Abhishiktananda (30 August 1910, in Saint Briac, Brittany – 7 December 1973, in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India) (Sanskrit:अभिषिक्तानन्द), born Henri Le Saux, was a French monk who, having moved to India in 1948 in search of a more radical form of spiritual life, adopted sannyasa in accordance with Indian tradition and became one of the pioneers of Hindu-Christian dialogue. Multiple contacts with prominent saints such as Sri Ramana Maharshi, Sri Gnanananda Giri and Sri H.W.L. Poonja, led him to profound advaitic experience as well as to final recognition of the truth of advaita during the last years of his life.
Abhishiktanada was a Christian monk who delved deeply in, and lived, the spirit of Hinduism, in the early days of exploring how Christianity might be wedded with Eastern religious thought and practice. As a contemporary of Father Bede Griffiths, both on mission in India by authority of the Catholic Church, the former moved more away from his traditional Catholicism in integrating the two wisdom paths. His life became a revolutionary act, more so for its time, in wedding Indian theism and Christian contemplative wisdom. This work, unlike much of Abhishiktanada's, is purely arising from his Christian origins, an excellent, short introduction to Contemplative Prayer for beginners and those interested in understanding Contemplation in the Christian heritage.
A useful look at prayer at the intersection of the Christian and Hindu traditions. Somewhat dense and esoteric, but it's a slim book and worth reading.