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Description
A Sunlit Absence: Silence, Awareness, and Contemplation"The practice of contemplation is one of the great spiritual arts," writes Martin Laird in A Sunlit Absence. "Not a technique but a skill, it harnesses the winds of grace that lead us out into the liberating sea of silence." In this companion volume to his bestselling Into the Silent Land, Laird focuses on a quality often overlooked by books on Christian meditation: a vast and flowing spaciousness that embraces both silence and sound, and transcends
"The practice of contemplation is one of the great spiritual arts," writes Martin Laird in A Sunlit Absence. "Not a technique but a skill, it harnesses the winds of grace that lead us out into the liberating sea of silence."In this companion volume to his bestselling Into the Silent Land, Laird focuses on a quality often overlooked by books on Christian meditation: a vast and flowing spaciousness that embraces both silence and sound, and transcends all subject/object dualisms. Drawing on the wisdom of great contemplatives from St. Augustine and St. Teresa of Avila to St. Hesychios, Simone Weil, and many others, Laird shows how we can uncover the deeper levels of awareness that rest within us like buried treasure waiting to be found. The key insight of the book is that as our practice matures, so will our experience of life's ordeals, sorrows, and joys expand into generous, receptive maturity. We learn to see whatever difficulties we experience in meditation--boredom, lethargy, arrogance, depression, grief, anxiety--not as obstacles to be overcome but as opportunities to practice surrender to what is. With clarity and grace Laird shows how we can move away from identifying with our turbulent, ever-changing thoughts and emotions to the cultivation of a "sunlit absence"--the luminous awareness in which God's presence can most profoundly be felt.
Addressed to both beginners and intermediates on the pathless path of still prayer, A Sunlit Absence offers wise guidance on the specifics of contemplative practice as well as an inspiring vision of the purpose of such practice and the central role it can play in our spiritual lives.
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 07/28/2011
ISBN: 9780195378726
Pages: 208
Weight: 0.62lbs
Size: 7.27h x 5.31w x 0.78d
Review Citations: Library Journal 07/01/2011 pg. 85
Christianity Today 09/01/2011 pg. 68
Christian Century 09/20/2011 pg. 41
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4.1 ★★★★★
Based on 334 reviews
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 3
Cute and predictable
Format: Kindle
Rom-com wrapped I’m a literary tote bag. The story was cute, predictable, but satisfying. Josie’s voice was cringy at times. Despite that, the characters are likable and everyone got their moment of closure. I’d give it one chile for spice.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2025
★★★★★ 4
Adorable Take on You’ve Got Mail!
Format: Kindle
This book was absolutely adorable. It’s a sweet, bookish twist on You’ve Got Mail that made me smile from start to finish. I loved all the little nods to book culture (including a fun reference to Nora Ephron!).
Ryan was just the cutest, and Josie’s transformation felt really heartfelt. Yes, it was a little cheesy at times, but in the best possible way. The perfect cozy, feel-good read!
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Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2025
★★★★★ 5
i couldn’t put it down
Format: Kindle
It’s 2 in the morning and I’ve just finished reading this. I haven’t had a book make me stay up late reading in bed since I was in high school. Sure I have books that I can’t put down but the draw to this one was so enticing. Every time I tried to go to sleep or do something else I kept reaching for my kindle wanting more.
I loved Josie and her character growth. I’ve felt how she feels, being guarded, feeling like you can’t show your true self, & what if when you are you people don’t like you or understand you. Seeing her let in chaos into her life was a simple reminder we all need that not everything has to be perfect.
Ryan or Rj was the picture perfect boyfriend and the ending had me in tears 😭 we all need a good listener in our life who will be there when it matters most. The way he’s painted in Josie’s eyes to the sweetheart he is inside was so nice. Also, the nerdy but cute vibes he gives off. & can I just say reading about a reader who has dyslexia made me so giddy because I work with kids like that.
I loved all of the lines about what reading was to them and why they got into reading. It made me feel so connected to the story line and reminded me why I read books. I loved the enemies to friends to lovers plot line. The story of them falling in love and how it happens differently for everyone.
The story has its cutesy romance moments which I thought I’d hate but came to love. Plus, it has some real emotional conversations that had a knot in my throat. I enjoyed the depth that the characters brought to the story.
The pacing was just perfect for me. A slow burn for the love to come in but I enjoyed their banter throughout. Plus all of their cute DMs back and forth were my favorite. One of my favorite things about the book is how it recognized the different types of readers there are and that it’s okay.
I will be thinking about this book all throughout the day and recommending it to everyone.
Read if you love:
💕 enemies to lovers
💕forced proximity
💕 slow burn
💕books about books
💕dual POV
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Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2025
★★★★★ 4
Love story with great character growth
Format: Kindle
You Got Mail vibes ☑️
Witty banter ☑️
Emotional vulnerability ☑️
I came for the romance about two bookstore managers vying to save their position and stayed for the character development, which is so well done.
Josie and Ryan avoid romantic relationships at all costs due to past trauma. Josie is stoic and loves literary works while Ryan is an easy-going romance book lover. Can opposites work together for the greater good? Can they find love with each other?
First as BookshopGirl, and RJ.Reads, and then as themselves, they learn to open up, heal old wounds, and connect on a deeper level. I couldn't help but cheer them on, and when they finally allowed each other in, my heart swooned.
And that epilogue ... ALL. THE. FEELS.
• Rivals to lovers
• Dual POV
• He falls first
• Slow burn
• Forced proximity
• Opposites attract
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Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2025
★★★★★ 5
excellent!
Format: Kindle
I think this book was specifically designed for me. Book nerds, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, slow burn, badass FMC, adorable MMC, great banter, trust issues and oldest daughter issues. The romance and the banter was excellent! Ryan and Josie were great characters. I loved everything about this book. Can’t wait to read the next book by Ali Brady!
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Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2026
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