The Five Vows distills the wisdom of a true spiritual Master into a book that is bound to be loved, treasured and referred to again and again by those fortunate enough to discover it. Of course, books such as this come into a person’s life when the reader is ready for it and some might say that this is not really a book for beginners, however, having said that, if someone new to the spiritual life were to read it, he might thereby avoid quite a few common pitfalls. The author comes across as down to earth and well-read in a number of spiritual traditions, but above all as authentic. He is clearly someone who has learned to “walk his talk,” someone who can speak about these matters with the authority of one who has really lived them. He has obviously been influenced by the classic Christian monastic tradition—I am sure St. Benedict would love the chapters on Humility, so reminiscent of his own teaching—but the influence of Buddhism and above all New Thought, are also quite apparent. Only a person who has integrated these various influences and actually lived them can present them in such an original way and avoid coming across as “eclectic.” The author manages this beautifully and his book, a real labour of love, seems to flow from the heart, avoiding Catholic guilt and centuries of obfuscation on the one hand and excessive New Age individualism and lack of depth on the other. Our Lord said, “My yoke is easy and my burden light” and the author really gets across the lesson well that living a vowed life is something God does for and within us rather than something we do for God. There is no life-denying and dis-empowering asceticism here, but rather a call to theosis, a vision of a God in whom we live and move and have our being who calls us to become mirrors of his power as well as images of his goodness. I have great pleasure in recommending this book to all novices and professed members of my Benedictine community as well as seminarians and clergy of the Holy Celtic Church.