Bieke Vandekerckhove

Bieke Vandekerckhove was a Belgian writer and Zen teacher whose work grew from a long encounter with serious illness. Diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at nineteen, she later experienced an unexpected remission and continued exploring how vulnerability could alter attention, identity, and everyday life. The Taste of Silence presents that inward journey as reflective nonfiction rather than a conventional illness memoir. Published in English by Liturgical Press and translated by Rudolf Van Puymbroeck, the book connects her experience of illness with Christian spirituality, Zen practice, solitude, and the discipline of listening. Vandekerckhove eventually became a Zen master, and her writing remains closely tied to the practical question of how a person can feel at home within uncertainty. Her calm prose does not deny fear or physical limitation. Instead, it studies silence as a lived practice, making her work relevant to readers interested in contemplative writing, spiritual memoir, and thoughtful accounts of resilience. Her reflections preserve a Flemish teacher's perspective, approaching contemplation through experience and practice rather than abstract doctrine alone.