A long-term reader and patron of this blog recently wrote to me this message: Just what is a contemplative person or for that matter tradition? Is a Christian mystic by…
Category: Mysticism
It’s Not Too Late to Sign Up for the Modern Mystics School!
Hi friends, just wanted to make sure that if you haven’t had a chance to sign up for the Modern Mystics School sponsored by Spiritual Wanderlust, it’s not too late to do…
Meister Eckhart: A Deeper Dive (33 Books to Explore)
A Facebook friend recently posted a request for suggestions on books by or about Meister Eckhart. There are so many, that I couldn’t figure out a succinct way to respond…
Mystics and Institutional Religion: A Word from Howard Thurman
Acts of worship must be tested by the degree to which they remain living channels for the direct release of God into the life of the worshipper. When they become…
Deep and Wide: Integrating Christian Mystical Practice with Interspiritual Exploration
Here’s a video of the talk I gave last night for the Christian Mystics Summit sponsored by Closer Than Breath. My topic was the integration of Christian mysticism with interspirituality….
Questions and Answers on Interspiritual Mysticism
My good friend and colleague Jana Rentzel of Closer Than Breath invited me to answer a few questions about interspiritual mysticism — which is the topic of my forthcoming talk…
Mysticism, Faith, and “Knowing” God’s Will
A reader of this blog, named Peter, asked me a couple of questions recently. He had been at church where he heard a priest speak about a controversial issue with…
How Do I Meet Other Mystics?
One of the patrons of this blog wrote to me recently: My question is, how do I meet other Christian mystics? Thanks for asking. It’s a question many of us ponder….
Reconciling Mystical Teachings with Conventional Christianity
A reader named Allen wrote to me: Dear Carl, I find myself struggling with a bit of a spiritual crisis. I feel torn between the teachings of more traditional Protestant thinkers…
Beyond the Seven Storey Mountain: Noteworthy Biographies & Autobiographies of Mystics
A regular reader of this blog wrote to me and asked if I could recommend a good biography on Hildegard of Bingen. As I thought about what book to recommend,…
Mystical Literature: Poetry and Fiction
A reader of this blog (and a Patreon member) wrote to me and asked: Hi Carl: Do you have a list of fiction and poetry you recommend for those on…
Gnosis and Mysticism
A reader of this blog named Brian writes: Carl, How would you compare and contrast mysticism with gnosticism? Thanks! I suppose there are three ways to answer this question. First…