Elder Aimilianos played an important role in the contemporary revival of monastic life on Mt. Athos, where he served as the abbot of the Monastery of Simonopetra from 1973 until his retirement in 2000.  His remarkable gifts as a spiritual guide and teacher are evident in this outstanding collection of twelve talks, which uniquely illuminate the mystery of the human encounter with God.  The struggle with the self, the deeper meaning of asceticism, the dynamic nature of spiritual growth, the centrality of Scripture and Liturgy, and the relationship of believers to the Holy Spirit, are among the many themes explored in this challenging and thought-provoking book.  The energy and immediacy of the original texts is well captured in this superlative translation, which is supported by a wide-ranging introduction, extensive notes, and indices.