Roman Catholicism, Church Institutions & Organizations, Monasticism & Asceticism 

A retreat to this kind of disciplined silence, attentive reverence for life, and whole peaceful living is why Americans are signing on in droves to yearlong waiting lists for the chance to spend a weekend at a monastery. Discard the silly images of humorless Mother Superior and emaciated monks in hair shirts; what people are seeking in the monastic experience is the chance to peel away life's accessories and gaze consciously into the woods of their present life and the horizons of their future. There is something powerfully authentic about a spiritual tradition grounded in centuries of experience.

In Essential Monastic Wisdom, Fr. Hugh Feiss collects the essential writings of the monastic tradition - in one great omnibus - for a thorough introduction to the rich history and values of Christian monasticism. Key texts by saints, monks, and scholars, both ancient and contemporary, explore the daily activities in the monastery, the character traits that the monastic orders inculcate in their members, and the passions of desire and love that animate their lives. Lessons drawn from fifteen centuries of monastic scholarship and reflection are arranged by topics such as prayer, hospitality, discernment, peace, leadership, and love. Brief original essays by Fr. Feiss at the beginning of each section provide a historical and theological context for the readings that follow and suggest how the lessons of the monastic way can provide practical insights for balanced and satisfying living.

These texts reflect both the diversity and continuity of the cloister through the ages, from the pre-Benedictine reflections of Antony and Pachomius, St. Bede, the renowned Anglo-Saxon monk and scholar, and the medieval writings of St. Hildegard of Bingen and St. Gertrude to twentieth-century scholars such as Thomas Merton and Esther de Waal. Emphasizing those aspects of the monastic tradition with the most direct relevance to daily secular life, Fr. Feiss facilitates a conversation between these great monastics and contemporary men and women who might like to meet them.

While Essential Monastic Wisdom is rooted in Christianity, the book is intended for all readers with an interest in the lessons and values of monastic life, regardless of their religious convictions.

Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, has been a Benedictine monk for over thirty-five years. He is a teacher, scholar, author, and translator whose works include several studies of the monastic tradition.

Taken from the inside flaps.

Foreword by Kathleen Norris