Okay, friends, I know we haven’t even made it to All Saint’s yet, but Christmas is less than two months away. If you’re new to my blog, I write about Christian spirituality…
Tag: Mysticism
Video: Just what IS Mysticism?
What is mysticism? It’s a question I often get asked, so here is a short little video where I try to sort it out a bit.
Is Non-Attachment a Christian Virtue?
Recently I received a note from a long-time reader of this blog who was questioning me on something I have previously written, basically this: Why Experience is Not the Foundation…
Mysticism, Esotericism, Exotericism, Occultism… Sorting Through the Spiritual Wilderness
A reader posted this recently on my Facebook feed: I have a question, have you covered the differences between exoteric vs. esoteric spirituality? thanks. huge and vast topic… My reply:…
Living in the Spirit of Contemplative Prayer
What does it mean to live a contemplative life? Especially for those of us who are not called to live in a monastery or some other form of intentional religious…
Five Key Words for Understanding Christian Mysticism
So often people will say to me, “I just don’t know what Christian mysticism is!” Which is perfectly understandable, since not only is mysticism related to mystery, but also the added…
Questions After a Retreat: What Books to Read, What Steps to Take Next
Shortly after concluding my Praying with the Spanish Mystics Retreat, one of the persons who participated sent me this follow-up email: Hello. I have your book Answering the Contemplative Call, which…
Books For Understanding the Wisdom and Theology of Julian of Norwich
It’s no secret to anyone who reads this blog that I consider Julian of Norwich to be one of, if not simply the, greatest of western Christian mystics. I’m not…
A Drop of Water is Not the Ocean (Understanding Mystical Union and Nonduality)
Borrowing a concept from eastern spirituality, in a Christian sense nonduality is the recognition that a profound spiritual unity exists between God and God’s creation, even though there is also a recognized distinction between Creator and creature. That may seem contradictory, although it’s more properly seen as paradoxical.
“Don’t Call Yourself a Mystic” — How Kenneth Leech’s Challenge Helped Me To Embrace Contemplative Practice
In my book Unteachable Lessons I talk about Kenneth Leech, the Anglican priest who wrote a variety of books on topics related to both contemplative spirituality and the struggle for social…
Your Home is Your Abbey; Your Heart is Your Cloister
I met a woman once, many years ago, who taught writing in a prison. She had the inmates read The Rule of Saint Benedict. She encouraged them to use the spirituality…
Mysticism is a Love Story: A Baker’s Dozen of Contemplative Books for Valentine’s Day (or Any Day)
Simply put, mysticism — at least, Christian mysticism — is all about love. To explore Christian mysticism basically means to explore love. It’s an invitation to join the noblest of…