Aaron Zavala
I feel proud to have completed this book. It was a lot to take in over a long period of time. I enjoyed aspects of it: Virgil as holding a torch behind him, lighting the way for others, but not able to see the light himself; Beatrice (beauty) being the guide after Virgil (height of human arts) could only take him so far, up to the top of Mt. Purgatory; Seeing the redeemed as a Rose in eternity, blossoming ever upward and outward toward the Trinity; Thomas Aquinas speaking of the concave mind that can only see itself; the Still Point at the center of the universe, where God is moving everything around him, yet is himself unmoved; the River of Light and its reflection of the Empyrean; and, of course, the ultimate “pure in heart” moment when Dante see's God, and his will (capacity to choose) and desire (capacity to love) are united together to the music and tune of God's loving and pulsing heart. Love flows proportionally to the clarity of the vision of Him who is Love. I also loved hearing about how Ulysses ended up in Dante's imagination.
Things I didn't love: meeting Cacciaguida in Paradise and having long extended boring conversations with him; sometimes overly violent and dark imagery in Inferno or in conversations about people in Hell; endless political jabs at the country's leaders and church's leaders that Dante had beef with; the repetition of Dante being like, “I was afraid to ask what these things meant, so I didn't until my guide said, ‘Just ask'” all the way from Inferno to Paradise... Just ask, bro. Also, the way he kept saying, “It was too much to describe” and then he goes on describing, or just never does. As a Protestant, I also did not enjoy the prayers to Mary.
Overall, however, I'm grateful to have read this story, to have had an opportunity to completed such a work of art that has stood the test of time. I am grateful now to have more insight into allusions to this story in many other works of literature, art, music, and the rest.
I really appreciate Allen Mandelbaum's translation. I found it the most accessible for me, as well as not watered down. It felt right for me. Will invest in a copy of his translation published by Everyman's Library.
It was a interesting book. I really appreciated chapter 3 on neuroscience behind the flow state and all that it involves. I also really appreciated the connection in the final chapter to the theory of resonance, the idea that everything is buzzing with this potentiality, waiting for the right frequencies or music to be activated. I also appreciated researching more into the Orpheus myth on my own to see the way music has been viewed since ancient times as an instrument in vision quests.
I found in reading the text that Ted repeated himself often. The chapters were written serially, so it seemed necessary for that. However, overall, the book was informative, insightful, and inspiring. I'm grateful for Ted's conviction that music is still something that contains power for transformation, not merely something to be consumed as entertainment or as “content.” Ted himself is an inspiring individual to me, and I am so grateful he wrote and shared this book with us readers.
This is such a beautiful book. I love the chapters of Mole longing for his home, of Mole and Rat discovering Pan in the woods, and the restlessness and wanderlust of Rat in hearing tales of travel and excitement from a sea-faring rat. It's a beautifully written story. Malcolm Guite describes one of the passages as probably one of the most beautifully written passages in the English language.
I've been through the story twice now. I will be picking it up again sometime in the future. This last time I listened to Malcolm Guite read through the entire story. Hearing it read out loud is such a wonderful experience. I hope to read it, or parts of it, in a similar way to my son someday.
Wasn't a huge fan of the character developments. Feels like the characters are merely the foil to the narrative. Sanderson loves the twists and turns. But character development, I mean, it's present, but they feel flat. The plot feels more active. Sanderson is good with plot, but I'm not the biggest fan of his writing. Still, I'm curious to continue the series.
My wife recommended this book to me as she knows I've always had some trouble getting my thoughts out on paper. So I originally began this book to learn a new method of note-taking, but I ended up learning a lot more about how to learn and think better. I didn't get the best understanding of the methodology of note-taking as much as I came away with a better philosophy for note-take/writing. The philosophy for taking better notes is what drove me to research further on the Zettelkasten method outlined in this book. I have since found plenty of resources out there on how to take smart notes in books (such as [b:Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential 59616977 Building a Second Brain A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential Tiago Forte https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1648408689l/59616977.SY75.jpg 93886807]), YouTubers (Linking Your Thinking), and blogs/hyperlinked notes (the best resource is Andy Matuschak's personal website and his writings on Evergreen notes). I have now become a note-taker in Obsidian, my digital note-taking tool of choice. I'm grateful my wife recommended this book to me, for the argument presented in the book led me to understand that thinking is writing and writing is thinking. I now enjoy writing/thinking so much more than I used to, and am less afraid of the blank page.
I had never heard of “acedia” before, but now that I have learned a bit more about it from this book, I believe it would be beneficial for more people to gain an understanding of it since many most likely suffer from this spiritual malady. The reason I give this book a 2 (going off of the Goodreads suggestion of 2 being “It was ok”) is for the difficulty the reading can present at times. Some parts of the book are very wordy and convoluted to work through. However, lots of the information presented was still very helpful.
Acedia has been thought to merely be another word for laziness or sloth, but it is actually more complex and sophisticated than lack of motivation to do work. It is a spiritual malady that attacks our center of desire for spiritual practices and matters of the soul, turning what used to be life-giving and satisfying into meaningless and even revolting chores. Dallas Willard described acedia simple as “spiritual boredom.” It may also be an issue beneath what we might commonly call “depression” for lack of a better word and understanding of what a person may really be undergoing.
