The book contains letters from the Greek Athonite monk, famous throughout the Orthodox world, a true saint of our time, the most authoritative spiritual mentor and writer, Elder Paisius of the Svyatogorets (1924–1994), sent to the sisters of the monastery of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian in Suroti. These wise instructions are an invaluable treasure of spiritual experience that helps in the salvation of the soul. Elder Paisios pays special attention in his letters to monastics, but pious lay people will also find great benefit in this book, since, according to the Elder, the Gospel ideal and the commandments of Christ are the same for everyone. This book, written in an unusually vivid and figurative language, went through dozens of reprints in many languages and became a real bestseller of modern Christian literature.