The Wisdom of the Desert
Sayings from the Desert Fathers of the Fourth Century (Shambhala Library)
by Thomas Merton · first published 1960
100% recommend
In this hardcover volume in the Shambhala Library, Thomas Merton (1915-1968) shares his enthusiasm for these fourth century monks who lived in the deserts of Egypt and Palestine. They sought "purity of heart," fought the demons of the false self, and lived upright lives attuned as best they could to the Gospel. These pioneers, as Merton calls them, have much to teach us about the inner life: "What can we gain by sailing to the moon if we are not able to cross the abyss that separates us from ourselves? This is the most important of all voyages of discovery, and without it all the rest are not
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This has been a light reading year, for various reasons of circumstance and laziness, but here are the standouts in my mind: * Thomas Merton -- The Wisdom of the Desert A collection of quotes by and about the Desert Fathers of the early Christian church. I especially liked the ones that showed extreme mercy and selflessness, such as the monks who turned in a band of…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2018?” ↗You might be interested in Thomas Merton's The Wisdom of the Desert[1], and this neat blog[2] I follow pertaining to Eastern Orthodoxy. 1. https://www.ndbooks.com/book/the-wisdom-of-the-desert/ 2. https://cassianus.tumblr.com/
on “Ask HN: Activity and reading to move through mid-life crisis?” ↗Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Thomas Merton! He was a truly wise man and I have several of his books (highly recommend Zen and the Birds of Appetite and The Wisdom of the Desert!) and enjoy his "The Way of Chuang Tzu ". But Merton wasn't a translator and was instead arranging others translations, as well as interpreting passages in his own way. So while I'd certainly recommend…
on “How scientists are bringing advanced meditation out of the monastery” ↗Brueggemann is amazing. I would also add, in no particular order: - wisdom of the desert (merton's translation of the sayings of the desert fathers) - pilgrim at tinker creek; annie dillard - goatwalking, jim corbett - Impostors of God: Inquiries into our favorite Idols, william stringfellow…
on “Ask HN: Books that gave you different perspective on religion” ↗