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Summary: A balanced and sober approach to Christian ascetics
Review: A great introduction to Christian ascetics. It is very balanced, sober and ideal for a modern American.
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Summary: best book i've ever read - inspirational!
Review: an amazing book, thoughtfully and articulately written, and filled with inspiration, wisdom, and depth. once i started it, i couldn't put it down. i recommend it to anyone - independent of your spiritual/religious leanings. it's the kind of book i'll (hope to) read 10 times, and continue to peruse over the years, because the lessons for life are enduring.
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Summary: Abandonment abandoned.
Review: I read widely on monasticism and find this book filled with good ideas, but more as a self-help than a God-helps manual. God is there, but much of the material stresses our action rather than God doing the acting within us. Good ideas, but not the sense of abandonment to God which is the more usual spiritual journey of contemplative monks and mystics.
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Summary: Read this book if you want to learn how to acheive Happiness
Review: Outstanding! A feast of the practical and the balanced. This book gives the reader a breifing about the Monks of New Skete and answers questions like "What is Monasticism? and What is a Monk?" etc. in the "Interlude" chapters.
Then in the other chapters it offers practical advice on living a balanced Christian life that is community centered (Matthew 18:20 & 2 Peter 1:20.) In the chapters "Sacred Reading and the Word" and "Practicing Sacred Reading" they offer advice conserning the daily reading of the Psalms, which anyone will benefit from.
As evidenced in other reviews the modern conservative fundamentalist crowd might have a minor mute issue with something in this book.
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Summary: Spiritual guidance for everyone
Review: This book by the monks of New Skete presents concrete, down-to-earth examples of how to try to grasp that elusive quality known as happiness. Easy to read, the reason I like the book so much is that it presents everyday, common problems, usually by a visitor to the monastery relating his/her experience, which reflects many of the same concerns, problems, etc., that I, or anyone might encounter in everyday life. It also presents concrete, accessible ways for us to take daily steps toward attaining happiness in this life. No estoteric, impossible-to-achieve "rules to attain happiness" here, just practical things one can do every day.
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Summary: BEST BOOK ON THE SPIRITUAL LIFE FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE
Review: This book is amazing. I have read many books on the spiritual life and the monastic life, and this is the very best. Although written by monks, this book presents profound insights into living a completely spiritual, peaceful, and happy life in the world. This exceptional book will transform your perspectives on work, love, prayer, and the whole of life, and direct you towards bringing every aspect of your busy life into complete harmony and happiness. Very realistic and deep wisdom expressed very simply to accomodate all audiences, from monk to businessman to world leader. If you desire a deeper spiritual life, a more meaningful life, or a happier life, you must read this book!
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Summary: BEST BOOK ON THE SPIRITUAL LIFE FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE
Review: This book is amazing. I have read many books on the spiritual life and the monastic life, and this is the very best. Although written by monks, this book presents profound insights into living a completely spiritual, peaceful, and happy life in the world. This exceptional book will transform your perspectives on work, love, prayer, and the whole of life, and direct you towards bringing every aspect of your busy life into complete harmony and happiness. Very realistic and deep wisdom expressed very simply to accomodate all audiences, from monk to businessman to world leader. If you desire a deeper spiritual life, a more meaningful life, or a happier life, you must read this book!
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Summary: Worth your time
Review: This book is well worth reading. It is most effective when using back-and-forth conversation to teach (as opposed to long lecture type passages.) The treatment of Lectio Divina, especially as it relates to the Psalms, is one of the clearest I've ever read. There is also a great chapter on work as a spiritual entity.
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Summary: Nurturing a dialog with God
Review: This little book is full of wisdom that teaches how to nurture a relationship with God. It describes the monastic spiritual experience and then distills those elements that can be useful outside the cloister in everyday life.
Most of all, there's an attitude of holiness that is profound without being sacchrine.
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Summary: You don't have to be a monk...
Review: We came across this book quite by accident, when looking for something else (we've forgotten what!) in the self-help section of a local bookstore. It seemed to jump off the shelf at us!You don't have to be a monk to read this, or follow it. The writing is down to earth, and follows a seeker's experience with the monks who broke away from their original Franciscan monastery in the mid 1960's, to form their own. This is no easy feat! They were led by the belief there is meaning in eastern christianity (fundamentalists or traditionalists will find this book too liberal for their liking). Indeed, their monastery had room for brothers and sisters, living a celibate spiritual life. There is much beauty and substance in this book -- we only wish it were available in paperback, to make it more accessible to more people. If you are wondering how to live a spiritual life every day, if you would like to be monklike, but have responsibilities that keep you in the worldy life, do not despair! This book is something that can help you, and uplift you, in a down-to-earth yet uplifting way!
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