Alone in Community
Journeys Into Monastic Life
Around the World
In this first-person account, William Claassen offers an engaging and reflective description of monastic life as practiced in eleven countries. Beginning in France and ending in India, he opens a window into the daily life of these communities. Reading Thomas Merton's works more than twenty years ago motivated Claassen to embark on his first monastic retreat in the Kentucky woodlands. There, he found a community that honored the power of silence and provided space to explore the inner life. His experience ultimately led him to make an extended journey around the world visiting and participating in monastic communities within the religious traditions of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Jainism and Sufism.
Forest of Peace/Ava Maria Press
279 Pages $13.95
Available at amazon.com