For six years, before becoming a well-regarded retreat master, Fr. Wayne Sattler lived as a diocesan hermit in a one-room cabin on an abandoned farmstead in rural North Dakota, striving to avail himself of the mystery of what God can do in prayer, clinging to the wisdom of the sixteenth-century Carmelite saints John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila as his trusted guides. Fr. Sattler was asked many times to write a book sharing the fruits of his time in solitude to help others progress in the spiritual life, and after returning to the active diocesan priesthood in 2013, he completed this long-awaited work. Delving deeply into two of the greatest mystical masterpieces ever written, St. John's Dark Night of the Soul and St. Teresa's Interior Castle, Father leads you through the intricate pathways of contemplative prayer, providing clarity on this oft-misunderstood subject. As you journey with these Doctors of the Church and grow in self-knowledge, you will discover: How God communicates with us as a Lover and how you can open your heart to Him What it may mean if you are nodding off during your meditation (You will be surprised!) Four spirits that influence your thoughts and actions How St. John explains the dark night of the senses, and methods to cooperate with God's grace Ways to grow in stillness, navigate distractions, and rest completely in the Lord Three ways to practice self-denial, cultivate charity, and attain freedom and peace in prayer St. John of the Cross describes contemplation as "nothing else than a secret and peaceful and loving inflow of God, which, if not hampered, fires the soul in the spirit of love." This book sheds light upon the great mystery of the mystical life for everyone. Join Fr. Sattler as he guides you in developing the capacity for contemplative prayer in our great hope of being led more deeply into union with God.