Yes, and...: Daily Meditations

As someone searching for a deeper, broader, and more reasonable spirituality than I was taught in church - I loved this book. Rohr provides a fresh take that left me wondering how something so freeing became so distorted over the past 2000 years. I can't wait to read more from this author.

While I do not agree with all his theology, Rohr's book of meditations is THE best book I found during my 30 years of ministry as a Presbyterian Church (USA) pastor to help me grow spiritually; to be a more faithful follower of Jesus Christ and his way of love, justice, and peace. Rohr's writing is accessible theologically, but not "dumbed down." Other than the Bible itself, this is the ONE book I would urge every person of faith to read. You will be surprised and challenged -- and blessed.

This is not a book you sit down and read. It's a book of Christian meditations you have to reflect on a little at a time, prayerfully, with a lot of listening in the silence. These meditations have opened my mind to who God is and who I am in relationship to God and to others who also reflect the divine image...and yet it doesn't give any precise answers. If anything, it's about exploring the questions more than the answers, about evolving toward deeper understanding and union with Christ Jesus at your own pace. These meditations point you in certain directions but they never say, here's the path you must follow: don't stray from it. Each of us is on our own journey toward God, and the book respects that. It doesn't say, "This is the Way," but rather "Find Your Way," but with one clarification: all of our ways ultimately pull us in the same direction if we truly attend to the voice of the spirit speaking within us. As other commentators have said, it's probably not a book you would want to buy "cold." It requires some familiarity with Rohr's views on contemplation and spirituality (start with some of his other books or, as I did, watch some of his YouTube videos--a good one to start with is "The Cosmic Christ," especially if you're Catholic). More than anyone else, Fr. Rohr has helped me as an older gay male feel like I too am an integral part of the body of Christ. I know that probably doesn't sound like a big deal but when you've lived on the margins of the church for as many years as I have, experiencing rejection, self-loathing, and endless guilt (but never walking away), it is a VERY big deal. For the first time, I feel spiritually liberated. As a Catholic (although I hasten to add that you don't have to be a Catholic to benefit from this book), for the first time I no longer feel like an outsider looking in. Although I may not be in with the bishop (although our new pope might be a different matter!), of one thing I am certain--I am in with Jesus. We all have our closets, whether we're gay or not. We need to come out of them and step into the light. These meditations are helping me do that.

I have enjoyed reading some of these meditations on Rohr's website, but they are even better in a book. Even though most meditations are less than a full page long, they provide hours of food for thought and contemplation. I have enjoyed discussing the book as part of a spirituality group at my parish; often we each find something entirely different in one of Rohr's meditations, which I think is a sign of a good meditation. I greatly appreciate the editor's or producer's decision to print only one meditation per page, often leaving a good bit of space for readers to write their own thoughts.

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Richard Rohr is Franciscan priest in the Catholic mystic tradition. In this book of daily readings, he explores Christianity from a decidedly non-dogmatic perspective. Rohr's message is to release the ego and seek union with God, who is everywhere. He has little use for hierarchy and centers of power, and he does not see religious law as the path to salvation. Rather, Rohr sees the dualities of this world as an illusion, and he looks behind them to find the unities. He breaks down barriers, between people, between our ideal and shadow self, between human and God. In this sense, Rohr's religion has a Buddist quality -- our physical and psychological selves are not our true selves; suffering is the teacher for transformation. For Rohr, we find our true selves by releasing attachments to thi world and seeking unon with God. The only thing I wish is that this book were organized into 365 days, to make it easier to read as a daily practice.

Richard Rohr has done it again. In his beautiful new book "Yes, And...," Richard gives us eyes to see as Jesus, Gandhi, the Buddha and every mystic of every faith tradition has learned to see. "Yes, And..." proposes a "course correction" to the many of us spiritual seekers who may have missed the point. In the case of Christianity, for instance, that point would include Jesus' counter-intuitive message found in the Christian Bible. But his book is a gift of insight for all of God's human creatures, no matter which spiritual journey we are on. Richard would (and does) say that each path "points to the moon," and we are all together in our seeking. The layout of Richard's total message is structured around the seven themes of his teaching: Methodology, Foundation, Frame, Ecumenism, Transformation, Process and Goal. In each category of thought he delivers short, focused (but very accessible) insights that together build an integrated worldview of God's creation and our place in it. Reading this book is like savoring daily meetings with a loving, human and deeply inspired personal spiritual director. Strongly recommended.

Love Richard rohr! Challenging and changing my life

A wide and inclusive study of spirituality

This is a superb book to have on your bedside table so that you can read the short meditations either first thing in the morning or last thing at night. It is one that you can rotate year after year as there is a lot in it.

Richard Rohr's words often accompany my best thoughts, and now I can read one two or three on days when I meditate and always take something profound into the day! Great that these meditations are undated and even unnumbered, its all quality rather than quantity!

This is an inspiring book and just enough to read each day -giving food for thought and lifting the spirit. Richard Rohr doesn't disappoint. It was recommended to me by a friend - glad I bought it.