The Ways of Mental Prayer
by Vital Lehodey
Dom Vital Lehodey was a Trappist abbot in France around the turn of the twentieth century. Trappists are not known for small talk, and The Ways of Mental Prayer doesn't waste words. It is his practical manual on interior prayer, drawn from long experience guiding monks.
Lehodey starts at the beginning: what mental prayer is, why it matters and how to prepare. He walks through methods of meditation step by step. He tackles the usual trouble, distractions and dryness. Then he moves on to affective prayer and the prayer of simplicity. Later chapters describe the higher stages of contemplation, drawing on St. Teresa of Ávila and St. John of the Cross, always with sober, practical advice.
It suits people who already pray and want to learn meditation seriously, those drawn to Carmelite and monastic spirituality, and spiritual directors. It's a traditional manual, orderly and thorough, and it rewards slow reading over months.
Key Takeaways
- What mental prayer is and how to prepare.
- Step-by-step methods of meditation.
- How to deal with distraction and dryness.
- The stages of contemplative prayer.
It's a practical manual for learning meditation and contemplation.
