A thoughtful and moving guide on the many benefits of contemplative prayer and meditation taught and guided in a prison setting.
For over a decade, Ray Leonardini has been visiting the incarcerated in Folsom State Prison and other correctional facilities, where he has been teaching and facilitating contemplative prayer–the contemporary manifestation of the ancient Christian meditative tradition. In Finding God Within: Contemplative Prayer for Prisoners, Leonardini demonstrates the extraordinary power of contemplative, or centering, prayer in transforming the lives of prisoners. Leonardini offers insightful analysis of biblical passages that show the power of prayer, faith, and surrender to ease addiction, stress, and despair. Finding God Within is an essential introduction to contemplative prayer for people of all faiths engaged in prison ministry and interested in exploring contemplative prayer mediation.
This new edition includes a new chapter on The Welcoming Prayer, a new foreword and afterword, and a chapter on the documentary based on this book.
“I had the privilege of attending Ray Leonardini’s centering prayer gathering at Folsom State Prison. I was touched by the depth of the practice shared in the group, and the peace those men have found in their lives. The dear men that I met that evening are testimony to this deep and heartfelt practice. As a tool for spiritual transformation, it clearly works! I hope you will give this practice a try. I wish that kind of peace for each of you.”—Sita Lozoff, Human Kindness Foundation
