Augsburg Fortress

 "What if a seven-second pause could transform your life? Caroline Oakes' warm-hearted Practice the Pauseexplores this question as a radically inclusive path for us all. Bringing together the wisdom of Jesus' ancient contemplative practice with the exciting, concrete discoveries of neuroscience, plus the sagest voices from all traditions, she takes us on an interspiritual journey to awaken--and keep awake--the spark of the divine within."

"I've been thinking that there needs to be a book that connects the dots between contemplative Christianity and neuroscience; I've also thought that we need a good book on Jesus's own spiritual practice. Caroline Oakes has written an excellent book that fills both of these needs. Practice the Pause is the type of book that you'll go back to again and again--and you'll recommend it to all your friends."

"Practice the Pause is a WAKE UP call to see how Jesus' own practice, science, and being human indeed do dance together, and it is a call to STAY AWAKE to the ongoing intentional unfolding of my spiritual journey."

"Caroline Oakes artfully weaves together the depth, breadth, and wholeness of the contemplative journey around the unifying theme of the transformative power of the pause. Her remarkable achievement is that this weaving is accomplished in a straightforward and accessible form in which she gently leads the reader into both a brain-centered and a heart-centered understanding of the connection between even the simplest spiritual practices and our ability to transform our lives and the lives of others through contemplation in action. As an added gift, Ms. Oakes links the reader to the vast array of literary and biblical resources from which she abundantly draws."

"Viewing Jesus as a practitioner of contemplative prayer, Caroline Oakes takes readers on journeys through the bible which reveal the depth of Jesus' prayer life and its intimate connection with activist ministry. This re-framing, along with practical helps and explorations of contemplative neuroscience which show the healing efficacy of prayer, make for a great read for spiritual seekers and Christians who long for a fresh take on their faith tradition."

"Practice the Pause provides a timely overview of Jesus' spirituality in the context of his first-century Judaism. The author guides readers from this foundation through the evolution of contemporary contemplative practices within modern Judaism and Christianity. The final chapters provide readers with practical advice, using Thomas Keating's unique insights from neuroscience on the transformative practice of centering prayer and meditation on the Bible. Caroline Oakes' summary of Fr. Thomas' work, based on his writing, is the most substantive and accessible to readers I have ever seen. An excellent resource for group study and reflection."

"A rich and desperately-needed Wisdom primer Practice the Pause artfully bridges the gaps between neuroscience, contemplation, and contemporary Christianity to present anew the life, message, and prayer practice of our Master Teacher Jesus."

"It's well known that meditation practices light up a brain scan and are proven to promote health and well-being. But how? Oakes focuses on the transformative moment in the millisecond pause between the fear stimulus and our ingrained fight-or-flight response. Then she shows us how to practice that pause, over and over, until a third neural path opens and our mind gradually expands in the Mind of Christ."

"In the tradition of wisdom teachers, Oakes leads us on a rich spiritual pilgrimage out of our Western paradigm and into the East, where Jesus spent time in contemplation and prayer. Oakes explores the practices at the heart of Jesus' mission of 'metanoia' - true transformation - to be fully alive and explores these practices' extraordinary positive neurological impact. For anyone who seeks the intersection of science and faith and a new way of being, Practice the Pause is for you."

"This remarkable book, the fruit of years of dedicated research and spiritual practice, draws upon Hebrew and Christian scripture as well as contemporary neuroscience to provide grounded and innovative guidance for ways of contemplative prayer."

"Oakes weaves together ancient insight with modern neuroscience to give a complete picture of who and what we can all become by embodying the active, contemplative way of Jesus."

"Through Practice the Pause, Caroline Oakes offers us a much-needed bridge--a bridge between Western and Eastern Christianity, and between contemplative spirituality and contemporary neuroscience. It is a bridge whose time has come. May it lead to greater unity, presence, compassion, and transformation in our world and in all of us."

"In Practice the Pause, Caroline Oakes adds a significant volume to the growing library of books reclaiming the ancient Christian Wisdom tradition. Jesus is revealed as a master wisdom teacher by the writers of the synoptic Gospels. Through realizing the mutual indwelling of the Divine within each of us and the intentional practice of contemplative presence, the followers of this contemplative way discover how to live from a deeper place revealed in the teaching and life of Jesus. The study guide makes Practice the Pause an ideal choice for spiritual journey groups of all sorts."