Ascetic Discourse

A long, warm, practical encouragement to persevere in the contemplative life. Unlike the compressed aphoristic style of many Philokalic texts, Neilos writes at length and with evident affection for his reader. The discourse covers the full range of ascetic life — fasting, prayer, dealing with thoughts, the dangers of acedia — in a tone that is fatherly rather than systematic. Best suited for readers who are already committed to the path but need encouragement to continue through the inevitable periods of dryness and difficulty.