Sadhana, a Way to God: Christian Exercises in Eastern Form

Whether or not de Mello was "enlightened" or not when he wrote this (based on another reviewer's comments), this book serves as a classic primer for the fundamentals of Christian prayer. It includes much of the eastern influence which de Mello became more associated with toward the end of his life. The book talks much about meditation, lectio divina, and the spiritual exercises. De Mello's contribution here is to attempt to bridge a gap in Christian prayer with some non-traditional methods. It is an invitation to a deeper form of prayer, where communication with God comes through the heart. Indeed, this form of prayer is all the more Christian in my opinion for its observance of the type of prayer Jesus himself used according to scripture.

This book, contrary to some of the criticism it has received through the years, is a classic resource for meditation and prayer for those of us on a spiritual journey; and if you ask me, it doesn't much matter what religion you happen to practice. The word "Sadhana" has a myriad of meanings, so it reminds me of Ludwig Wittgenstein's old slogan, "Don't give me the meaning, give me the use!" And the use, my dear friends, is esoteric for each and every one of us. Sadhana could be described as a personal understanding of God, or discipline-even spiritual practice. In this book Anthony offers 47 exercises derived from Zen Buddhist sources, Christian scripture, modern psychology, and even yoga; de Mello's palate was always an eclectic one. He was a true master when it came time for him to speak to an audience, retaining this mysterious ability to completely captivate all those in the room. In some sense, what de Mello prescribes in this work is basically zazen meditation (Zen Buddhist form of meditation); even going so far as facing our corpse in order to live freely as though we were already dead. Wonderful advice. This book is much more than "cognized prayer"-no-this one talks about devoting your entire being into the act, not simply your words. An earlier reviewer remarked that Anthony would not recommend this book; I don't know of such information, and I certainly don't find him to be the type to make `claims of enlightenment.' I would have smacked him if he said, "I wrote this before my enlightenment." Such a naughty word - "BEFORE." Nora gives the fundamentalists side of the book, of which this work will never satisfy such folk. I'm sorry, but Anthony de Mello was a mystic, not a poisonous snake dancer. Nora demonstrates the Vatican's take in a nutshell, yet if you look at the early Gnostic texts, it's all right there; perfectly in line with what de Mello speaks about in here. We must knock inward, to realize there NEVER WAS AN INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. Anyway, I got off subject a bit. Great book!

Sadhana is a book that continuously leaves my possession into the hands of friends. It is the best written, most comprehensive book on meditation; as suitable for the beginner as it is for someone like myself who has been meditating for almost 30 years.Although deMello intended the book to be a guide for group meditation, it serves the individual as well. In Sadhana, deMello has conjoined Eastern and Western techniques whose origins include Ignatian and Benedictine methods, yoga, Zen Buddhism, and Christian mysticism. The result is 47 exercises that are broken down into three groups; awareness, fantasy, and devotion. deMello's Jesuit proficiency as a teacher is reflected as he guides the reader through each exercise.I have supplemented my meditation schedule with several of these exercises and as a result, my spiritual development has become enriched.

To let go of your anxiety, your negative thoughts, even your positive thoughts and to delve into the heart of God. Anthony deMello leads us on this journey with exercises that transcend the sometimes dull, lifeless days. He helps us explore the possibilities of the inner life, the love of God that one finds here, in the contemplative moments. Let go of stress, of fear, of what other's may or may not think of you, freeing you to become who you were meant to become, a person in the image of God. Learning to live one moment at a time in the presence of God. Jesus said to us his disciples: "Pray without ceasing". This is the living God.

To those who believe in God, this book teaches how to pray without words, without thoughts, without ideas. One learns how to pray with the heart, not the head. The practices developed by Anthony de Mello allows the reader to follow them alone or with a group. If the reader was faithful in doing the practice in each chapter, at the end of the book: joy, peace, love, tolerance and wisdom will follow. One cannot stay in the sun without getting tanned.