Armand-Jean de Rancé (1626–1700), the reforming abbot of la Trappe, was a prolific writer in a verbose age. Until he was in his thirties, he enjoyed the life of a young man about town, but then, after experiencing a dramatic conversion, he left the world forever for the silence and austerity of la Trappe. To read all that he wrote when he governed the abbey would take a great deal of time, but in 1703, three years after Rancé’s death, Jacques Marsollier, archdeacon of Uzèz and one of Rancé’s biographers, published a slender volume of selected  Pensées et Reflexions , “Thoughts and Reflections,” by Rancé, which presents the essential ideas of the abbot in a condensed form. There are 259  Pensées , ranging in length from a couple of lines to about thirty. They are best dipped into, not read consecutively, for some will have more impact than others depending on the reader, the time, and the place.   "In this collection of spiritual sayings, now in its first English translation, Armand-Jean de Rancé reflects on spirituality as lived faith that realizes relationship with God through the obliteration of one's own will and self-love. The Pensées are brief and practical, yet deeply thoughtful. David N. Bell provides a thorough and engaging context for the spiritual background and contributions of the Pensées.  It is fitting that Rancé, who would have once seemed an unlikely author of spiritual edification, and whose Pensées made their way through the world in several haphazard editions, now finds a home in a series dedicated to a variety of spiritual thought." R. Jacob McDonie, Associate Professor of Literatures and Cultural Studies, University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley "David Bell provides a fresh presentation of Rance with his excellent new translation of the 'Thoughts and Reflections' of the French reformer. A substantial introduction provides a clear context for what follows, and the reflections themselves  are remarkably contemporary. They are powerfully succinct and rich in insight. This work presents the wisdom of Armand-Jean de Rancé as absolutely relevant and significant for our own time. I am grateful for this superb book and hope it will attract a wide audience, especially among those in my own Order." Sister Maria Rafael, OCSO, Tautra Mariakloster, Norway "This book has a variety of treasures for everyone. If we are undergoing acute suffering and pain and grief, if our life seems out of control and even hopeless, then the map of healing put forth in this book can assist us toward the healing of our suffering human consciousness. It is a charter of prayer and practice that can bring us new freedom and even happiness. We all need these realities of goodness and peace in our lives." Cistercian Studies Quarterly Published On: 2023-04-10 David N. Bell (1943-2025) was professor emeritus of religious studies and dean of theology at Queen's College, St. John's, Newfoundland, and canon theologian in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in St. John's. He is the author of a number of books published by Cistercian Publications, including  The Very Devout Meditations attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux , Handmaid of the Lord: Mary, the Cistercians, and Armand-Jean de Rancé  (CS293, 2021),  Everyday Life at La Trappe under Armand-Jean de Rancé  (CS274, 2018), and  A Saint in the Sun: Praising Saint Bernard in the France of Louis XIV  (CS271, 2017).