Twenty-four challenging conferences on prayer, perfection, and purity of heart. Employing the Socratic dialogue method, Cassian crafts, with his honest, refreshing, and inspirational style, the most convincing commentaries on the eremitical, monastic, and spiritual ways of life. Clear and applicable to any situation, Cassian encourages setting spiritual goals and objectives, discerning spirits, Biblical interpretation, patience, and virtues of repentance and mortification of the will. A realistic approach to the type of self-improvement implicit in the teachings of Christ Jesus!