Mysticism Books

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Book SynopsisIn the western Christian tradition, the mystic was seen as having direct access to God, and therefore great authority. In this study, Dr Jantzen discusses how men of power defined and controlled who should count as a mystic, and thus who would have power: women were pointedly excluded. This makes her book of special interest to those in gender studies and medieval history. Its main argument, however, is philosophical. Because the mystical has gone through many social constructions, the modern philosophical assumption that mysticism is essentially about intense subjective experiences is misguided. This view is historically inaccurate, and perpetuates the same gendered struggle for authority which characterises the history of western christendom. This book is the first on the subject to take issues of gender seriously, and to use these as a point of entry for a deconstructive approach to Christian mysticism.Trade Review'The first major study of Christian mysticism to utilise a deconstructionist approach, Power, Gender and Christian Mysticism illuminates the meaning of gendered rhetoric in the writings of major male 'mystics' from Plato to Dionysus to Eckhart. Most importantly, through a 'deeper' reading of female mystics and visionaries (often ignored - and sometimes silenced) Grace Jantzen has allowed these women to speak eloquently. Her inescapable conclusion is that we can no longer speak of 'Christian Mysticism,' but of 'Christian Mysticisms', and of these not as intense, private experiences, but as manifesting sets of social relations and representations. This is a scholarly, but at the same time most readable and entertaining work, and I recommend it strongly.' Philip C. Almond, University of QueenslandTable of Contents1. Feminists, philosophers and mystics; 2. Mystics, martyrs and honorary males; 3. The mystical meaning of scripture; 4. Mystical theology and the erotic other; 5. 'Cry out and write': mysticism and the struggle for authority; 6. The visions of virgins: spirituality and sexual control; 7. Heretics and witches; 8. The language of ineffability; 9. Conclusion: mysticism and modernity; References; Index.

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Book SynopsisBenjamin Pollock argues that Franz Rosenzweig's The Star of Redemption is devoted to the task of grasping 'the All' - the whole of what is - in the form of a system, and that it at once calls on its readers to realize in their concrete decisions, actions, and relations the very same 'All' which they can come to know.Trade Review'The book is a must-read for anybody with a serious interest in modern Jewish thought. But it should find an audience, not only among scholars and students of Jewish studies, but also among those interested in continental philosophy, post-Kantian philosophy and contemporary Christian theology. Anybody who has ever struggled with the Star, and many more who one hopes will struggle with it, will be grateful for this book.' Paul Franks, The University of Toronto'Going against the grain of a number of dominant strands in the interpretation of Rosenzweig's Star of Redemption, especially in the last twenty years, Benjamin Pollock returns to the way in which a number of Rosenzweig's contemporaries and, Pollock claims, Rosenzweig himself understood the task of the Star: as a systematic attempt to know 'the All.' Lucidly written and meticulously researched, this book will enliven discussion not only about Rosenzweig's Star but also about the charge of philosophical thinking, broadly understood.' Leora Batnitzky, Princeton UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction: The Star of Redemption as 'system of philosophy'; 1. System as task of philosophy: 'the oldest system-program of German idealism'; 2. 'A twofold relation to the absolute': the genesis of Rosenzweig's concept of system; 3. Alls or nothings: the starting-point of Rosenzweig's system; 4. 'The genuine notion of revelation': relations, reversals, and the human being in the middle of the system; 5. Seeing stars: the vision of the all and the completion of the system; Conclusion: the all and the everyday.

