I Am Because of You

Hermit, Zen Christian, spiritual globetrotter: in time for his 90th birthday in July of 2016,
Brother David tells his incomparably rich life story. Beginning with his childhood in
Vienna, he describes his time in World War II and his years as a student after the war,
his family s emigration to the US and his entry into the then newly founded Benedictine
monastery in the state of New York. There, he soon began looking for what were then
still untrodden spiritual paths with undiscovered entryways to non-Christian religions.
He became particularly involved in the dialogue between Christianity and Buddhism,
founding the Center for Spiritual Studies in 1968, together with Jews, Buddhists,
Hindus and Muslims. His work encouraging dialogue between religions earned him the
1975 Martin Buber Award.
Contemplation and periods of public life alternate with Brother David: he spends half
the year living as a recluse in the hermitage near his Benedictine monastery. Mysticism
is his mission but not a mysticism devoid of connection to the world. His is a mysticism
of the everyday, of life immediate in the now, of experiencing fully. He is convinced that
God s spirit speaks in and to us all.
Unparalleled: unique biography of one of the most significant spiritual teachers and
global guest speaker
Brother David Steindl-Rast, born 1926 in Vienna, studied psychology, art, and
anthropology. In 1952, he emigrated to the US, joined a Benedictine monastery, and
practiced Zen. He is co-founder of the Center for Spiritual Studies and a recipient of the
Martin Buber Award. When not travelling to lectures or as a spiritual teacher, he lives
in the US as a hermit.

Brother David Steindl-Rast was born 1926 in Vienna, Austria. In 1952, he immigrated to the United States, joined a Benedictine monastery, and practiced Zen. He is cofounder of the Center for Spiritual Studies and a recipient of the 1975 Martin Buber Award. At present, Brother David serves a worldwide Network for Grateful Living through gratefulness.org, an interactive website with several thousand participants daily from more than 240 countries and territories. When not traveling to lectures or as a spiritual teacher, he lives in the United States as a hermit.