Thomas Kempis - On the Love of God : A Modern Rendition of a 15th Century Manual of Devotion

Thomas … Kempis lived in a world ravaged by the plague, political upheaval, and deep crisis in the Church - a world perhaps not so different from our own. Thomas chose to leave his embattled world for the monastery and devote his life to God. During his decades of cloistered life he wrote several books, the most enduring of which has been The Imitation of Christ. This extraordinary guide uses the life and teachings of Christ to impart timeless values of humility, service and self-sacrifice, respect and caring for others, and transcendence through devotion - all values sorely lacking in contemporary society. S. Abhayananda, an enlightened mystic who is not associated directly with any orthodox religion, has revised this text for all readers and removed specific Christian references. His desire to widen the already enormous audience for The Imitation of Christ led to this respectful revision for readers of any faith or tradition.

Born Stan Trout in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1938, he abandoned the world in 1966 to live in a small cabin in the forested mountains of Santa Cruz, California in order to focus on God. There he attained the enlightenment he sought, and later journeyed to India to live and meditate in the ashram of Swami Muktananda. In 1978, he was initiated into sannyas, and was renamed "Swami Abhayananda". He went on to teach meditation and the philosophy of Self-realization in varius cities throughout the U.S., and now lives, writes, and publishes his books in Olympia, Washington.