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Book SynopsisThis 2004 book is an accessible introduction to the full range of the philosophy of William James. It portrays that philosophy as containing a deep division between a Promethean type of pragmatism and a passive mysticism. Richard Gale attempts to harmonize these pragmatic and mystical perspectives.Trade Review'What makes the book exceptional is its intimate grasp of James's thought and of the thinker behind it …' Philosophy and Phenomenological Research'Carefully argued, written with gusto and full of wise-cracking bonhomie...a major stimulus to the understanding of James's philosophy.' Philosophical Quarterly'… presents a deeper, more systematic picture of James's philosophy than any other presently available.' MindTable of ContentsIntroduction; Part I. The Promethean Pragmatist: 1. The ethics of Prometheanism; 2. The willfulness of belief; 3. The freedom of belief; 4. The will to believe; 5. The ethics of truth; 6. The semantics of 'truth'; 7. Ontological relativism: William James meets Poo-bah; Part II. The Passive Mystic: 8. The self; 9. The I-thou quest for intimacy and religious mysticism; 10. The Humpty Dumpty intuition and backyard mysticism; 11. An attempt at one world interpretation of James.

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Book SynopsisFor the medieval mystical tradition, the Christian soul meets God in a 'cloud of unknowing', a divine darkness of ignorance. This meeting with God is beyond all knowing and beyond all experiencing. Mysticisms of the modern period, on the contrary, place 'mystical experience' at the centre, and contemporary readers are inclined to misunderstand the medieval tradition in 'experientialist' terms. Denys Turner argues that the distinctiveness and contemporary relevance of medieval mysticism lies precisely in its rejection of 'mystical experience', and locates the mystical firmly within the grasp of the ordinary and the everyday. The argument covers some central authorities in the period from Augustine to John of the Cross.Trade Review'… insightful, provocative, and polemical.' Journal of Religion'… a very fine book indeed, beautifully produced by CUP.' Church of England Newspaper'… passionate, eloquent, and daring.' The Friend'… important, challenging, well-argued and convincing.' The Heythrop Journal'… one of the finest books I have read in a long time.' The Expository TimesTable of ContentsAcknowledgements; Introduction; Part I. Two Sources and a Synthesis: 1. The allegory and Exodus; 2. Cataphatic and the apophatic in Denys the Areopagite; 3. The God within: Augustine's Confessions; 4. Interiority and ascent: Augustine's De Trinitate; 5. Hierarchy interiorised: Bonaventure's Itinerarium Mentis in Deum; Part II. Developments: 6. Eckhart: God and the self; 7. Eckhart: detachment and the critique of desire; 8. The Cloud of Unknowing and the critique of interiority; 9. Denys the Carthusian and the problem of experience; 10. John of the Cross: the dark nights and depression; 11. From mystical theology to mysticism; Further reading; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe Cambridge Companion to Christian Mysticism is a multi-authored interdisciplinary guide to the study of Christian mysticism, with an emphasis on the third through the seventeenth centuries. The book is thematically organized in terms of the central contexts, practices and concepts associated with the mystical life in early, medieval and early modern Christianity. This book looks beyond the term 'mysticism', which was an early modern invention, to explore the ways in which the ancient terms 'mystic' and 'mystical' were used in the Christian tradition: what kinds of practices, modes of life and experiences were described as 'mystical'? What understanding of Christianity and of the life of Christian perfection is articulated through mystical interpretations of scripture, mystical contemplation, mystical vision, mystical theology or mystical union? This volume both provides a clear introduction to the Christian mystical life and articulates a bold new approach to the study of mysticism.Trade ReviewAdvanced Praise: “A far-ranging collection of essays by leading scholars in the field, particularly appealing for its attention to definitions and aspects of current scholarly interest. A Companion that goes far to take the mystification out of Christian mysticism.” – Robert E. Lerner, Northwestern University“With its comprehensive choice of topics and its historical scope, this superb volume is much more than a handbook. It is a place where Christian mysticism will be rediscovered through the multiple voices that are collected here. All of them are acute in the analyses of key terms, concepts, and historical developments – and all of them stimulate further conversation about these essential topics in intellectual and cultural history.” – Niklaus Largier, University of California at Berkeley“A brilliant array of scholars addresses the complex and varied phenomena gathered under the rubric ‘Christian mysticism.’ Both insisting that historical specificity matters and situating these ancient, medieval, and early modern texts in twenty-first- century conversations, this volume truly and profoundly demonstrates what editor Amy Hollywood asserts: the study of mysticism is indeed ‘endless.’” – Carolyn Dinshaw, New York UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction Amy Hollywood and Patricia Z. Beckman; Part I. Contexts: 1. Early monasticism Douglas Burton-Christie; 2. Song, experience, and the book in Benedictine monasticism Amy Hollywood; 3. New religious movements in medieval western Europe Walter Simons; 4. Early modern reformations Edward Howells; Part II. Key Terms: 5. Apophatic and cataphatic theology Andrew Louth; 6. Lectio divina E. Ann Matter; 7. Meditatio/meditation Thomas Bestul; 8. Oratio/prayer Rachel Fulton Brown; 9. Visio/vision Veerle Fraeters; 10. Raptus/rapture Dyan Elliott; 11. Unio mystica/mystical union Bernard McGinn; 12. Actio et contemplatio/action and contemplation Charlotte Radler; Part III. Contemporary Questions: 13. Latin and the vernaculars Barbara Newman; 14. Transmission Sara S. Poor; 15. Writing Charles M. Stang; 16. The body and its senses Patricia Dailey; 17. Mysticism and visuality Jeffrey Hamburger; 18. Emotions Fiona Somerset; 19. Authority Mary Frohlich; 20. Gender Alison Weber; 21. Sexuality Constance Furey; 22. Time and memory Patricia Dailey.

