A reader named Andrew wrote to me and asked this question: What do you think the key books are in the Christian tradition on spiritual transformation? How about a top ten? Another reason for asking is that church leaders might find the story interesting as the main goal, or one…… Read more at Patheos
Tag: Mysticism
Are Art and Mysticism Two Sides of the Same Coin?
I’ve been thinking about the relationship between contemplation and creativity. This is inspired in part by the many contemplatives who are also artists. We see this in the past — think of William Blake, or Johann Sebastian Bach, or of course poets like John of the Cross and Thomas Merton.…… Read more at Patheos
Remaining at the Cross: On Being a Contemplative Christian in a Church That Has Forgotten Its Mystical Heritage
This is turning out to be “James Ishmael Ford” week at my blog. Earlier this week I posted a review of his new book, Introduction to Zen Koans. Check it out if you haven’t done so already. One of the reasons I like his writing so much is that he is…… Read more at Patheos
Contemplation and Ecstatic Experience
A reader named Kevin wrote and asked me: Â What’s your view on the phenomenon of spiritual ecstasy? I used to think, before I experienced it, that it was a surge of positive emotion, rather like joy. Experienced in the body. Actually, in my experience spiritual ecstasy takes place in silence,…… Read more at Patheos
What To Do When Mystics Feel Like Misfits
In response to my recent article Why Are Mystics So… Weird?!?, one reader posted this comment/question: One thing I’d like to see some work on is reintegration. By this, I mean how to integrate with “polite Christian society” when you clearly don’t fit. … It’s one thing to be a Christian…… Read more at Patheos
Why Are the Mystics So… Weird?!?
One thing I love about the mystics is just how weird they are. Obviously, there are mystics who see visions, who hear voices, who smell beautiful aromas that no one else can smell, that sort of thing. There are also stories out there of mystics who levitate, who survived for who-knows-how-long…… Read more at Patheos
Mysticism, Separation, and Unity
A friend on Facebook a few weeks back asked me what is the relationship between mysticism and separatism. Put another way: does the mystical life inherently involve a quest for…
Running After Something You Already Have
I had a dream last night — about one of my favorite retreat centers, and one of my favorite books. The setting of my dream was the Montreat Conference Center,…
Three Evelyn Underhill Anthologies To Inspire Your Contemplative Practice
It’s no secret that I consider Evelyn Underhill one of the most important Christian mystics of the twentieth century. She’s nowhere near as well-known as Thomas Merton or Simone Weil…
In the Beginning Was the Tao…
Ken Leong, the author of The Zen Teachings of Jesus, posted this on Facebook the other day: I was having a conversation with a group of American Christians. I told them…
Everyone is Called to Union with God
About ten years ago I had a conversation with an elderly Trappist monk about the book I was writing — a book on Christian mysticism. Hearing that it was intended to…
Happy Birthday, Evelyn Underhill
December 6 is Evelyn Underhill’s birthday, born this day in 1875. Not only did she go on to become one of the most important Christian mystics of the 20th century,…