Fundamentals Of The Process Of Spiritual Perfection

Written as a concise handbook, this Practical Guide presents a novel paradigm for addressing the enduring questions of our existence, while providing a roadmap to the rational pursuit of spirituality in contemporary life. Approaching our spiritual development as one would any experimental science, Bahram Elahi, MD, describes the nature of the human soul, or self, through a series of original diagrams and functional analogies to medicine, psychology, and physics. In so doing, he introduces a new medicine of the soul that not only establishes how to nourish and develop the soul through the practice of correct divine and ethical principles, but also how to diagnose and treat its various ailments. Explaining the purpose of our presence on earth as the completion of the first stage in our spiritual development, he summarizes this fundamental work in three main points: examining and mending one’s faith, sufficiently developing one’s sound reason, and cultivating one’s humanity. Ultimately, this timely Practical Guide offers readers of all backgrounds an accessible roadmap to our spiritual journey that is adapted to life in modern society.

The 17 Steps to Perfection is a meditation process that draws upon the qualities and energies of planets and the universe to help us connect with our soul, cleanse ourselves, become peaceful and harmonious, and eventually attain perfection. The Flame Meditation is a practice that prepares us for the journey towards perfection - it is the daily 'spiritual shower', helping us cleanse and purify, connect with our inner being, and open the door for the further inner work found in the 17 Steps to Perfection. This book begins with a brief teaching on meditation for those who are new to this work, and for those who would like to learn more about meditation as a discipline. The Flame Meditation is then given, followed by a brief introduction to the 17 Steps to Perfection. Some further explanation of the planetary energies and characteristics is then given, and a summary table of the planetary energies, with their qualities and symbols is provided for reference. The main section of the book consists of the 'Steps' - meditations on the 16 planets and the Rhythm of the Universe. An appendix and indices complete the text.

Here's help for everyone who makes good resolutions, but who has trouble keeping them. According to the author, Fr. Philip E. Dion, your problem is probably not that you're too weak to be good - God gives everyone the help he needs to conquer sin. Rather, you may be struggling because you aren't taking full advantage of the many spiritual means that God has made available to help you live a truly holy life. That's why Fr. Dion wrote The Handbook of Spiritual Perfection - to show you simple ways that you can, by God's grace, start keeping your resolutions once and for all. In a word, this wise book explains how God has provided you with everything you need to overcome your faults and, indeed, to be perfect! Fr. Dion gives you practical methods for using God's gifts profitably and intelligently. He shows you how to motivate yourself to grow in holiness, how to pray more deeply than you may ever have before, how to identify and root out your predominant fault (and your other faults), how to make your Confessions more fruitful, how to abandon yourself to God's will, and much more. Above all, Fr. Dion reveals how you can integrate his sensible and deeply spiritual advice into your daily life, so that at every moment you'll be giving glory to God and reaping the peace and happiness that come from serving Him.

THE LADDER OF PERFECTION is a guide to the contemplative life in which the soul is reformed to the image and likeness of God. Book One provides an overview of contemplation and its prerequisites, a discussion of prayer and meditation, and a path for dealing with sins, both obvious and hidden, through self-awareness, humility, and the love of God. By these means one passes through the darkness known to another English mystic as "the cloud of unknowing." Book Two distinguishes between the reform of the soul that is in faith only and the reform that is in both faith and feeling. Loving Jesus is the way through the initial darkness that one sees after withdrawal from the world of the senses, and God gives light to those who persevere in this work. The spiritual eye is opened in a way that cannot be arrived at by mere intellectual study, nor by individual effort. Contemplation is given by God. After further progress, the soul knows itself as it is, and Jesus speaks directly to her.

Here is an inspiring collection of the teachings of Master Nur Ali, the great Sufi teacher and prophet, written and compiled by his third child, Mr. Elahi. These spiritual instructions are available and applicable for everyone, regardless of particular religious beliefs.

Ostad Elahi's Knowing the Spirit provides a concise and remarkably illuminating philosophic account of our unique place in the universe: of the creative expressions of the divine Spirit throughout nature, and of the process of the soul's deepening perfection through all the challenges and lessons of our existence in this world and beyond. This revealing book draws together in a single vision those symbolic teachings and spiritual insights familiar to many Western readers today through the classical mystical poetry of Rumi, Hafez, and Attar. The historical context and language of this study are marked by the confluence of classical Islamic philosophy and spirituality, including Sufi thought, and their scriptural sources. But Elahi's thought integrates those influences and marks them with the magisterial imprint of his own profound spiritual experience and characteristic simplicity, openness, and directness of expression. This volume offers a singular masterpiece of recent spiritual thought, opening up fundamental human perspectives and possibilities too often clouded by the distractions of current events. The emphatic universality of both the subject and presentation of Knowing the Spirit points the way to unsuspected bridges between different civilizations and religious traditions, indeed to the prospect of an inclusive "science of spirituality" based on the common ground of each person's spiritual life and experience.

The Way of Perfection by Sister Teresa of Ávila was originally written for the sisters of her reformed convent of the Carmelite Order but this work has since become classic text in Christian spirituality and mysticism, especially in the realm of prayer. St. Teresa set out to teach how to progress through prayer and Christian meditation. The first 18 of the 42 chapters discuss the rationale of being a nun, the rest deal with purpose and approaches to spiritual life. Herein she describes ways of attaining spiritual perfection through prayer and its four stages, as in meditation, quiet, repose of soul and finally perfect union with God, which she equates with rapture. Written in a direct and accessible style.

Complete edition of the The Way of Perfection by Saint Teresa of Avila, translated by E. Allison Peers. This edition includes over 100 footnotes, creating a study edition for readers to better understand Avila's spiritual path to deepening a relationship with God and His glorious peace. It is beautiful advice, written to friends, about the stages of prayer and practicing a spiritual life. For many, it is a soul piercing and inspiring book. "Blessed and praised be the Lord, from Whom comes all the good that we speak and think and do." No student of thought should be without this historic book. This edition is provided in a slim volume with full text at an affordable price.