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Book SynopsisKabbalah and Ecology is a groundbreaking book that resets the conversation about ecology and the Abrahamic traditions. David Mevorach Seidenberg challenges the anthropocentric reading of the Torah, showing that a radically different orientation to the more-than-human world of nature is not only possible, but that such an orientation also leads to a more accurate interpretation of scripture, rabbinic texts, Maimonides and Kabbalah. Deeply grounded in traditional texts and fluent with the physical sciences, this book proposes not only a new understanding of God's image but also a new direction for restoring religion to its senses and to a more alive relationship with the more-than-human, both with nature and with divinity.Trade Review'This book will be of interest in numerous disciplines, including Jewish studies, conservation and environmental studies, and religion. Recommended for all Jewish libraries.' David B. Levy, Association of Jewish Libraries NewsTable of ContentsAcknowledgments; Notes on translation, transliteration, and bibliography; Overview of Kabbalah and Ecology; Introduction. Jewish ecological thought and the challenge for scriptural theology; Part I. Midrash: 1. Tselem Elohim (God's image) in Midrash and commentary, part 1: the angels and the heavens, the chain of Being, intellect and speech; 2. Tselem Elohim in Midrash and commentary, part 2: the body, gender, dominion, and ethics; 3. Tselem, dignity, and the 'infinite value' of the other; 4. The soul and the others: humans, animals and other subjectivities; 5. Ethics and the others: moral fellowship with animals and beyond animals; Intermediate conclusions: from Midrash to Kabbalah; Part II. Kabbalah: 6. Tselem Elohim in Kabbalah, part 1: the Sefirot, the soul and body, the hypostases, and the heavens; 7. Tselem Elohim in Kabbalah, part 2: the more-than-human world - holism and unifications, trees, birds, animals, and colors; 8. Of rocks, names, and codes: the letters of Creation; 9. Adam Qadmon: the universe as God's image; 10. Gaia, Adam Qadmon, and Maimonides; 11. Qomah: the stature of all beings; Intermediate conclusions: from Kabbalah to ecotheology; Part III. Ecotheology: 12. Nigun, Shirah, the singing of Creation, and the problem of language; 13. Further theological reflections; Conclusions: a new ethos, a new ethics; Excursus 1. Nefesh and related terms; Excursus 2. The prayer of P'ri 'Ets Hadar; Appendix. The Sefirot, the Tree of Life, and a brief history of Kabbalah; Bibliography of primary Jewish sources; General index; Index of scriptural verses; Index of scriptural sources.

