Beverly Lanzetta

A global spiritual evolution is taking place in hearts and souls as people seek fundamental depth of meaning for their lives today. In the trajectory of spiritual consciousness, we are entering a time when so much is being birthed. Theologian, spiritual teacher, and author of many books on constructive mysticism, Beverly Lanzetta explores 10 movements in mysticism, including the via feminina, the intercontemplative way, the necessity of the Dark Night of the Soul, and new understandings of the seasons of the soul.

Sacred Seasons is a collection of spiritual wisdom drawn from the expressive writings of Beverly Lanzetta. As a daily practice, the meditative entries call us into living light of the Divine, encouraging us to slow down and savor the gift of sacred time. There are moments when we feel we have been touched by something elusive and mysterious, by the hidden workings of the universe, as if Spirit were reaching out to us personally. These encounters are special and often change our perception and wishes, even if for a few short minutes. It is hoped that the meditations in this book will be another touch from Spirit, a little opening into the world on the other side of the precious veil that conceals the holy and the beautiful.

A Feast of Prayers: Liturgy to Holy Mystery expresses the song of the soul, an inner depth of feeling spontaneously overflowing in words of praise, petition, thanksgiving, and lament. It is, as well, a call to prayer, to follow a liturgy during designated times of the day in a weekly cycle. The impulse to pray is universal. From the moment of birth, until death stills our breath, each human heart, each soul, recites a ceaseless prayer, the very existence of our spirit in physical form an invocation toward the divine. Prayer is the language of the spirit. It is our first language. A Feast of Prayers is a joyful and practical companion to sanctifying each day. Included are morning, noon, and evening prayers, as well as prayers for special occasions.

Foundations in Spiritual Direction visually repeats the process and atmosphere that occurs when deep listening and respectful sharing take place. Through the interplay of text and sacred art images, the book is designed to re-awaken our metaphorical minds and liberate our intuitive knowing. Reading and viewing each chapter meditatively in the time-honored manner of sacred reading, allows words to engage more deeply in our mind and heart. To facilitate this process, Foundations in Spiritual Direction includes meditative practices drawn from the world's religions, suggestions for further study and research, and informative definitions of spiritual terminology. To achieve maximum benefit from the book, readers are encouraged to try each of the meditation and prayer practices, and investigate further the new concepts and insights presented. Following the subsection of each chapter is a page of journal questions. These are designed to facilitate the awakening of inner wisdom through the process of writing. Perhaps the most important benefit of journaling is to write freely and openly from the heart, drinking from the great well of silence within.

The Monk Within is written for the person seeking a deeper, contemplative orientation to daily life. Yearning for inner realization of divine wisdom, this "new monk" draws on four interlocking themes: embodied spirituality grounded in the sacred web of life; the mystical path of the feminine, inspired by women's monastic communities; the archetype of the monk that is the deep truth of every person; and the interdependence of the world's wisdom traditions, expressed through interfaith, interspiritual dialogue.

Path of the Heart is a modern spiritual classic, and the first written account of the life-changing mystical revelations of divine suffering and divine love that Beverly Lanzetta experienced in 1976. Completed in 1984, and published in 1985, the text describes the interior process of mystical intimacy or union, combining insights from her own transformation with those she witnessed in the souls of people who came to her for spiritual guidance. Now published in a new expanded edition with Beverly's commentary on each chapter, Path of the Heart is a guide for those who deeply yearn for spiritual meaning in life. "I hope" she says, "that by passing on the underlying method of the mystical journey, my fellow seekers will be aided in their own search for the Unknown." "Beverly Lanzetta describes the desire for the spiritual quest, its stages, obstacles, its progressive unfolding, and its culmination...a rare combination of mature spiritual wisdom and poetic quality that transcends confessional lines and other boundaries." -Ewert H. Cousins, editor of The Classics of Western Spirituality and Professor Emeritus, Theology Department, Fordham University