A year with Meister Eckhart

What this is

This is a daily reading book built from the sermons and treatises of Meister Eckhart. Each day gives one short passage in his own words, the same passage set into plain modern English, a short reflection, and a single line to carry with you through the day.

The 365 readings are arranged in twelve monthly themes drawn from his own language and concerns: things like detachment, the ground of the soul, letting-be, the birth of God in the soul, and living without a why. You do not need to read it in order. You can open it on January 1 or on any ordinary Tuesday.

How a day works

Every entry has the same four parts. First comes a short passage of Eckhart, taken from the English translation of his German and Latin works. Then comes that same passage rendered into plain modern English, so the sense is not lost in older phrasing. After that comes a short reflection, usually three or four sentences, with no instruction to feel a certain way about it. Last comes one line meant to stay with you as you go about the day.

Here is the kind of passage you will find inside.

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The plain English version sits right next to it. Nothing is added that is not already in the text. The reflection that follows is ours, written to open the passage up a little, not to explain it away.

The shape of the year

Eckhart did not organize his own writing into themes for daily reading. We have done that work, grouping sermons and passages from the Talks of Instruction, the Book of Divine Consolation, On Detachment and the German sermons under twelve monthly headings.

Some months stay close to one idea, such as detachment or the ground of the soul. Others move through related ground, such as the spark of the soul, union and distinction, or the Godhead beyond God. None of this is meant as a course with a conclusion. It is a year of returning to the same handful of things from different angles, which is closer to how Eckhart himself preached.

Who this is for

This is for anyone who wants Eckhart in small daily doses rather than as a whole book to get through. It suits people who already pray with scripture through lectio divina and want to add his voice to that practice. It suits people who sit in silence, in centering prayer or in meditation of other kinds, and want words that point toward that silence rather than away from it.

It also suits readers who came to Eckhart through Zen or through nondual teaching, and want to read him in his own voice rather than at second hand.

Who this is not for

This is not a scholarly edition. There are no footnotes tracing variant readings or debating what Eckhart meant by a given German word. If you want that, you want an academic translation with a critical apparatus, and this book will frustrate you.

It is also not a book of daily affirmations with Eckhart's name attached. He can be difficult, strange, and sometimes hard to square with ordinary piety. We have not smoothed that out. If a gentler, more comforting daily read is what you are after, this may not be the right fit, and that is fine.

About the text

The Eckhart passages come from C. de B. Evans's English translation of Franz Pfeiffer's edition, published in 1924 and now in the public domain. Sermon numbers follow that Evans and Pfeiffer order, which is older than the Quint and Walshe numbering used in more recent translations, so references may not line up with newer editions you own.

The plain English version of each passage is written for this book, to carry the sense of the older translation into language that reads naturally today. It is a companion to the original passage, not a replacement for it, and both are given side by side so you can judge the move yourself.

How to use it

Some people will read a day's entry first thing, before the rest of the day gets going. Others will use it the way they use a lectio practice, reading the Eckhart passage slowly two or three times before moving on to the plain English and the reflection.

There is no wrong order and no required pace. If you miss a week, you can pick up on the day you left off or just open to today's date. Either way works.

What you get

• 365 daily readings, one Eckhart passage and one plain English version for each day
• A short reflection with every reading
• A single line to carry through the day with each entry
• Twelve monthly sections organized by theme
• An ebook edition for reading on a phone, tablet or e-reader
• A printable PDF edition for those who want paper copies or a binder

Get the devotional

Or get all five, the book, the course, the devotional, the journal and the guided audio, as The Complete Meister Eckhart Collection for $89, and save $29. Get the collection

The 30-day guarantee

Take 30 days with it. If it is not right for you, email Gregory@meistereckhart.com and you will get a full refund. You do not need to give a reason. The details are in the refund policy.

Questions

Do I need to know Eckhart already to use this?

No. Each reading stands on its own with its plain English version and reflection. If you want to go deeper later, the sermon references point you to where each passage comes from.

What translation are the Eckhart passages based on?

They come from C. de B. Evans's 1924 English translation of Franz Pfeiffer's edition, a public domain text. The plain English versions are written for this book as a companion to that translation.

Do I have to start in January?

No. The twelve monthly themes do not depend on the calendar month matching the content, so you can start on any day of the year and move through all 365 readings in order from there.

What formats do I get?

An EPUB for reading on screens and a designed, printable PDF with each day on its own page.

Get the devotional

Or get all five, the book, the course, the devotional, the journal and the guided audio, as The Complete Meister Eckhart Collection for $89, and save $29. Get the collection