Beginning with an appeal to live a Christian life, the writer goes on to explain how we should conduct ourselves in happiness, misfortune, wealth, poverty, illness and so forth. All this is described as we are taken through a standard day from waking up in the morning until retiring to bed.

The Optina monastery, south of Moscow, was in many ways the greatest spiritual center of nineteenth-century Russia. Here we are offered wisdom from the Elders of that time in the form of pithy thoughts organized thematically under headings.

Originally published in Russian in 1910, this volume is made up of 382 letters of spiritual counsel by the Optina Elder Hieroschemamonk Anatoly (Zertsalov) to nuns. Includes the life of St. Anatoly, a glossary, an index of topics, and a table of letters.

This is a classic work of pastoral theology. Whilst written primarily as a manual for priests hearing confessions it is also of great value to all who struggle with the passions.