Customer Reviews

Illuminated Life: Monastic Wisdom for Seekers of Light

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Sister Joan Chittister's Illuminated Life is a summons, a summons to life. Life is not an exercise to be endured, the author tells us, but a mystery to be unfolded. Life comes from the living of it. The attitudes and insights of our lives are based on our pursuit of the presence of God, often in the most ungodly of times and situations.

The purpose of Illuminated Life is to teach us to be contemplative in the midst of chaos. To facilitate this, Chittister divides her book into a series of alphabetized meditations on spiritual qualities ranging from "Awareness" to "Zeal." Each meditation begins with a story from one of the early Christian Desert Mystics and follows with an essay that moves the reader from principle to praxis.

The stories are delightful and show both depth of scholarship and sensitivity. The essays, designed for reading in one sitting, are insightful and wise. My favorite is on "Growth." Beginning with a story about Abba Mios, it segues into a discussion of life as a never ending process of growth and change, whether we like it or not. According to Chittister, growth is based on choice. Every day of our lives we grow a little more into God or a little more into self. After reading Sr. Joan, it would take a truly hardened heart not to grow into God.

I admit it, I am a fan of Joan Chittister. And I am a fan of my autographed copy of this book. It's on my night table right now, and I am in the midst of my 3rd read-through. Now that I've explained my own prejudices...

If one is looking for an in depth analysis of Benedictine spirituality (as some other reviewers seem to be) then this is not the book. However, there is value here. The book has 26 entries, an A-Z of monastic values, each a small perfect jewel in itself. One can pick up this book and spend just a few minutes reading in one area, then put the book down until the next time. If the next time is months later, nothing is lost in the interim. Each little essay can stand on its own. You don't need to read the whole book, all at once, and in linear progression. Pick one value, read the essay, meditate upon it, comtemplate it. A form of lectio is you will. Contemplate it for 5 minutes, 5 days or 5 months. Then move on to another. Jump around. Skip some. Stay with your top 5 favorites or do them all, one per 2 week period, and get through the book in a year.

The beauty of this format is that it is so easily accessible, accessible to ANY spiritual seeker. Joan Chittister's writing is eminently practical and down to earth. No scholarly analysis or 25 cent words to trip over. No esoteric concepts. This may be the plain bread and cheese at a table of gourmet delicacies... but sometimes you just want a grilled cheese sandwich.

I don't believe that the reviews here do justice to this profound work. I have read many books on the spiritual search and this is one of the best. I have lately been struggling with what prayer means and her chapter on prayer is the best I've ever read. It is a refreshing antidote to the books that say prayer, and God, for that matter, are a means to personal power and things going your way. Joan Chittister is a wise woman, steeped in years of the contemplative tradition, and in this book she shares the fruits of her wisdom. She illuminates all of us.

Once again, Joan Chittister breaks through the ordinary to share a vision of life! What strikes me most about Joan Chittister's writing is its immediacy and accessibility--its reality and relevance for NOW.

Joan does not indulge in "feel good" religion. Her words are not sugar-coated or politically correct. I find this book compelling because of its authenticity and its joy. Truth is spoken here, and hope shared. Each piece of wisdom, each "light", illuminates a necessary practice guiding deeper into conversion, beckoning into God.

Illuminated Life by Joan Chittister is a priceless collection of reflections from mystics of the third and fourth centuries followed by a highly enlightening expounding on many contemplative subjects. Each subject taken in alphabetical order is carefully composed by this nun to allow a deeply contemplative individiaul or group to probe its mysteries with considerable reflective thought. This book is a must-read for all spiritual directors, contemplatives, and those involved in deep spiritual formation.

I ordered this for a Sister (nun) who lives at the Assisted Living facility where I work.

She says that this book is wonderful and many of the other Sisters have really enjoyed it.

This book resonants for me so powerfully as a Quaker and a feminist. My mother-in-law sent me this and I was dubious about it -- written by a nun, with a cover that looks so traditionally Catholic? But Joan Chittister is anything but traditional, and her understanding of deep spiritual life in the 21st century is awesome. It's not written for women, but it speaks to women's spirituality strongly. I recommend this especially for women who are looking for a guide on the path to that Inner Light that awesomely speaks to us out of deepest silence.

I love this little book! It's a quick and easy read that you'll want to do over and over again, but perhaps slower each time with greater reflection. I haven't gotten tired of it yet. In fact, I've purchased several copies to give to each of my friends and they loved it!

This lovely and thoughtful lexicon offers delightful vignettes of the desert fathers (and mothers). With Chittister's own definitions ranging from 'beauty' to 'xenophilia' (love of strangers) there is inspiration and food for thought on every page. One of her very best!

This was the most provocative book I read in 2009. I found it so engaging that I purchased several more to share with friends. I find it also makes a great hostess gift!