Tune In Chill Out (using contemplative prayer in youth work)
Don’t be put off by the sub title, thinking that there is no way your young people will connect with contemplative practices because if you are brave enough to try it they may just surprise you. <P>
The book is not a ready to use meeting guide and you need to have experienced and worked on most of the practices yourself before you launch them onto the young people you work with. That said it will benefit the young people you work with if that is all you decide to do because your spiritual life will be deepend by it. <P>
The book is well written and easy to understand with experts in the field contributing from many Christian traditions which makes it so much richer. The book covers such things as stilling and guided meditation, labyrinths, Ignatian Prayer, Lectio Divina, silence and many other types of contemplation. It also comes with a CD-Rom with added ideas, resources, flash presentations and music. <P>
I have been keen on such practises for years but had never really taught them to young people. This book gave me the confidence to do that and I used much of the book to lead a youth weekend of contemplation and have to say it was probably the most profound and rewarding weekend I have ever led. <P>
Once they had got over the giggles in the first session it was amazing especially the Lectio session and the excitement of God speaking to everyone through the Bible (and I mean everyone). The impact is ongoing and will benefit those young people for the rest of their faith journeys. My recommendation is if you only buy one book this year make it this one, and no I’m not on commission.