One of the symptoms/signs of acedia shows itself through the overwhelming desire to run away from current circumstances (job, marriage, times of prayer, etc.), since it is believed that going anywhere else would be better than staying put. Another sign is what the author calls “activism,” or the condition of constantly busying oneself with activities - even good and/or religious activities. As these symptoms play themselves out in a person, they eventually run into despair, believing that there is no meaningful practice worthy of participation. They also begin to keep themselves from serving/giving themselves to others, becoming sick of themselves as well as service in general.
Some of the remedies for acedia are very simple: like unlocking emotion that has been pent up inside by the shedding of tears. Since acedia attacks the center of desire making it hard to feel anything, something like therapy can be very helpful in combatting acedia. Another help is acknowledging the presence of God in our prayers or in our jobs. He is praying for us on our behalf, even when we don't know what to pray for and how to pray in a moment. He also sees us in our circumstances, therefore our work is always meaningful if done for him. Another helpful practice in combatting acedia is in remembering that we are going to die one day. Our one-day death is a sobering truth that can help us gain wisdom and find meaning in the day-to-day as we “number our days.” Lastly, simple perseverance in work or in staying put where you are (in your job, in you marriage, acknowledging that this battle with numbness or despair is not one that will go on forever) can be a strong combatant against acedia.
All of these practices must be centered on the remembrance of the truth that God himself - Jesus - entered into our suffering on our behalf. He knows our frailty and pains. Yet, he himself has joy to offer us as we walk through the valley of shadow of death, which may look like walking through a battle with acedia. We are not alone in our walk - but every step forward with Jesus is an act of trust in his healing and transforming grace.
I am not sure what other books are out there on acedia, but now that I am aware of the reality acedia, I am curious to learn as much as I am able to on the subject.
This was one of the most transformative books I've ever read.
I've never read a book quite like this, on what real change looks like in a human being. Willard's writing shows what has always been there in the Bible, and he pulls out of the Scriptures perspectives on hope and transformation that I've overlooked in my life. This book gives me great hope for my own journey toward Christ-likeness.
Willard's shorthand for the pattern of transformation - vision, intent, and means (VIM) - is incredibly helpful. He shares how Jesus himself is the vision (the image of God) for the fullest picture of what a human being can be like (fully alive with the life that is truly life), how our wills can be shaped to (in)tend toward a godly direction over time, and how we make use of the means God provides us to live out this grace-empowered change in our lives.
Willard gives a thorough look into the six areas of a human being where Jesus brings transformation - thoughts, feelings, will (heart/spirit), body, social relations, and soul. He shows how each area is interpedent upon the others, and how they all work together in an integrated whole when the grace and Spirit of God is at work inside a person.
While this book is not a quick read, it is a rich text that will not go unrewarded if honestly engaged. This is my first time reading through this text, but it will not be my last.
I am only now discovering what a gift Dallas Willard was and still is to the church, and I am so grateful for these works he has left behind to help fellow Jesus-followers (apprentices) to follow more faithfully and hopefully toward redeemed and transformed lives.
For a book about being formed deeply, it was ironically a very broad overview of various practices and ideas about formation, but not a deep enough look into any of them. There were occasional takeaways.
Update: 06/08/23
I started using the app Readwise earlier this year, an app that resurfaces highlights from books on Kindle (and many, many other digital sources) that you've read. I am also a little more familiar with the world of spiritual formation since my reading through this book early last year.
In reading through those highlights, I have come to a deeper appreciation of this book's material. Rich compounds deep ideas into pithy sentences. He is a great communicator on this topic, and is also an exemplary practitioner of what it looks like to be formed into the image of Jesus. I redact my earlier review, and instead leave this one. I look forward to reading more from Rich in the future.
Tolkien's world of Middle-earth is one of the most beautiful works of sub-creation I've ever read. He writes as if he has walked the grounds of Middle-earth himself and is just reporting on what he discovered. This book, like The Silmarillion, proves that the world of The Lord of the Rings really is every bit as rich with history, culture, peoples, languages, and beauty as it seems.
Carmen Imes is an amazing teacher. After reading Bearing God's Name, I feel as though I got to sit in her classroom and learn much from her long mediation on the Hebrew Bible, the Decalogue, the story of the people of Israel, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and the new and living way to live opened to us Gentiles by Jesus. I am challenged by the reminder that my life is a nametag others can read. I am also comforted and encouraged to know Jesus has already written his name over my life and is forming me to walk in a manner worthy of his calling. I highly recommend this book to all followers of Jesus. It will be an enriching and enjoyable read.
Reading this book felt, at times, like reading poetry. Heschel has such a beautiful way of describing God's relationship to man, and man's relationship to God through the dimensions of time and space, and particularly through the Sabbath day. It is not so much a proper theology book as much as it is a philosophical take on the Sabbath. Lots of content to ponder, as Tim Mackie would say, “over many long walks and cups of tea.”
Simply beautiful story. I've read it at least three times now, and will return to it over and over again. I feel like I've swallowed a star, and hope to visit the land of Beauty daily. So grateful for Tolkien's works.
J.K. Rowling didn't leave a stone unturned! This was a beautiful story, and I'm so glad to have read it as an adult! Can't wait to read it to our children one day.
Paul David Tripp is a very wordy writer. I think this book could have been cut in half and still be just as helpful, if not more so.
Will pick up again soon. Priorities at the moment are classics.