that sometimes just ended in the middle of grief and pain without resolve until later?
This idea of complaint as redundant in prayer life can be deeply discouraging, when the Scriptures present a God unto whom we are encouraged to cast our anxieties. What good is a Saviour who invites us to come to Him weary and heavy laden, if we cannot bring our load? Granted, I imagine Rohr would say that “we can bring our load, but we mustn’t continue carrying it”. But what of the “thorns in the flesh“ that sometimes we must endure in this life, when even though God’s grace suffices and His power is made perfect in our weakness—surely He hears and takes in to account each plea for relief, and not only the final resignation to contentment with His will? God listens to the cries of His people, even when that’s all He hears from them for a season.
This book makes a lot of heterodox statements resting on questionable assumptions. Unsurprisingly, some of the author’s other publications are controversial. Too many bones, not enough meat.
I’m surprised this book was picked up by SPCK, what with all the fluffy and questionable theology in it. This quote from the aforementioned section was the last straw for me: “Stay at prayer for as long as it takes for you to move from negative energy to positive energy, from death to love; otherwise you have not prayed at all.” What of the Psalms and passages of lament that sometimes just ended in the middle of grief and pain without resolve until later?
This idea of complaint as redundant in prayer life can be deeply discouraging, when the Scriptures present a God unto whom we are encouraged to cast our anxieties. What good is a Saviour who invites us to come to Him weary and heavy laden, if we cannot bring our load? Granted, I imagine Rohr would say that “we can bring our load, but we mustn’t continue carrying it”. But what of the “thorns in the flesh“ that sometimes we must endure in this life, when even though God’s grace suffices and His power is made perfect in our weakness—surely He hears and takes in to account each plea for relief, and not only the final resignation to contentment with His will? God listens to the cries of His people, even when that’s all He hears from them for a season.
This book makes a lot of heterodox statements resting on questionable assumptions. Unsurprisingly, some of the author’s other publications are controversial. Too many bones, not enough meat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2025
Just This is a set of short reflections on the contemplative practice by Father Richard Rohr, a Jesuit theologian. It’s literally pocket sized. I left this little book by the couch so I could pick it up and read a few pages in the mornings or when I needed to quiet my mind. Many of the short essays or reflections are taken from other writings by Rohr. He has a unique way of both seeing spiritual issues in an expansive way - here he combines Buddhist thought along with Bible passages- and writing in an expansive way in that he writes in a collaborative way with the reader. There is a set of recommended practices towards the end of the book that don’t read at all in the same way as a lot of other pop theology. Rohr’s writing is also lyrical and humorous. It is free of both jargon and judgment and in that way makes a nice little companion in a dark or lonely hour. I’m planning on keeping my copy, but I will order more to be able to give to friends.
March 8, 2023
I have listened to this as an audiobook, straight through, over the course of a week or so. It can be listened to and benefited from that way. The book is, however, essentially a series of brief devotionals that can be read one each day or so. I am now reading it again, using each section as a prompt for prayer or contemplation.
As usual, the spirit speaks to me through Richard Rohr’s thoughtful words of seeking of God. I am beginning to really feel the joy and change in thoughts that comes through contemplative prayer. The word we usually see translated as “repent” in the scriptures is actually more like “change one’s mind or purpose”. Seeing God more clearly and feeling his spirit in my life more fully is absolutely a result of this “changing of mind and purpose” toward a more contemplative mindset.
As usual, the spirit speaks to me through Richard Rohr’s thoughtful words of seeking of God. I am beginning to really feel the joy and change in thoughts that comes through contemplative prayer. The word we usually see translated as “repent” in the scriptures is actually more like “change one’s mind or purpose”. Seeing God more clearly and feeling his spirit in my life more fully is absolutely a result of this “changing of mind and purpose” toward a more contemplative mindset.
January 16, 2026
The first half of Just This covers bigger view topics around contemplative prayer. How we pray as if we’re working out transactions with God. “The most common and traditional word for this change of consciousness was historically “prayer,” but we trivialized the precious word by making it functional, transactional, and supposedly about problem solving.” Page 39. So becoming more aware of the logs in our eyes, the attention we give this world, using “me as a central reference point, and that is far too small a world.” No kidding.
