The pilgrim's inner journey begins when he is struck upon hearing the words of Paul (in I Thessalonians 5:17) to "pray without ceasing." He visits churches and monasteries to try and understand how to pray without ceasing. His travels lead him to a starets (a spiritual father) who teaches him the Jesus Prayer-"Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me"-and gives him practical advice on how to recite the prayer uninterruptedly, as a type of mantra.The book details the gradual spiritual development and struggles of the narrator, and the effect the narrator's spirituality has on those around him.
The pilgrim's inner journey begins when he is struck upon hearing the words of Paul (in I Thessalonians 5:17) to "pray without ceasing." He visits churches and monasteries to try and understand how to pray without ceasing. His travels lead him to a starets (a spiritual father) who teaches him the Jesus Prayer-"Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me"-and gives him practical advice on how to recite the prayer uninterruptedly, as a type of mantra.The book details the gradual spiritual development and struggles of the narrator, and the effect the narrator's spirituality has on those around him.
