In The Low, honest prayers for dark seasons
by Justin McRoberts (author) & Scott Erickson (author and illustrator)
Depression and anxiety are alarmingly prevalent in today's American society affecting people of all ages. The book, 'In the Low,' is a collection of meditations that provide meaning to sufferers and an awareness that others have been there; they are traveling a well-worn path.
Healing requires time, patience and understanding. The transformation commonly isn't a smooth, upward-moving process, sometimes it can be a muddy mess. The wounds that accumulate may even deepen with time, creating permanent scars in one’s life. McRoberts and Erickson engage these aspects of the journey and patiently walk the reader through the quest for a greater meaning to their suffering. The brevity of the simple meditations and the accompanying illustrations encourage slow, mindful reflection: confront your feelings, be aware of them, and incorporate them into your life experience; it’s part of you, it’s part of humanity.
The book has been endorsed by spiritual leaders from a variety of modern traditions so I was disappointed by the infrequent allusions to Scripture, which often convey a powerful message of hope and comfort. Additionally the book often seemed to stray into Buddhist Modernism, transcendence through self-realization.
There have been two previous “prayerful companions” to this book. I was interested in seeing if this book might be included in our church library and was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Rob
by Justin McRoberts (author) & Scott Erickson (author and illustrator)
Depression and anxiety are alarmingly prevalent in today's American society affecting people of all ages. The book, 'In the Low,' is a collection of meditations that provide meaning to sufferers and an awareness that others have been there; they are traveling a well-worn path.
Healing requires time, patience and understanding. The transformation commonly isn't a smooth, upward-moving process, sometimes it can be a muddy mess. The wounds that accumulate may even deepen with time, creating permanent scars in one’s life. McRoberts and Erickson engage these aspects of the journey and patiently walk the reader through the quest for a greater meaning to their suffering. The brevity of the simple meditations and the accompanying illustrations encourage slow, mindful reflection: confront your feelings, be aware of them, and incorporate them into your life experience; it’s part of you, it’s part of humanity.
The book has been endorsed by spiritual leaders from a variety of modern traditions so I was disappointed by the infrequent allusions to Scripture, which often convey a powerful message of hope and comfort. Additionally the book often seemed to stray into Buddhist Modernism, transcendence through self-realization.
There have been two previous “prayerful companions” to this book. I was interested in seeing if this book might be included in our church library and was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Rob