Laurence Freeman examines the radical question of our being in the world. We are here, he reflects, to come to continuous prayer, to a constant openness to the prayer of Christ in our hearts. Continuous prayer, he says, is not about saying prayers all the time. To pray continuously is to live in a state where our ego’s concerns don’t control and imprison us. 

Drawing on the teaching of John Cassian, Laurence Freeman teaches meditation as a way to this freedom. The discipline of faithfully repeating a mantra during the time of meditation unhooks us from the ego at its roots and leads us to the state of simplicity and poverty of spirit that is the Christian call.  

Why Are We Here?  is part of the Meditatio Series, a collection of books on contemporary spirituality. Through these guides to meditation, we come to know ourselves better and are able to deal with everyday problems with greater clarity. 

Other titles in the Meditatio Series: 

From Anxiety to Peace 
Meditation with Children 
The Goal of Life 
The Prayer that Jesus Taught