Listen to the Desert: Secrets of Spiritual Maturity from the Desert Fathers and Mothers

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Summary: A very excellent book on contemplative practice...
Review: I have read and re-read this book many times and it always amazes me the gems of wisdom that it contains. Gregory Mayers presents a simple path to contemplative practice that has enriched my religious and daily life significantly. The wisdom of the desert fathers is profound in its applications to modern life and especially to modern religions.

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Summary: Turns spirituality to psychobabble
Review: Mayers takes the essentially simple sayings of the desert fathers and mothers and goes off on psychological tangents that often seem to have little to do with the sayings themselves. I took little away from the psychological essays that I felt could help to deepen my spirituality. A better way to approach these sayings is to read them as presented by Thomas Merton in The Wisdom of the Desert and let the sayings alone speak as meditations to your heart.

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Summary: A challenging look at modern Christian spirituality
Review: This short work is an excellent introduction to issues in modern spirituality, drawing upon the teachings of early Christian mystics who lived during the 4th century for answers. The author explains some of stories told of these early teachers and their students, in the light of modern psychology. The book also suggests how modern institutional religions may be missing the mark when their practice is based on fundamentalism, authoritarianism, and distrust of individual conscience. The alternatives suggested by the author are both rooted in tradition and modern thought, and provide a refreshing new look at Christian spirituality.