2011 Christianity Today Book Award winner "We do not set out to become old. Far from it. We hardly intend even to become middle-aged. Instead we plan to live in some eternal now which will lead on to something better, something more complete than what we had before. . . . Sometime in our spiritual travels, as a complete surprise, we notice it has become winter. . . . This change has occurred, it seems, without preparation, without fair warning." So spirituality writer Emilie Griffin begins, taking us on an exploration of our later years. It is a book filled with wonderful, rich story, carefully crafted spiritual exercises and wisdom from those who have gone before us. She explores relocation, vocational changes, losing her mother, and negotiating and renegotiating her relationships with her grown children. The journey of our later years is a wondrous voyage, though turbulent at points. But it is, as Emilie Griffin reminds us, the journey we have been preparing for all along.

St. Augustine, Thomas Merton, Fredrick Buechner, Evelyn Underhill, A.W. Tozer, G.K. Chesterton, Thomas More, Martin Luther King, Jr., Amy Carmichael, Simone Weil, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Hildegard of Bingen, John Milton, Dorothy Day, Leo Tolstoy, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and more. . .

From nearly two thousand years of Christian writing comes Spiritual Classcs,fifty-two selections complete with a profile of each author, guided meditations for group and individual use, and reflections containing questions and exercises. Editors Richard Foster and Emilie Griffith offer their expertise by selecting inspirational writings and including their own commentary and recommendations for further guided reading and exploration.

Modern Spiritual Masters Series. Selections and a short biography offer the wisdom of the Anglican writer, an outstanding voice in twentieth-century spirituality and a modern pioneer in the mysticism of everyday life.

Time in "the wilderness" -- solitary meditation on simplicity, prayer, and other key disciplines of faith -- is directly in keeping with Jesus' example of going apart to pray. Now, with the clarity and encouragement that distinguish the Renovaré collection of spiritual resources, this gentle guide to retreat unshrouds that historical tradition -- and so reveals marvelous opportunities for spiritual renewal in contemporary Christian practice.

Helping us to create self-guided retreats -- for individuals or groups -- Emilie Griffin offers plans, encouragements, and suggestions based on her own experience and fortified by the inspiring words of contemporary Christian writers such as Eugene Peterson, Luci Shaw, and Virginia Stem Owens.

A virtual primer for retreat, this volume defines the basics and provides practical tips on setting realistic expectations and on achieving the relaxation and freedom necessary for the soul to become, in the words of de Caussade, "light as a feather." A detailed one-day retreat makes an ideal model for first-timers, and several different examples illustrate how time in the wilderness can be both accessible and wonderfully illuminating -- no matter what your schedule. Wilderness Time is another balanced, practical strategy from Renovaré helping us grow closer to God.

In Simple Ways to Pray, Emilie Griffin offers her readers an intimate and accessible introduction to the history and practice of prayer in the Catholic tradition. Meaning both to engage the beginner and encourage the experienced, Griffin explores the different types, devotional styles and techniques of prayer as well as outlining practical strategies for starting and sustaining an interior spiritual life. Describing prayer as "that deep urgency or longing for something beyond something greater than ourselves," Griffin extends an open and inclusive invitation to all readers to put themselves in the presence of God. And, by doing so, to open up their hands, minds and hearts to receive the full potential of God's love and know the richness of living an engaged spiritual life. This book is ideal for individual or group use in parishes and classrooms."

Written by an anonymous English monk during the late fourteenth century, "The Cloud of Unknowing" is a sublime expression of what separates God from humanity and is widely regarded as a hallmark of Western literature and spirituality. A work of simplicity, courage, and lucidity, it is a contemplative classic on the deep mysteries of faith.

"Lift up your heart to God with a humble impulse of love and have himself as your aim, not any of his goods ... Set yourself to rest in this darkness, always crying out after him whom you love. For if you are to experience him or to see him at all, insofar as it is possible here, it must always be in this cloud and in this darkness." -- "The Cloud of Unknowing"

The HarperCollins Spiritual Classics series presents short, accessible introductions to the classic spiritual writers of the West. Abridged from Paulist Press's distinguished Classics of Western Spirituality series, which boasts the best modern translations available, this new series seeks to find new readers for these dynamic spiritual voices--voices that have changed lives throughout the centuries and still do today.

