What do you think?
Rate this book
The Graces of Interior Prayer: A Treatise on Mystical Theology
The Journey of Prayer
The classic manual on prayer, mysticism, and spiritual direction, this edition has been retypeset and reprinted. It is a roadmap of the signs and stages of contemplative prayer. How do I know if I am progressing in prayer? How should I conduct myself in each stage? What difficulties and trials may I encounter along the way? What are the experiences of the mystic saints, and the principles outlined by theologians throughout Church history? These questions, and many others, the Jesuit Father Augustin Poulain addresses in this edifying book, The Graces of Interior Prayer.
First published in 1901 and given an approbation by Pope St. Pius X, it was reprinted by popular demand in many subsequent editions and languages. Fr. Poulain had a talent for making accessible to ordinary people the delicate and often misunderstood subject of contemplative prayer. Systematically addressing the stages of growth in prayer, and filled with references and extracts from saints and theologians throughout the 2,000 year history of the Roman Catholic Church, it is an impressive, scholarly work.
Especially suited to inform and help spiritual directors with discernment in guiding souls along the path to full union with God, it delineates and distinguishes between many of the experiences that at one point may be confused for those of another point; and between those that are genuine with those that are imagination, fantasy, or diabolical illusion.
This book can be a source of clarity and consolation for many who cannot see the path before them.
The classic manual on prayer, mysticism, and spiritual direction, this edition has been retypeset and reprinted. It is a roadmap of the signs and stages of contemplative prayer. How do I know if I am progressing in prayer? How should I conduct myself in each stage? What difficulties and trials may I encounter along the way? What are the experiences of the mystic saints, and the principles outlined by theologians throughout Church history? These questions, and many others, the Jesuit Father Augustin Poulain addresses in this edifying book, The Graces of Interior Prayer.
First published in 1901 and given an approbation by Pope St. Pius X, it was reprinted by popular demand in many subsequent editions and languages. Fr. Poulain had a talent for making accessible to ordinary people the delicate and often misunderstood subject of contemplative prayer. Systematically addressing the stages of growth in prayer, and filled with references and extracts from saints and theologians throughout the 2,000 year history of the Roman Catholic Church, it is an impressive, scholarly work.
Especially suited to inform and help spiritual directors with discernment in guiding souls along the path to full union with God, it delineates and distinguishes between many of the experiences that at one point may be confused for those of another point; and between those that are genuine with those that are imagination, fantasy, or diabolical illusion.
This book can be a source of clarity and consolation for many who cannot see the path before them.
- GenresSpirituality
708 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1901
6 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 22, 2021
The best instructional book on prayer.
March 5, 2026
This is the best technical description on the stages of Christian prayer. Unlike popular belief Christian goes beyond ideas, thoughts etc to simplified loving attention which looks similar eastern meditation practices. This book is the best explanation on those different stages of prayer. Its thorough and also extremely practical book.
First time read was through Chatgpt. I pasted the text of the book into Chatgpt and asked it to summarize and simplify the language. Reading it second time sentence by sentence I find great value to this book and appreciate the effort author put it to thoroughly explain such a subtle subject as of mysticism.
First time read was through Chatgpt. I pasted the text of the book into Chatgpt and asked it to summarize and simplify the language. Reading it second time sentence by sentence I find great value to this book and appreciate the effort author put it to thoroughly explain such a subtle subject as of mysticism.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews