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Taking Flight: A Book of Story Meditations
"Both what you run from -- and what you yearn for -- are within you." --Anthony de Mello, S.J.In the tradition of his bestselling Song of the Bird, de Mello has written these story meditations as stepping stones toward a spiritual life based on self-knowledge and understanding.This book contains over 250 stories, grouped under the themes of Prayer, Awareness, Religion, Grace, "Saints," Self, Love, and Truth. Although derived from a variety of countries and cultures, these tales share the spiritual heritage and popular humor of the entire human race. As he does so skillfully in his other books, de Mello uses the medium of the story to enable his readers to work through their problems and arrive at essential Truth. With each seemingly simple anecdote comes a lesson powerful enough to break down barriers that limit self-understanding -- which in turn fosters a better understanding of others, in all situations in life. "Even if you read the stories in this book only for the entertainment," he warns, "there is no guarantee that an occasional story will not slip through your defenses and explode when you least expect it to."Taking Flight offers a joyful, transcendental experience. De Mello pilots a spiritual journey with the skill of a true master.
- GenresSpirituality
194 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2012
38 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
Anthony de Mello
175 books1,001 followersAnthony de Mello was a Jesuit priest and psychotherapist who became widely known for his books on spirituality. An internationally acclaimed spiritual guide, writer and public speaker, de Mello hosted many spiritual conferences.
The few talks which he allowed to be filmed, such as "A Rediscovery of Life" and "A Way to God for Today," have inspired many viewers and audiences throughout the United States, Canada, and Central America. De Mello established a prayer center in India. He died suddenly in 1987. His works are readily available and additional writings were published after his death.
In 1998, some of his opinions were condemned by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI, wrote for the Congregation:
"But already in certain passages in [his] early works and to a greater degree in his later publications, one notices a progressive distancing from the essential contents of the Christian faith. ... With the present Notification, in order to protect the good of the Christian faithful, this Congregation declares that the above-mentioned positions are incompatible with the Catholic faith and can cause grave harm."
Some editions of his books have since been supplemented with the insertion of a caution:
"The books of Father Anthony de Mello were written in a multi-religious context to help the followers of other religions, agnostics and atheists in their spiritual search, and they were not intended by the author as manuals of instruction of the Catholic faithful in Christian doctrine or dogma."
The few talks which he allowed to be filmed, such as "A Rediscovery of Life" and "A Way to God for Today," have inspired many viewers and audiences throughout the United States, Canada, and Central America. De Mello established a prayer center in India. He died suddenly in 1987. His works are readily available and additional writings were published after his death.
In 1998, some of his opinions were condemned by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI, wrote for the Congregation:
"But already in certain passages in [his] early works and to a greater degree in his later publications, one notices a progressive distancing from the essential contents of the Christian faith. ... With the present Notification, in order to protect the good of the Christian faithful, this Congregation declares that the above-mentioned positions are incompatible with the Catholic faith and can cause grave harm."
Some editions of his books have since been supplemented with the insertion of a caution:
"The books of Father Anthony de Mello were written in a multi-religious context to help the followers of other religions, agnostics and atheists in their spiritual search, and they were not intended by the author as manuals of instruction of the Catholic faithful in Christian doctrine or dogma."
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 21, 2024
Father DeMello's work, here in the form of a collection of parables from far and wide, often takes aim at the delusions the self-righteous among us harbor. And in case we miss the point of a parable, he frequently offers blunt aphorisms to drive it home:
Not everyone whose eyes are closed is asleep. And not everyone with open eyes can see.
OR . . .
What use is it to have eyes if the heart is blind.
As for the parables that DeMello has collected from many spiritual wells and cultures, I'll leave you with one of my favorites:
A Guru asked his disciples how they could tell when the night had ended and the day begun.
One said, "When you see an animal in the distance and can tell whether it is a cow or a horse."
"No," said the Guru.
"When you look at a tree in the distance and can tell if it is a neem tree or a mango tree."
"Wrong again," said the Guru.
"Well then what is it?" asked his disciples.
"When you look into the face of any man and recognize your brother in him; when you look into the face of any woman and recognize in her your sister. If you cannot do this, no matter what time it is by the sun it is still night."
Not everyone whose eyes are closed is asleep. And not everyone with open eyes can see.
OR . . .
What use is it to have eyes if the heart is blind.
As for the parables that DeMello has collected from many spiritual wells and cultures, I'll leave you with one of my favorites:
A Guru asked his disciples how they could tell when the night had ended and the day begun.
One said, "When you see an animal in the distance and can tell whether it is a cow or a horse."
"No," said the Guru.
"When you look at a tree in the distance and can tell if it is a neem tree or a mango tree."
"Wrong again," said the Guru.
"Well then what is it?" asked his disciples.
"When you look into the face of any man and recognize your brother in him; when you look into the face of any woman and recognize in her your sister. If you cannot do this, no matter what time it is by the sun it is still night."
February 18, 2022
This book is full of nibbles of wisdom, that reveals something about life,religion,truth in general.
February 22, 2025
Story meditations by a master teacher who died in the 1980's. Author is a Catholic Jesuit priest but he features many more religions and traditions.
August 25, 2022
I hate giving this a 3 as the way to love and awareness from Anthony are two of my most favourite books.
Didn't love the parable short form format. However a couple of little nuggets in there none the less.
Didn't love the parable short form format. However a couple of little nuggets in there none the less.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews