Well Jim-breathe-deep inhale twice as long exhale, 10 times. I have participated in his zooming and found it worth the effort. Unless you are going really far down hill, it is good stuff you can manage.
I found the following likely sources. I suspect it was our Pierce, Matthews, Marshall, and the other creators of RS1 fascination with Kierkegaard-and several of these other sources could play into the statement:
1. Viktor Frankl – "Man's Search for Meaning"
- Why it's useful: This book provides insight into how suffering can lead individuals to confront questions about meaning, purpose, and spirituality. Frankl, a Holocaust survivor, explores how the human spirit searches for meaning even in the most difficult circumstances.
- Key themes: Existential crisis, suffering, and the search for purpose.
2. Søren Kierkegaard – "The Sickness Unto Death"
- Why it's useful: Kierkegaard, considered the father of existentialism, deals with despair and how it leads to self-awareness and the need for reconciliation with the concept of God.
- Key themes: Despair, faith, the self, and the relationship with God in existential crises.
3. C.S. Lewis – "The Problem of Pain"
- Why it's useful: C.S. Lewis explores the problem of human suffering from a Christian theological perspective, addressing how pain forces individuals to turn toward God for answers.
- Key themes: Suffering, divine purpose, and spiritual transformation.
4. Paul Tillich – "The Courage to Be"
- Why it's useful: Tillich examines existential anxiety and the role of faith in overcoming the crises of meaninglessness. He addresses how individuals turn to spirituality when confronted with the anxiety of existence.
- Key themes: Existential anxiety, courage, and the divine.
5. Thomas Merton – "No Man Is an Island"
- Why it's useful: Merton, a Trappist monk, reflects on the importance of contemplation and how internal crises often direct us to seek answers in God and spiritual truths.
- Key themes: Spiritual life, contemplation, and God’s role in personal crises.
6. Simone Weil – "Waiting for God"
- Why it's useful: Weil’s writings emphasize how suffering and affliction lead individuals to spiritual growth and a deeper understanding of God’s presence.
- Key themes: Suffering, spiritual growth, and divine presence.
7. St. Augustine – "Confessions"
- Why it's useful: This autobiographical work shows St. Augustine’s own spiritual crisis and his journey toward understanding God’s role in his life. His reflections are a profound exploration of human restlessness and the search for divine truth.
- Key themes: Sin, grace, spiritual crisis, and divine revelation.
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