Many books have been written about the nature of the life of prayer, and how the soul comes to the attainment of God in the mystical sense. And any book on prayer that is worth its salt almost always has reference to the Carmelite mystical tradition in order to elucidate the spiritual principles, along with the milestones, that are practiced and found when one is traversing the path of contemplative prayer.
The Ways of Mental Prayer by Dom Lehodey is one of those books. Drawing from the deep well of wisdom which is the Carmelite tradition, this work provides the reader with a very well-rounded introduction to the life of prayer, from its humble beginnings all the way to its glorious summits.
The beauty of this book is not just in its impeccable content, but in its structure. Arranged around the various stages of prayer (vocal prayer, meditation, affective prayer, prayer of simplicity, prayer of quiet, prayer of union), the reader not only learns about the various types of prayer encountered amid the ascent of Mt Carmel, but they also learn of the spiritual trials that accompany each landmark along the way. This includes an extensive section on the Dark Night of the Soul and the passive purgations that accompany it. This part of the book is priceless, and aside from an enlightened spiritual director, it’s wisdom in explaining the inexplicable states of soul to which one is reduced in the Dark Night are so sound that I wish that the author had taken even greater pains to go into more detail here.
All in all, this book can serve both as a wonderful introduction, as well as an illuminating guide, for those wishing to grow in their prayer life. This book, however, should not be seen as totally sufficient in itself; along with the actual writings of St John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila, there are also other interpreters of the Carmelite tradition that are indispensable in helping the soul to attain to the heights of the mystical life.
Further Reading Suggestions: I Want to See God by Bl. Marie Eugene; I am a Daughter of the Church by Bl. Marie Eugene