Spiritual Counsels
by St John of Kronstadt
Published by St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1967 (1st Edition)
ISBN: 0-913836-92-3
“In what does the Christian life consist? In having nothing in the heart but Christ, or, if possessing earthly blessings, in not in the least attaching oneself to them, but in clinging with the whole heart to Christ.” (Chapter 8: The Spiritual Warfare, Part 3: The Life of the Spirit p. 141)
‘Spiritual Counsels’ by St John of Kronstadt is filled with such gems of wisdom, clarity and insight.
This book is composed of selected short passages from St John of Kronstadt’s spiritual diary ‘My Life in Christ’, which was published in Russian and translated into other languages during the lifetime of the Saint, in the late 19th century. These passages reflect the author’s own deep spiritual experience and theological insight and are written in plain language for everyone to understand. St John was a married priest but nevertheless was a man totally devoted to prayer of the heart and the other person regardless of class, wealth or level of spirituality.
This book is separated into topics such as the necessity and difficulty of prayer, the nature of spiritual warfare, our attitude to the sins of others, the practice of the presence of God in daily life and the dangers of caring too much for the flesh. The way that this book is structured allows one to open it on any page and be edified by its simplicity and profoundness at the same time. Hence, it is suitable both for beginners and for those more experienced in the spiritual life.
Source: June-July 2014 Lychnos Edition