James Finley and Merton's Palace of Nowhere

 [[Hi sister, do you know James Findley (sic)? I wondered what you thought of his work. Thank you.]]

Thanks, I do know Finley's work yes, though I don't know him personally. I first met his work by reading The  Awakening Call, and also Merton's Palace of Nowhere. I had already read most of Thomas Merton's work and was moving into contemplative prayer and life. I think Finley's work is quite good and rooted in lived experience. I appreciate his acquaintance with mainstream Catholic Theologians like Bernard Lonergan, and his deep acquaintance with spiritual direction (both as director and directee), the healing of complex and developmental trauma, and his esteem for ordinary reality and the way God interpenetrates that as the One who wills to be Emmanuel. One video that might introduce you to some of these characteristics is the following:

I would recommend you begin with Merton's Palace of Nowhere if you are interested in reading Finley from "the beginning". You will get a good introduction to prayer, the nature of contemplation, dimensions of John of the Cross's Dark Night of the Soul, and a pretty good introduction to mysticism and the way it differs from pseudo-mysticism. In all of this and more Finley is comfortable with paradox so I think he provides a way for readers not yet there themselves, to get comfortable with paradox and its central place in Christianity.