Attentiveness as Spiritual Discipline–On Simone Weil

Simone Weil, a French philosopher who made her way to Christianity through mysticism (a 20th century Pascal), wrote far more than I have managed to read. Nonetheless, her essay “Reflections on the Right Use of School Studies with a View to the Love of God” has remained lodged in my memory for a long time. In it, she stresses how attentiveness–paying attention–is at the heart of both study and prayer. This continues to be relevant a century later in our Age of Distractedness (digital and otherwise).

There is now a documentary about Weil. You can read about it and her here.