The Spiritual Ascent: A Compendium of the World’s Wisdom

Truly magisterial, this compendium of spiritual wisdom is organized according to the traditional religious concept of spiritual ascent—or, in Christian terms, the sequence of death, resurrection, and eternal life. Hundreds of selected passages represent many faiths and philosophical traditions, with insight from some of the world's greatest minds, including Black Elk, Confucius, Eckart, Muhammad, Philo, Rumi, and Shakespeare. The material itself is divided into three sections that correspond to the ascent, with the opening quotations treating suffering, sin, and obedience before giving way to the middle section's focus on mercy, love, and contemplation. Finally, the third set of quotations climbs aloft to investigate the subjects of truth, eternity, the shattering of forms, and the union with God.