Father Anthony de Mello (1931 - 1987) was an Indian Jesuit spiritual teacher who gave workshops, conferences, and seminars all over the world. He pioneered post-denominational Christianity and proclaimed a lyrical mysticism rooted in story and imagination. Best of all, he presented concrete spiritual practices and exercises designed to silence the mind and give expression to the yearnings of the heart. He died of a heart attack on June 2, 1987. To celebrate his life and work, choose any or all of these options:

Quotes

  • Practice Oneness
    "The human mind makes foolish divisions in what love sees as one."
    — from The Heart of Enlightenment by Anthony de Mello
  • Learn from Adversity
    "A basic ingredient in the attainment of freedom: adversity that brings awareness."
    — from The Heart of Enlightenment by Anthony de Mello
  • Go Beyond Meaning
    "Meaning is only found when you go beyond meaning. Life only makes sense when you perceive it as mystery and it makes no sense to the conceptualizing mind."
    — from Awareness: The Perils and Opportunities of Reality by Anthony de Mello
  • Find God in the Ordinary
    "We forget all too easily that one of the big lessons of the Incarnation is that God is found in the ordinary. You wish to see God? Look at the face of the man next to you. You want to hear him? Listen to the cry of a baby, the loud laughter at a party, the wind rustling in the trees. You want to feel him? Stretch your hand out and hold someone. Or touch the chair you are sitting on or this book that you are reading. Or just quieten yourself, become aware of the sensations in your body, sense his almighty power at work in you and feel how near he is to you. Emmanuel, God-with-us."
    — from Sadhana: A Way to God: Christian Exercises in Eastern Form by Anthony de Mello

Books

  • Sample a few of the stories, parables and proverbs from a composite Master that de Mello created to help us see spirituality as aerobics for your mind, body and soul.

Spiritual Practices

Do a spiritual exercise for yearning from Sadhana: A Way to God

Websites & Organizations