The ''Abbey of the Holy Ghost'' is a medieval

prose Prose is a form of written or spoken language that follows the natural flow of speech, uses a language's ordinary grammatical structures, or follows the conventions of formal academic writing. It differs from most traditional poetry, where the ...

allegory, ca. 1350–1375. The text is preserved in at least 26 manuscripts, often followed by the ''Charter of the Abbey of the Holy Ghost''. The text advises lay women on how to live a

contemplative In a religious context, the practice of contemplation seeks a direct awareness of the divine which transcends the intellect, often in accordance with prayer or meditation. Etymology The word ''contemplation'' is derived from the Latin word '' ...

life outside a

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whi ...

; the companion ''Charter'' speaks of the

fall Autumn, also known as fall in American English and Canadian English, is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Southe ...

and

salvation Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its ...

. The most recent edition ''The Charter of the Abbey of the Holy Ghost'', was released in 1975 by

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References

14th-century Christian texts Meditation Christian devotional literature {{christian-book-stub