I’ll be returning to one of my favorite monasteries — Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, NY, just north of Poughkeepsie — for a weekend retreat this spring on the…
Tag: Mysticism
The Relationship Between Meditation, Mysticism and Contemplation
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…
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…
Wonderful News About the English Language Translation of the Philokalia
If you’ve read The Way of the Pilgrim, you know about The Philokalia — the legendary anthology of Eastern Orthodox mystical writings that was first compiled in the 18th century;…
A Conversation about Mysticism! Kate Rademacher and I talk about “The New Big Book” and other fun stuff
My first interview talking about The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism has been released. It’s embedded above, or you can check it out on Youtube by clicking here. Kate…
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…
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…
Seven Ways to Read a Mystical Book
Reading the writings of the great mystics — of figures like St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Ávila, Meister Eckhart, Julian of Norwich, or even modern writers like…
“Mystics Teach us to Reconnect with Timeless and Essential Truth” — Join Me for the Free 2022 Mystics Summit, online August 15-19!
An awake heart is like a lighthouse helping others to find a safe way home. ―Rolf van der Wind I’m one of over thirty presenters for the 2022 Mystics Summit…
The Erotic Dimension of Mystical Spirituality (or, Why Do Mystics Love the Song of Songs?)
Almost from the beginning of the Christian era, mystics and saints and theologians and spiritual teachers have reflected on one of the most beautiful and poetic of the “wisdom writings”…
Divine Union is Embodied: Notes on the Incarnational Nature of Christian Mysticism
I’ve been working my way through Mystical Theology and Contemporary Spiritual Practice: Renewing the Contemplative Tradition, a book in Routledge’s “Contemporary Theological Explorations in Mysticism” series. There’s a delightful essay in it…
Mystical Minute II: The Book that Changed my Life
Here’s the second release in my new series of “Mystical Minute” videos. The topic of this one: “the book that changed my life.” This is a brief introduction to Mysticism…