"I saw a great mountain the color of iron, and enthroned on it One of such great glory that it blinded my sight. On each side of him there extended a soft shadow, like a wing of wondrous breadth and length. Before him, at the foot of the mountain, stood an image full of eyes on all sides, in which, because of those eyes, I could discern no human form."--Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)

Hildegard of Bingen was widely consulted as an oracle and prophet and wrote prolifically on doctrinal matters, as well as on secular matters like medicine. Scivias, her major religious work, consists of twenty-six visions, which are first set down literally as she saw them, and are then explained exegetically. As a group the visions form a theological summa of Christian doctrine and are famous for their feminine and creative imagery of the divine. This volume is especially significant for feminist historians and theologians. It elucidates the life of medieval women, and is a striking example of a special form of Christian spirituality.

"Turning" is a personal account of the author's journey to God that eloquently demonstrates how deep and complex the process of conversion can be--and how its beauty and power can be a source of inspiration to us all. This book is unlike most others of its kind in that its focus is intellectual as well as emotional.
Emilie Griffin, an accomplished advertising executive, has written a lucid series of reflections on the process of her conversion to Catholicism through the experiences of other "pilgrims" who have encouraged and challenged her. Thus the stories of C.S. Lewis, Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Bede Griffiths, and Avery Dulles wove their way into her own story, and in them all she began to see a pattern emerge. She takes the reader through the battle of intellect and will, the first stirrings of desire, through the struggles of mind and heart, to the ultimate act of surrender to the will of God. In addition, she takes up the important question of continuing conversion as the normal process of the Christian life.
A work of utter candor and simplicity, "Turning" is a twentieth-century account of the experience of conversion whose insights and applications will be universally welcomed.

The teachings of the German-born Meister Eckhart (1260-1328), Dominican philosopher and spiritual master, are among the most daring and profound in the history of Western mysticism. From counsels on discernment to a treatise on detachment as the most essential virtue, Eckhart's fascinating thoughts on the spiritual life will inspire and challenge those looking to deepen their experience of God.

Bernard of Clairvaux holds a distinguished place in the history of Christian spirituality. During the twelfth century this gentle monk from France became the primary guide for those who follow the path of selfless love as well as a spokesman for a revival in monastic life. This collection of his most important writings provides a superb introduction to a man who has greatly shaped the Western monastic and mystical traditions.

A beautiful portrait of the radical devotion of St. Antony and his call to holy living.

"It was truly amazing that being alone in such a desert Antony was niether distracted by the demons who confronted him, nor was he frightened of their ferocity when so many four-legged beasts and reptiles were there. But truly he was one who, as Scripture says, having trusted in the Lord, was like Mount Zion, keeping his mind unshaken and unruffled; so instead the demons fled and the wild beasts, as it is written, made peace with him."--from The Life of Antony

Athanasius (c. 295-373) was an Alexandrian whose life was committed at an early age to the Christian community growing there. He became a controversial bishop and one of the most vivid and forceful personalities in political and religious affairs. His famous account, The Life of Antony, inaugurated the genre of the lives of the saints and established the frame of Christian hagiography, quickly attaining the status of a classic and becoming one of the most influential writings in Christian history. It tells the spiritual story of St. Antony, the founder of Christian monasticism. A pioneer in spiritual experience, he marked a new epoch in the Christian experience and set the terms for the Church's ideal of the life of devotion. He transferred the center of monastic life from the periphery of established communities to the barren and isolated setting of a hermitage, away from civilization, in a location of solitude and serenity. The Life of Antony is a beautiful portrait of what a life committed to God demands and promises.

Emilie Griffin's new collection of poems invites us to share her journey "through the grassland of unknowing." Her hope is for wisdom to flow, for moments of delight, for deeper understandings of joy and sorrow. Here and there readers will find a touch of her characteristic humor, and always, gratefulness. These poems are brief meditations, the fruit of a long life of unexpected challenge and surprise.