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Book SynopsisIn Yearnings of the Soul, Jonathan Garb uncovers a crucial thread in the story of modern Kabbalah and modern mysticism more generally: psychology. Returning psychology to its roots as an attempt to understand the soul, he traces the manifold interactions between psychology and spirituality that have arisen over five centuries of Kabbalistic writing, from sixteenth-century Galilee to twenty-first-century New York. In doing so, he shows just how rich Kabbalah's psychological tradition is and how much it can offer to the corpus of modern psychological knowledge. Garb follows the gradual disappearance of the soul from modern philosophy while drawing attention to its continued persistence as a topic in literature and popular culture. He pays close attention to James Hillman's archetypal psychology, using it to engage critically with the psychoanalytic tradition and reflect anew on the cultural and political implications of the return of the soul to contemporary psychology. Comparing Kabbalistic thought to adjacent developments in Catholic, Protestant, and other popular expressions of mysticism, Garb ultimately offers a thought-provoking argument for the continued relevance of religion to the study of psychology.

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Book SynopsisThis text investigates the attraction to excessive forms of mysticism among 20th-century French intellectuals, demonstrates the work the figure of the mystic does for these thinkers, and asks why resolutely secular intellectuals are drawn to affective, bodily, and denigrated forms of mysticism.

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Book SynopsisThe most informative interview ever given by Vicka, the eldest of the six visionaries in Medjugorje.

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Book Synopsis(Originally published as DEFY GRAVITY) New York Times best-selling author Caroline Myss investigates the mystical phenomenon of healing and the presence of grace in every life.What is grace? How does grace work? How do I know if I've ever had an experience of grace in my life? For decades, readers and students have turned to medical intuitive Caroline Myss for answers to these essential questions. In these pages, she takes readers on a transformative journey to investigate the holy authority of grace and find tools to heal themselves and their lives.Originally published as Defy Gravity, this searching and eloquent book offers a message that we need now more than ever. Inspired by ordinary people who overcame a wide array of physical and psychological ailments, Caroline dove into the works of the great mystics to gain a deeper understanding of healing's spiritual underpinnings. Using what she discovered, she invites us into an intimate and healing engagement with the soul, which we experience through exploring our seven shadow passions, building an empowered inner self around our seven inherent graces, and learning how to work with the mystical laws that govern it.With this knowledge, you can break through the boundaries of ordinary reason. You can heal from illness, heartbreak, and pain. You can learn to live fearlessly. And you can start to discern the guidance of grace in every moment of your life.Trade Review“It is rare that an author and teacher as accomplished and influential as Caroline Myss would, with each book, discover whole new vistas, and then report back to us with her legendary clarity and passion. With A Time for Grace she has done it again. Anyone in need of healing—healing from illness, anxiety, fear, or heartbreak—will find enormous help in this book. It is a tonic made of light and wisdom.” — Elizabeth Lesser, co-founder, Omega Institute and author of Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow“In A Time for Grace, Caroline Myss offers a new model of transformation and healing that will shift how we perceive crisis and illness. A must-read.” — Deepak Chopra, author of The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success“Caroline has been one of my most important spiritual teachers. In her new book, she continues to pierce both hearts and minds with arrows of truth.” — Marianne Williamson, author of The Age of Miracles and A Return to Love“A Time for Grace is a powerful look at the mystical aspects of the process of deep healing. The extraordinary Caroline Myss provides profound insights into the nature of illness and the healing miracles that can occur. What I love about Caroline is that she isn’t afraid to make waves and go way beyond convention to create new paradigms of health.” — Judith Orloff, M.D., author of Emotional Freedom“In this time of extraordinary evolutionary upheaval, Caroline Myss offers a powerful and wise prescription for self-healing that transforms and empowers the reader to gain sovereignty over their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.” — Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D., author of The Biology of Belief and Spontaneous Evolution“In A Time for Grace Caroline Myss goes far beyond conventional thinking to describe with precision those areas of experience, those mystical and mysterious events that ultimately account for illness. I found this book to be extraordinarily intelligent and perceptive in charting ways to go deep into the soul to glimpse those faint issues that grow into large problems.” — Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul and Writing in the Sand“Like no other author, Myss invariably manages to help us reach yet an even higher level of understanding of how to heal. Run, don’t walk, and buy this book.” — Mona Lisa Schulz, M.D., Ph.D., author of The Intuitive Advisor and Heal Your Mind“In this book, Caroline Myss reminds us that, while we should be grateful for the gift of reason, we should also be aware that the mystery and holiness of life cannot be found in the dim light of reason alone. As A Time for Grace makes clear, the mystics teach that there is in each of us the capacity for mystical experience that transcends reason. Each chapter of this book echoes with the expansive energy of mystical awakening and offers ways we can cultivate this awakening in our lives.” —James Finley, Ph.D., author of Christian Meditation and The Contemplative Heart“Caroline Myss is the most outstanding voice in the field of spirituality and healing alive on the planet today. In A Time for Grace she challenges some of our culture’s most cherished myths about healing, inviting the reader to exit the prison of reason and enter the ‘field of grace’ from which miracles spontaneously arise. Translating universal spiritual wisdom into modern language, Caroline illuminates the journey to empowering both psyche and soul.” — Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., author of Minding the Body, Mending the Mind and Your Soul’s Compass

