About this title: A classic of Russian spirituality, this is the tale of a 19th-century peasant who seeks the truth with humility, finding joy in every aspect of life.
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Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Very Good. 0385468148 Paperback, Condition: Very Good; this book is in very good condition with light discoloration due to aging and other light wear. read more
Edition: Reprint
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Random House Inc
Date Published: 1992
ISBN-13:9780385468145ISBN:0385468148
Description: New. This classic work of Russian spirituality has charmed countless readers with its tale of a nineteenth-century peasant seeking the truth with simple humility, finding joy and plenty everywhere in life. read more
"I can see why I was so taken with this book the first time I read it. Then it opened doors into prayer which I never knew were possible. Now, years later, it seems less profound but still sweet and full of wonderful little vignettes about the possiblities that a life of constant prayer can offer.
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Read this MANY(!) years ago--shortly after my daughters were born. Don't know if it was the book itself, my spiritual immaturity at the time, Grace or a combination of all three, but this was a life-changing experience for me. Although there are not many spiritual mystics, we are all called in Holy Scripture to a life of contemplative prayer. The anonymous pilgrim in this "Way" offers his insights and experiences for our benefit.
"The anonymous confessions of an early 19th century Russian aestetic to his spiritual adviser, THE WAY OF A PILGRIM is a classic of Orthodox Christian spirituality and contains within its humble account a message accessible to every reader. Far from being a highfaultin' work of theology, its theme is simply the ability of any individual to dwell in the presence of God.
The author of the account speaks of how one day in a sermon he heard St Paul's exhortation to "pray without ceasing", and he wondered how that might be possible. When he asks the question of the abbot of a nearby monastery, the wise old monk introduces the pilgrim to the tradition of the prayer of the heart, or "Jesus prayer". The pilgrim wanders all over Russia, as far as Irkutsk in the east of Siberia. His account gives us an enjoyable account of Russian peasant life of the time. As he journeys about, he reads much of the Philokalia, the classic compendium of mystical writings by Orthodox saints. Essentially, the Jesus prayer is an attempt to come closer to God through ceaseless repetition of the phrase "Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." In the initial steps of his prayer life, the pilgrim says this first hundreds and then thousands of times a day. But the Jesus prayer is no mantra, having intrisic value in its, nor is it "vain repetition". Rather, the prayer is meant to guide the Christian into a ceaseless longing for God in his heart. Without that centering in the heart, speaking the words of the prayer is an empty gesture.
The work is an important representation of Orthodoxy to non-Orthodox, and it dispells two popular misconceptions about the Church. One is the accusation made by some Protestants that Orthodoxy is ritualism mediated by a priest, and does not teach a personal relationship by God. You could hardly have a greater relationship with God than calling upon him every waking (and sleeping) hour. The other misconception is that Christianity has no mystical tradition comparable to the East, but THE WAY OF A PILGRIM, once you get past its rather staid prose, will reveal profound teachings on prayer and meditation that the hippest Hindu or Buddhist fads are the palest reflections of.
The book does have a sequel, "A Pilgrim Continues His Way", which is published together with THE WAY OF A PILGRIM in some editions. I have not read this yet, and I say that if you can't find an edition with it, don't worry, as the main text has more than enough to keep you occupied. THE WAY OF A PILGRIM is a common introductory reading recommended by Orthodox priests to inquirers and converts in English-speaking countries, and I can heartily recommend it. I should note however that the Philokalia, to which the author often refers, was written for monastics and is generally considered dangerous to read without the guidance of a spiritual father."
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