Poet and literature professor Scott Cairns ran headlong into his midlife obstacle — a reasonably universal event between males nearing the age of 50 — whereas strolling at the seashore along with his Labrador. His used to be now not a determined try to recapture formative years, full of activities autos and younger ladies. in its place, Cairns discovered his non secular existence was once advancing at a snail's velocity and time used to be working out. Midlife main issue for this this Baptist became japanese Orthodox manifested as a determined have to search out prayer.
Originally released in 2007, this new version of brief journey to the sting contain pictures, maps and an extended narrative of Scott's religious trip to the paranormal peninsula of Mt. Athos. With twenty monasteries and 13 sketes scattered throughout its sloping terrain, the Holy Mountain was once the correct position for Scott to search out a prayer father and become aware of the stillness of the real prayer lifestyles. informed with wit and delightful prose, his narrative takes the reader from a seashore in Virginia to the main holy Orthodox monasteries on the planet to a monastery in Arizona and again back as Scott struggles to discover his prayer course. alongside the best way, Cairns solid relationships with clergymen, monks, and fellow pilgrims. "Scott Cairns is not just essentially the most very important poets of our time but additionally a prose author of unusual imaginative and prescient, and briefly journey to the sting, his account of his pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain of Athos, in northern Greece, he weaves jointly a private background of religion, a wealth of studying, and the knowledge of the a while to create a e-book for non secular seekers from each spiritual denomination. What higher advisor, and shuttle spouse, than Scott Cairns? i'd stick to him to the sting – and beyond." — Christopher Merrill, writer of items of the Hidden God: trip to the Holy Mountain
"Scott Cairns is not just the most very important poets of our time but in addition a prose author of unusual imaginative and prescient, and briefly journey to the sting, his account of his pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain of Athos, in northern Greece, he weaves jointly a private heritage of religion, a wealth of studying, and the knowledge of the a while to create a publication for religious seekers from each non secular denomination. What higher advisor, and trip spouse, than Scott Cairns? i'd stick with him to the sting – and beyond." — Christopher Merrill, writer of items of the Hidden God: trip to the Holy Mountain
"Mt Athos is 'the facet' in additional methods than one, a spot either appealing and ruggedly demanding, alive with non secular energy that stocks a similar traits. Cairns is the perfect consultant — comfy, invitingly conversational, and sometimes amused, yet regularly evoking the awe that those mysteries deserve." — Frederica Mathewes-Green
"In brief journey To the sting, Scott Cairns pulls again the curtain and offers us a glimpse of the non secular strength current at the Holy Mountain. He ways his prose with the soul and talent of a poet. it really is straight away easy and profound—accessible and ineffable. Scott has the arrogance to confront the inner most elements of our human nature with fierce honesty and humor. it is a position the place "pilgrims are a combined bag," holy relics make the guts race and actual spirituality is an "acquired taste." The reader, (or should still I say pilgrim) is invited to shuttle alongside a gorgeous and in all probability scary street into the center of silence, repentance and prayer. there's a palpable feel of being there: surrounded through a undying refrain of voices chanting at the Holy Mountain, praying for the lifetime of the realm. One slowly loses the need to reach and starts off to include the opportunity of "always becoming." Scott Cairns pours out his soul during this very good and lots more and plenty wanted booklet. it's worth the taking this brief journey to the edge!" —Jonathan Jackson, famous person of the hit ABC express Nashville and writer of The secret Of Art