A new book on the Teachings of the Inner Path by Father Peter Bowes
Steps on the Way – Teachings of the Inner Path by Father Peter Bowes
The mystics have long understood how to walk the path to God through experience, humility, and love. This wisdom is the cornerstone of Father Peter Bowes’ new book, Steps on the Way. His relationship with God and authority is evident in his writing. As a result, these 18 chapters they are better described as spiritual gems carry the potential to launch spiritual aspirants into a deeper, more meaningful inner life. Topics range from finding the right spiritual teacher to parenting to the Mind of Christ, and each chapter contains Father Peter’s characteristic blend of awe-inspiring depth and down-to-earth practicality.
Introduction: Ancient and Modern Mystical Communities by Father Peter Bowes
A century and a half before Jesus came, a small group of devout men and women flourished in Palestine. In the barren hills near the Dead Sea, near the Syrian town of Engedi, a small mystical group gathered to live a simple life following truth and living according to defined laws of behavior. They lived in a social community sharing their material goods in common and devoting their lives to the service of all in need. They recognized no formal worship except personal prayer and collective work. They lived the teaching that love of God creates social usefulness. You might say that the Essenes were the first democratic society where everyone’s needs were considered and everyone mattered. The mystic does not always contemplate eternal truths. The inner experience of the mystic impels them to practice the principles that they have discovered. What mystics experience privately they apply publicly. Even if they are persecuted and misunderstood, if they are truly enlightened by God, they are sustained by their faith. The intellect is content to live in the world of thoughts. The heart cannot be confined to ideas, but escapes through good works into a larger sphere of usefulness.
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