The Prayer Wheel

Praise

“A brilliant rediscovery. The Prayer Wheel reveals how important prayer has been in all of history, and how many levels of understanding it always offers. This is an excellent example of the endless fruitfulness of healthy religion.” —Richard Rohr, author of Falling Upward

“This bold recovery of a long-forgotten path to prayer, expertly situated in its historical context and made accessible for modern-day believers, makes for absolutely fascinating reading–for the devout and doubtful alike.” —James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage 

“These days, few books cause me to sit up and take notice. But The Prayer Wheel hooked me from the first page. In it, three of my favorite religion journalists unearth a nearly 1000-year-old spiritual practice and make it applicable to our own day. This book is a mystical journey with the power to revitalize your prayer life. Don’t miss it!” —Jonathan Merritt, author of Learning to Speak God from Scratch; contributing writer for The Atlantic

“Reading this book for the first time, I felt the way I felt when someone first told me about labyrinths—I was encountering something that could carry me both back into the depths of an ancient practice, and forward to God.” —Lauren F. Winner, author of Girl Meets God and Still

“I am always looking for ways to engage in prayer more deeply. Beautifully written and biblically grounded, this book offers readers a fresh yet ancient way of drawing close to God. Because of its simplicity and depth, I am sure I will enjoy using it for years to come.” 
—Ann Spangler, author of Praying the Names of God

“This remarkable book isn’t just a guide to a long-lost medieval prayer wheel, but an introduction to a deeper, more fulfilling way of communicating with God.” —Ian Morgan Cron, author of The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery

“Like Benedict in his own day, we are searching for new ways to connect ancient wisdom with daily life in a rapidly changing world. In this midst of this transition, Dodd, Riess, and Van Biema offer a contemporary introduction to an ancient way of prayer. This prayer wheel may be just the tool to unlock the door to the home you always knew you needed.” —Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, coauthor of Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals

“If Indiana Jones were interested in Medieval Christian spirituality, he’d have loved The Prayer Wheel! Dodd, Riess, and Van Biema unlock the mystery of an ancient Christian path to prayer, then help modern readers apply it for a meaningful spiritual journey.” —Adam Hamilton, author of Unafraid: Living with Courage and Hope in Uncertain Times, and Creed: What Christians Believe and Why

“It’s rare these days to be truly surprised by something, especially something old. Yet that was my experience of reading and engaging with The Prayer Wheel. For those of us who long to connect to our forebears in faith and who find too much of the modern world annoying and shallow, this book is a beautiful, reflective prayer aid.” —Tony Jones, author of The Sacred Way: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Life

“The Prayer Wheel opens a door into the prayer life of Christians who lived nearly a thousand years ago. Through meditation on brief but rich phrases of Scripture, we deepen and strengthen our faith.” —Frederica Mathewes-Green, author of The Jesus Prayer and Facing East

“How is it possible in our high-tech age that one of the most interesting new developments I’ve come across is a piece of technology that dates back to the Middle Ages? Whether you’re a prayer veteran or a novice spiritual seeker, The Prayer Wheel offers a way to approach our conversations wih God that is both ancient and new.” —Bill McGarvey, former editor in chief of Busted Halo

“Our medieval Christian ancestors may not have understood growth economics, but they knew the value of praying in circles…with a prayer wheel, with a rosary, with the weekly and yearly cycles of the Divine Office. Here is all we have forgotten of the past, and all we might hope for the future, inscribed in a simple diagram—a cure for the linear, dead-end way of thinking that has brought our world to a precipice.” —Clark Strand, author of Waking Up to the Dark: Ancient Wisdom for a Sleepless Age

“The Prayer Wheel brings everything to a stop, giving us a chance to enter into deep silence and active reflection on the mysteries of the faith. This book could hardly come at a better time. I’m grateful for this bracing reminder of the creative wisdom of the past.” —Kirsten Powers, USA Today columnist and CNN political analyst 

“As a prayer prompt, the wheel is divine.” —Publishers Weekly