1 1

Philip Garside Books

Finding Your Sacred Self - eBooks.

Finding Your Sacred Self - eBooks.

$10.00 NZD
$10.00 NZD
Sale Sold out
Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

Finding Your Sacred Self: Prayers, poems and pastoral helps

By Ian M Kilgour

Published:  November 2023
Language: English
Words: 14,869
B/W text, 72pp, 6″ x 9″ 

You are buying a zipped file containing eBook editions of this 72 page book in PDF, ePub and Mobi formats (2023). ISBNs: PDF 9781991027665; ePub/Mobi 9781991027672.

Click here for Print book

About the Book

Unlock the secrets to inner peace and spiritual well-being with this insightful book crafted from a lifetime of pastoral care. In a fast-paced world filled with stress and anxiety, the author draws on personal experiences and encounters with older people facing the challenges of an ever-changing society.

The inspiration for this guide came during a visit to a 91-year-old, where a simple exercise to alleviate anxiety sparked the idea to compile practical tools for coping with life's complexities. The booklet goes beyond traditional pastoral practices, offering step-by-step exercises to help readers navigate stress, anxiety, and spiritual struggles.

As we age, maintaining social connections becomes challenging, and traditional sources of support may dwindle. The author emphasises the importance of tapping into our inner resources to foster personal well-being and spiritual growth. Through a collection of breathing exercises and insights, readers will discover ways to develop a relationship with the divine, drawing from the rich tradition of Christian spirituality.

The author acknowledges the diverse perspectives on the term 'God' and introduces alternative descriptors that appeal to both religious and non-religious minds. Whether one sees God as a Higher Power, Creative Spirit, or Universal Presence, the booklet encourages a broader understanding beyond conventional religious language.

The guide delves into various types of meditation and contemplation, offering a range of practices to suit individual preferences. From reflective and creative meditations to insight meditations focusing on mindfulness, readers will explore a vast field of techniques to encounter their true selves and connect with the Spirit of God.

Creating space for meditation and contemplation is the key to the transformative journey outlined in the booklet. Readers will learn to cultivate disciplines of solitude, stillness, silence, and simplicity, setting aside dedicated time and space for spiritual growth. The author, who is candid about the challenges of maintaining these disciplines, shares the profound value and lasting impact of persevering in the quest for inner peace.

Whether you're seeking solace from life's challenges or aiming to deepen your spiritual connection, this book provides practical guidance, breathing exercises, and a curated selection of prayers and meditations. It invites readers to embark on a daily pilgrimage to the centre of their hearts, discovering a source of replenishment and accessing the transformative power of divine love.

Praise for Finding Your Sacred Self

“Ian Kilgour draws from a deep well of mystical wisdom. He writes with the practical expertise of someone who has honed their pastoral craft over many years. The prayers and advice have been road tested, making them imminently useful and usable.
The book has been written as a companion guide for the spiritual journey of becoming human. In a gentle manner, Kilgour invites his readers into the contemplative ways of Solitude, Stillness, Silence, and Simplicity. His reflections integrate theology, biblical reflection, contemplative practice and pastoral counsel. The book also includes a tool-kit of prayers and other pastoral helps for a wide range of situations.
This book is for anyone who is interested in deepening their contemplative prayer life. It is also for those in ministry and other pastoral professions, who are looking for practical tools to enhance their pastoral practice. Every church foyer should have one of these on display!”  
Rev Dr Jordan Redding
Presbyterian Minister in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

About the author

Ian Kilgour is a Salvation Army Officer and Christian minister with wide experience in pastoral care and the very human issues we all struggle with. Now retired he remains actively involved in church, chaplaincy, community, and social justice issues.

Ian believes that everyone has the capacity to find meaning in life and to deepen their spirituality by knowing their inner sacred self and enjoying intimate relationship with the Transcendent Source of all life. He has an inclusive understanding of life in which everyone and everything is interconnected, belongs and is of immense value.

Ian dedicates this book to those to whom he has had the privilege of offering pastoral care and who taught him so much.

 • • •

Table of Contents

  • Introduction
  • Ways to use the name ‘God’
  • Types of meditation and contemplation

 Part One

  • Making space for meditation and contemplation
  • A ‘Prayer of Preparation’
  • The Way of Solitude
  • The Way of Stillness
  • The Way of Simplicity
  • Reflecting on the benefits of solitude, stillness, silence and simplicity
  • A simplified summary
  • Concluding Prayers

 Part Two

  • Pastoral Helps
  • Pastoral Help 1‘Peace be still’
  • Pastoral Help 2 ‘I have faith & trust’
  • Pastoral Help 3 ‘An invitation to come’
  • Pastoral Help 4 ‘A walk in nature’
  • Pastoral Help 5 ‘The Water of Life’
  • Pastoral Help 6 ‘The Bread of Life’
  • Pastoral Help 7 ‘Resting in God’
  • Pastoral Help 8 ‘Be still in God’
  • Pastoral Help 9 ‘Divine abidings’
    - The four divine abidings & meditations
  • Pastoral Help 10 ‘Belonging in Oneness’
  • Pastoral Help 11 ‘Interactive Scripture reading’
    - The method of meditation using ‘reflective reading’
    - Example 1: ‘Choosing the better part’
    - Example 2: ‘Coping with the fevers of life’
    - Example 3: ‘On board with Jesus’
  • Pastoral Help 12 ‘A meditation using music’

Benediction

View full details