Lovely and luminous, Steindl-Rast guides readers through the monastic hours and encourages attention to them in every day life.

This book was used in a Religion course at the university where I worked. I've had it for several years without reading it. In a fit of sudden inspiration, I took it up. It is was quite good and led me to find out more about Brother David's work. He can be found at Gratefulness.org, a wonderful website full of inspiration, including meditations for each of the hours he speaks of in his book.

a lyrical mediation on the hours of the day read when caregiving 24/7 -- it helped me feel grace by providing goalposts for accomplishments of heart, mind and will that otherwise might seem unrecognizable or insignificant

The "Music of Silence" by David Steindl-Rast and Sharon Lebell is a modern spiritual masterpiece! It shows how to introduce the secret meanig of monastic life into our everyday lives. Ideas such as gratefulness, present moment awareness, aliveness and more, are introduced in a way that is both profound and simple. To be read and re-read many times.

Excellent audio book which I wouldn't mind owning as a written text as well, for the sake of all the wonderful quotes. This is the second time (at least) I've listened to it and it serves as a encouragement to see all work as prayer when properly, i.e., reflectively done. It also creates a desire to listen to Chant. Last time I remember going out and purchasing a bunch of CDs. This time, I just need to get them out and start listening to them again.

This book is worth returning to for refresher as needed.

How does one live in touch with eternity from day to day? How can we enter into Kairos even as we go about our work and busyness in our daily lives? In this lovely little book, Brother David Steindl-Rast O.S.B. breaks open the day into its "seasons", each with its own message, grace, contemplation, and action. He explains how the Liturgy of the Hours (or the 'angel' announcing each hour) invites each of us to a contemplative living out of each day.

From centering ourselves in the silence before daybreak, to a conscious welcoming of the light, to making an intentional, mindful start to the day instead of just mindlessly rushing along, to finding quiet joy in the labours of the day even when the hours grow long, to a peaceful letting go of the day in the evening and a restful entering into the silence of night... this book describes how every person can live with the contemplative wisdom of the Benedictine monks even in the secular world. If we learn to heed the angel of each "hour", we would be able to live in the present always with eternity in mind.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

This is a warm and wise little volume, beautiful and useful even to an atheist like me (though admittedly I'm the kind of atheist who has a curious notalgic fondness for Catholic ritual and a fascination with monasteries).

Using the canonical hours, also known as the Divine Office, the authors offer what is basically a framework for reflection, mindfulness, and intentional action amid the routine of an ordinary day. Frankly, if you are able to "read around" some of the more explicit Christian mythology, or just accept it as metaphor in order to distill the universal insights, it's got a rather zen feel. How can you find a rhythm in your routine that prompts you to reflect on things like gratitude, celebration, purpose, crisis, forgiveness, limitations, community? And what of silence? Well, you can look at how monks have been approaching time and prayer and communal living for centuries and modify the gist into something meaningful for your own life.

Sure, it's a self-helpy and "spiritual" book of the sort I don't normally read, but it's beautifully written and brief, and I think most people would come away with enough insight and comfort to make it worthwhile.

This is a wonderful book, which I recommend to everyone who wants or needs to think about the way he leads his daily life. A book to reread every other year when old (bad) habits return.

Br. David Steindl-Rast walks you through the monastic day in his usual wonderful style. A great primer to understand how to use the Hours in daily life.

I enjoyed this book and the lessons that are presented from the Monks and throughout the hours of the day. I purchased this book because of Sharon Lebell and was not disappointed by the content.

a super poetic take on the Divine Hours and what they each represent, and also musings on what chant really is. i think i want to return to readings that balance beauty with more concrete history but also i could find other books for that

A little book with big wisdom.