David Steindl-Rast

BROTHER DAVID STEINDL-RAST (b. 1926) was born in Austria and came to the United States after receiving his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Vienna. As a member of the Benedictine Order of Catholic monks, he is known for pioneering work in interfaith dialog, especially between Christianity and Buddhism, for his promotion of the spiritual practice of gratefulness, and for his efforts to revitalize contemplative prayer life. For decades, Brother David has divided his time between periods of hermit’s life and extensive lecture and retreat tours on five continents. He is author of numerous books, including the classics of spirituality Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer and A Listening Heart, and he is the co-founder of A Network for Grateful Living, an organization dedicated to gratefulness as a transformative influence for individuals and society. Audio and video recordings of Brother David can be found at www.gratefulness.org, a website viewed by over twenty thousand visitors per day.