The contemplative tradition in Christianity traces its origins back to the person of Jesus himself who frequently withdrew to quiet places to pray.This biblical precedent has inspired a tradition of contemplation through the centuries and this remarkable book reveals the life and teachings of the great Christian mystics including:Jesus,St John& St Paul,the Early Church Fathers-Clement,Origen,Gregory of Nyssa,Desert Mothers and Fathers-Macarius,Evagrius,Cassian,the Monastics-Benedict,Francis,the earlu English mystics-Julian of Norwich,Marjorie Kemp and Walter Hilton,the European tradition-St John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, Meister Eckhart,the poets-Traheren,George Herbert,modern day mystics-Merton, Bede, Griffiths,John Main.Introduced by Laurence Freeman OSB