NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “A smart, wise, often side-splittingly funny master class in seeking God. Any spiritual seeker—from atheist to professional religious—will cherish this bravura tome from one of our great spiritual guides, in the lineage of C. S. Lewis, Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, Gandhi, and Mother Teresa. Hallelujah & amen!”—Mary Karr, author of Lit and The Liar’s Club One of America’s most beloved spiritual leaders and the New York Times bestselling author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything and Jesus: A Pilgrimage teaches anyone to converse with God in this comprehensive guide to Christian prayer. Learning to Pray is a profound and practical handbook that explains what prayer is, what to expect from praying, how to do it, and how it can transform us when we make it a regular practice to deepen our faith.  A trusted guide walking beside us as we navigate our unique spiritual paths, Father James Martin lays out the different styles and traditions of prayer throughout Christian history and invites us to experiment and discover which works best to feed our soul and build intimacy with our Creator. Father Martin makes clear there is not one secret formula for praying. But like any relationship, each person can discover the best style for building a personal relationship with God, regardless of religion or denomination. Prayer, he teaches us, is open and accessible to anyone willing to open their heart. If you want to deepen your prayer practice and grow in faith, Learning to Pray offers a variety of methods and approaches to prayer that are accessible and user-friendly. This book is for the beginners in prayer and those experienced in the way of the Spirit. In this book, you’ll find compassionate spiritual guidance on how to: How to Pray: Discover what prayer is, what to expect from praying, and how a regular practice can transform your life, whether you’re a beginner or have been praying for years. - Build a Relationship with God: Learn to converse with God in a personal way, moving beyond rote formulas to build genuine intimacy with your Creator. - Explore Christian Prayer Traditions: Experiment with different styles of prayer from throughout Christian history, including the Examen, Lectio Divina, and Ignatian Contemplation, to find what best feeds your soul. - Find Answers to Common Questions: Get trusted advice on the challenges of the spiritual life, including how to handle distractions, dryness, and doubt in your prayer practice. “Drawing on his broad experience as a leader of prayer as well as one who is committed to deepening his own ongoing conversation with God, Fr. Martin offers a variety of methods and approaches to prayer that are accessible and user-friendly—it was a help to me on my own journey of prayer.” - John Stowe, OFM Conv., Bishop of Lexington “Personal, insightful, honest, practical, expansive, enriching, freeing, hopeful—these words only begin to describe this excellent book about prayer. Learning to Pray deserves to be in the hands and heart of anyone intent on engaging with the unfolding path of prayer.” - Joyce Rupp, author of Anchors for the Soul " Learning to Pray validates your practice and invites you to deepen it. It beckons us to this new and spacious place where we can all rest in the stillness of love and love in the stillness of God. You could not ask for more in a book on prayer."  - Gregory J. Boyle, SJ, author of Tattoos on the Heart "Witty, conversational, intimate, and inspiring, James Martin’s handbook is the finest, most practical, and comprehensive look at prayer that I have ever read."  - Ron Hansen, author of Mariette in Ecstasy and Atticus “What do we need to learn? That prayer changes us--and so changes the world we live in; that God is always there before us; that it's God's action that makes the difference. Practical, comprehensive, and above all God-centered, this book is a deeply valuable companion for growing in faith.” - Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury "A smart, wise, often side-splittingly funny master class in seeking God. Any spiritual seeker—from atheist to professional religious—will cherish this bravura tome from one of our great spiritual guides, in the lineage of C. S. Lewis, Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, Gandhi, and Mother Teresa. Hallelujah & amen!" - Mary Karr, author of Lit and Liar's Club “With simplicity, clarity, humor, and humility, Father Martin returns those more experienced in prayer back to their roots and provides a sure base for those beginning to explore a regular practice of prayer—a helpful guide for us to become truly ourselves.”  - The Jesuit Post “A superb one-volume introduction to a topic that is vital to any serious spiritual seeker. Plenty of treasures await the reader.” - Patheos “The book renewed my sense of the possibilities of prayer.” - Orange County Catholic “Don’t let the size of the volume intimidate you. Each and every page is worth reading.” - Catholic