So…. In the second half
My practices to practice:
Breathing
Silence
Standing guard (the “path of prayer”)
The Welcoming Prayer (going to copy and print this to put above my desk and on my ottoman with current books)
Boats floating downstream— centering prayer
So…. In the second half
My practices to practice:
Breathing
Silence
Standing guard (the “path of prayer”)
The Welcoming Prayer (going to copy and print this to put above my desk and on my ottoman with current books)
Boats floating downstream— centering prayer
August 27, 2020
“The supreme work of spirituality, which makes presence possible, is keeping the heart space open (which is the result of conscious love), keeping in a "right mind" (which is the work of contemplation or meditation), and keeping the body alive with contentment and without attachment to its past woundings (which is often the work of healing). In that state, you are neither resisting nor clinging, and you can experience something genuinely new.
Those who can keep all three spaces open at the same time will know the Presence they need to know. That's the only prerequisite. People who can be simply present will know the Presence that connects everything to everything. It has little to do with belonging to a particular denomination or religion.”
Those who can keep all three spaces open at the same time will know the Presence they need to know. That's the only prerequisite. People who can be simply present will know the Presence that connects everything to everything. It has little to do with belonging to a particular denomination or religion.”
April 18, 2020
Reading this book on contemplation feels like a meditation itself. In ninety short but rich pages, Rohr explains plainly yet poetically and contemplatively what contemplation is and why we should practice it. Just This is a beautiful little book to savor and return to many times.
The twelve practices and prompts in the final chapter do not provide step-by-step instructions but rather offer illustrative descriptions of different meditations to try and contemplative ways to live. The reader is offered the opportunity to adapt these practices to fit into their own unique life, choosing whatever method works best for them.
The twelve practices and prompts in the final chapter do not provide step-by-step instructions but rather offer illustrative descriptions of different meditations to try and contemplative ways to live. The reader is offered the opportunity to adapt these practices to fit into their own unique life, choosing whatever method works best for them.
October 9, 2023
Richard Rohr always has something insightful to say. Although I don’t always agree with everything he says, he always challenges my mind and heart. From this book I gleaned important concepts like contemplation, staying present in the moment, freeing your mind from judgment, freeing yourself from the entrapment of intense emotions, disengaging from repetitive thoughts and behaviors, and ultimately paving a way to inner peace. This is a great book for anyone who enjoys philosophy, spirituality, and going deep into the human consciousness.
October 3, 2018
This could be considered the quintessential Rohr. It covers the major topics from all his books, and each little snippet has enough wisdom to be pondered in for days.
Chapter 3 is amazing.
I will return to this book for years to come.
I guess the only knock against it is that I’m already quite familiar with Rohr’s work, so I’m not sure if this is best book to start with. It might be, but I’m not sure.
Chapter 3 is amazing.
I will return to this book for years to come.
I guess the only knock against it is that I’m already quite familiar with Rohr’s work, so I’m not sure if this is best book to start with. It might be, but I’m not sure.
April 17, 2019
Beautiful book. It offers a series of prompts which are spiritual perspectives on things. There is something in here for everyone to enable them to deepen prayer life and relationship with God. Even if you aren't particularly religious, the positive effects of mindfulness and meditation are well documented, and this book is an enormous help with that.
October 1, 2020
An excellent and easy read to help prompt "practices for contemplation" in the Christian Tradition. Much of this work draws on Rohr's previously published work (study DVDs, books, and articles), yet here it is presented in an accessible book which goes to the heart of the considered, discerned path toward the Divine -- not just in words -- but in silence and intentional listening.
April 5, 2022
Powerful set of meditations that can only be taken in small doses; thankfully, that is how it is organized. As one already very familiar with Richard Rohr, Thomas Keating, and other contemplative thinkers, this book was perfect for me. For someone wanting to familiarize themselves with Richard Rohr, this might be too short or concentrated.
July 7, 2022
The best spiritual book I have ever read. From a master teacher, I learned practical advice to live an intentional life centered on contemplation. That might sound like something only Franciscan friars do, but Rohr’s guidance helps me reorient my life in a way that places me and all humans as members, not rulers of our planet. A life’s work worth doing.
July 31, 2025
So insightful. I basically want to highlight every word on the page. I loved the emphasis on prayer and it made me think a lot about how I need to make changes in the way I pray and turn to God. I also loved how Rohr talked about the importance of being present here and now rather than waiting for heaven.
August 2, 2018
A quick guide for those that need some spiritual direction. Short chapters that are designed to make you contemplate and to help guide meditations. Some great advice on how to quiet your inner dialogue.
Advanced reading copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
Advanced reading copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
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