Father Gilbert Shaw (1886–1967) reflects on the inner life of Christian devotion in this book, a meditative exploration of prayer shaped less by intellectual analysis than by love, desire, and the steady turning of the heart towards God. Drawing on the spiritual traditions of St Ignatius Loyola, St Bernard, St Augustine, and the medieval mystics, Shaw presents affective prayer as a discipline of attention, humility, and perseverance rather than emotional intensity alone.
Shaw’s thoughtful style guides readers through the movement from formal meditation into a more intimate and sustained awareness of the Divine presence. Shaw warns against both spiritual self-consciousness and emotional excess, arguing instead for faithful repetition, self-surrender, and quiet endurance. The text culminates with two devotional prayers on self-surrender and humility, offering practical expressions of the spiritual ideals he describes. Combining theological reflection with pastoral urgency, this short work is a rich introduction to the classical tradition of contemplative Christian prayer.