Lessons from the Mountaintop: Ten Modern Mystics and Their Extraordinary Lives

In this soul-stirring nonfiction work for spiritually curious adults, veteran journalist Lawrence Pintak uncovers the hidden wisdom of modern mystics—from mountaintops to city streets—offering timeless truths for anyone seeking meaning in a chaotic world.

Lessons from the Mountaintop is an inspiring account of the experiences of modern-day spiritual explorers who have dedicated their lives to the mystic quest to find their own Truth. It is aimed at readers looking for answers in our complex and challenging world. Few of us will ever retreat to a mountaintop or spend decades in monastic silence. Some of the individuals profiled in Lessons from the Mountaintop have done exactly that. Others have spent their lives studying with spiritual masters of multiple traditions. A New York record company art director, a medical doctor from Australia, a formerly unhoused non-binary BIPOC Californian, and other once “ordinary” folk who have carved out their own unique spiritual paths. You will not find them on the best seller lists or the Spiritual 100 rankings. Most of them quietly pursue their spiritual quest far from the media spotlight. What prompted them to walk away from it all? What do they see that the rest of us do not? What lessons do they bring “back” from their spiritual journeys? What can we learn from them? Veteran journalist and author Lawrence Pintak introduces the reader to individuals of grace and profound spiritual experience who he has encountered in his decades reporting from around the globe, and others he sought out as he explored unfamiliar spiritual traditions. The result is a fascinating collection of profiles that offer deep insight into what has been called the “perennial wisdom” at the heart of the world’s religions. Lessons from the Mountaintop contains lessons for us all, whether we are religious, spiritual, or simply trying to navigate our complex and challenging world.

“A magnificent tapestry of wisdom and love that can inspire us all.”
Joseph Goldstein, author of Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening

“These compelling portraits remind us that no religion has a monopoly on intuitive truth. The mountaintop lies within us all. If we connect with our hidden self, as these extraordinary individuals have done, we can all hear the Divine voice and touch the Light.”
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM. Author of The Universal Christ and The Tears of Things

“Inspirational.”
Sharon Salzberg, author of Real Change

"Lawrence Pintak has so beautifully reminded us that the real story of religion may be found in the lives of those faithful souls who seek realization in everyday life."

Shaykh Kabir Helminski, author of The Knowing Heart

“We forget sometimes that spiritual and religious giants live amongst us. This book is a beautiful reminder of these stories—and of our own human capacity for goodness and joy.”
Simran Jeet Singh, author of The Light We Give

"An existentially illuminating experience."

William Parsons, Rice Univ. Professor of Religion, author of Teaching Mysticism

"A rare jewel."

Rabbi Dr. Jay Michaelson, winner of the 2022 National Jewish Book award and author of The Secret That Is Not a Secret