"In Gifts of the Desert, Markides continues his examination of Eastern Orthodox mystical teachings and practices and captures their living expression through visits to monasteries and hermitages in Greece and America and interviews with contemporary charismatic elders." "Markides' pursuit of a deeper understanding of Orthodoxy takes him to the deserts of Arizona and a stay at a new monastery near Sedona; to the island of Cyprus and a reunion with Father Maximos; on a pilgrimage to holy shrines aboard a cruise ship in the Aegean Sea; and finally to the legendary Mount Athos, home to more than two thousand Orthodox monks. Markides relates his journey and reflections in a captivating style while providing important background material and information on historical events to give readers a highly accessible, in-depth portrait of a tradition little known in the West." "Gifts of the Desert will appeal to a wide range of people, from Christians seeking insights into their religion and its various expressions to scholars interested in learning more about the mystical way of life and wisdom that have been preserved on Mount Athos since the fall of the Byzantine Empire and the Great Schism that separated the Eastern and Western Churches. Perhaps most important, however, is the bridge it offers contemporary readers to a Christian life that is balanced between the worldly and the spiritual."--BOOK JACKET.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 367-370).

1. Journey to Sedona 2. Gift of the desert 3. Aegean pilgrimage 4. Anger without sin 5. A different hospital 6. Alterations of the soul 7. Spiritual stages 8. Converts 9. Cunningness

10. Prayer power 11. Faith of saints 12. Death and near-death 13. Remembrance of God 14. Synaxis 15. Primal passions 16. Road to Metanoia 17. Reflections.