A the taste of silence t the youthful age of nineteen Bieke Vandekerckhove was
diagnosed with ALS (a degenerative neurological disease,
aka Lou Gehrig's disease). Unexpectedly, three years later her
disease went into remission and, even though partially paralyzed,
she has lived with ALS now for more than twenty years.
In twenty-seven short chapters, written at various points in
her life, the author shares her search for meaning and strength.
Much to her own surprise, she found both in the stillness
of contemplation, in the richness of silence. The practice of
Benedictine spirituality and Zen meditation became, as she says,
the two lungs through which she breathes.
Along the way of her painful but illuminating journey, she
shares insights learned from artists of all stripes, whether
poets, painters, sculptors, or moviemakers, and from great
contemplatives and thinkers. The result is a work that offers a
deep trove of spiritual wisdom for every reader, whether affl icted
with debilitating illness or in perfect health.