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Book SynopsisIn his final work, the great and beloved Native American scholar Vine Deloria Jr. takes us into the realm of the spiritual and reveals through eyewitness accounts the immense power of medicine men. The World We Used To Live In, a fascinating collection of anecdotes from tribes across the country, explores everything from healing miracles and scared rituals to Navajos who could move the sun. In this compelling work, which draws upon a lifetime of scholarship, Deloria shows us how ancient powers fit into our modern understanding of science and the cosmos, and how future generations may draw strength from the old ways.Trade Review"Deloria, Jr. was angry at what he saw as a growing godlessness in contemporary American society. His posthumous The World We Used To Live In is a call for today's American Indians to accept as true many of the stories told by Indian medicine men in earlier centuries." - The Salt Lake Tribune"Some of these stories demonstrate that Native science had capabilities unheard of today. They illustrate the fact that contemporary life, for all its material progress, has not yet touched what human potential might accomplish without external technology." - Winds of Change"Deloria, Jr. lets us witness the feats of "Medicine Men" of the past, showing that their calling included powers in all areas of life" - MultiCultural Review" The World We Used to Live In ", is a collection of stories that Deloria kept in his pocket over the years, stories that concerned him throughout his life - stories of American Indian spirituality. This book is a treasury of observations on the wisdom and experience of medicine men from several native cultures." - Wicazo SA Review"Deloria pairs each story he records with his own commentary on the text, a commentary always executed with insight and the cutting edge we long ago came to expect from him. The collection of these texts alone makes this volume and important addition to any library on American Indian concerns; Deloria's commentaries throughout make it indispensable." - Great Plains Quarterly

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Book SynopsisA pivotal figure of modern isotericism, Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) was a clairvoyant and supersensitive with a scientific and philosophical education. He believed that man can gain objective knowledge of higher worlds and apply these insights to all fields of human activity. Anthroposophy, the path of wisdom and knowledge he intiated, plots man’s struggle to attain full spiritual development through the practical application of the forces brought by Christ. Steiner saw the spirit as the creative element in evolution, and his work is increasingly accepted as a practical vitalizing force for today’s world.

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Book SynopsisPersephone Unveiled reveals the goddess in all her guises, as the daughter of Demeter; the Queen of the Underworld; the archetypal female healer; and as a central figure in the Eleusinian Mysteries, where celebrants experienced sacred visions through secret rituals fueled by an LSD-like substance. The author examines the known details about the psychoactive agent and explores the Mysteries'' influence on, and relationship to, early Christianity. Guided meditations, using active imagination techniques, help readers summon an experience with the goddess.

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