When Prayers Aren't Answered

Opening the Heart and Quieting the Mind in Challenging Times

In the depths of grief, some find solace in their faith, while others feel that God has deserted them. In this gentle and wise guide, a beloved spiritual teacher counsels that prayer works — but not always in the ways we expect. Welshons, who has worked closely with Ram Dass and Stephen Levine and trained with Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, confronts life’s most challenging experiences directly, acknowledging both the reality and inevitability of unexpected, unwanted change. Then, with insights gathered from the world’s great spiritual traditions, he shows how to use painful circumstances as fuel for enlightenment. In short, step-by-step chapters, Welshons shares stories of transformation from his own life and the lives of those he has counseled. With deep empathy, he lights a path toward the communion, peace, and joy that are possible when we open our hearts to life in its totality.