A pivotal figure of the Protestant Reformation, John Calvin's vision of God changed the world. Calvin (1509-1564), who, in response to God's call became a pastor against his natural inclinations, transformed an unimportant city into a powerful force for religious reform. Today, many know of John Calvin as an historical figure, but few have read his writings or are familiar with the personal spirituality that drove his life. This volume presents the main facets of Calvin's faith, including his personal religious experience, his pastoral ministry, and his revolutionary theological vision. This is a perfect resource for those seeking to learn about the man behind the legacy.

Simplicity in forms of worship, opposition to violence, and the importance of compassionate living and thoughtful listening are hallmarks of the spirituality of the Quakers. From their beginnings in seventeenth-century England to today, the Friends have attempted to live out their belief in the presence of God's spirit within their hearts. This book features the writings of some of the most influential and inspirational Quaker thinkers -- George Fox, John Woolman, Caroline Stephen, Thomas Kelly, and others -- providing a vivid portrait of the beautiful, simple spirituality of the Quakers.

"Griffin is a trustworthy guide . . . She writes with the unmistakable authenticity and authority of a woman steeped in prayer." - America Join Emilie Griffin in this daily companion for the Lenten journey. Using ancient and modern texts as inspiration for her own reflections, Emilie Griffin nurtures and guides us into a deeper knowledge of ourselves and God. We discover that Lent is our chance for a fresh start, and an opportunity to joyfully put ourselves in God's hands. Lent is a time when we deepen our faith in a journey not of grand gestures but of small surrenders. We are converted not only once in our lives but many times, and the conversion is little by little and often imperceptible. But Lent gives us a time to move the process along, intentionally, by a series of small surrenders. When we choose some exercise for Lent-daily worship, daily prayer, abstinence from one thing or another, it is not so much the practice that transforms us, but it is our willingness to change. -from Small Surrenders

John of the Cross was a sixteenth-century Spanish Carmelite monk, mystic, and contemporary of Teresa of Avila who became one of Christianity's foremost spiritual teachers. He is most famous for his lyrical poetry, in which he beautifully describes a tender, loving God. This volume contains his most stirring works, including the classic "The Dark Night," in which John expands on the role of darkness in the spiritual journey:

"It remains to be said, then, that even though this happy night darkens the spirit, it does so only to impart light concerning all things. And even though it humbles persons and reveals their miseries, it does so only to exalt them. And even though it impoverishes and empties them of all possessions and natural affection, it does so only that they may reach out divinely to the enjoyment of all earthly and heavenly things, with a general freedom of spirit in them all." -- John of the Cross

Teresa of Avila, a renowned sixteenth-century Spanish mystic, received the vision for The Interior Castle one Sunday in 1577. In this signature work, Teresa uses the castle as a symbol for the interior life to describe her mystical experience of the presence of God. Her humble and straightforward treatise invites readers on a spiritual journey to enter into the deep places in their soul where they will find God.

"The soul of the just person is nothing else but a paradise where the Lord says he finds his delight. So then, what do you think that abode will be like where a King so powerful, so wise, so pure, so full of all good things takes his delight? I don't find anything comparable to the magnificent beauty of a soul and its marvelous capacity." -- Teresa of Avila

St. Gregory of Nyssa (335-394 CE), who came from an illustrious Christian family of Capadocia, became bishop of the small town of Nyssa in 371 and is known as one of the founders of mystical theology in the Church. In "The Life of Moses," one of the most important books in the study of Christian mysticism, Gregory retells the story of Moses's life from the biblical account in Exodus and Numbers and then refers back to these stories as the basis for profound spiritual lessons. The ultimate goal of Gregory's spirituality is to strive for infinite progress in the never-completed journey to God. His exhortations to lead a life of virtue will inspire all who hope to increase their knowledge and love of God.

William Law (1686-1761) was an Anglican priest who specialized in providing spiritual direction. This occupation led his writings to be concrete and specific, yet profound and filled with rich insights. His best known piece, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, has inspired countless generations and deeply influenced the English religious revivals. The selections here offer practical spiritual direction for those seeking a meaningful life of prayer and devotion.