About the website (and me)
About The Website of Unknowing…
This combination blog-&-website is an outgrowth of a lifelong love for Christian and world mysticism that dates back to the summer of 1979 (right after I graduated from high school) when I read Evelyn Underhill’s Mysticism: A Study in the Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness — and fell in love with unitive Christian spirituality. Inspired and encouraged by Underhill’s lyrical celebration of the contemplative life, I used her work as a springboard to exploring the great mystics themselves, from ancient times to the twentieth century: Plotinus and Thomas Merton, Julian of Norwich and The Way of a Pilgrim, Simone Weil and St. John of the Cross, Pseudo-Dionysius and The Cloud of Unknowing, St. Teresa of Avila and Meister Eckhart.
Simultaneously, I also explored the various ways in which mystical spirituality lives and breathes today, as can be found in the writings of living (or recently deceased) spiritual teachers like Cynthia Bourgeault, Anthony De Mello, Tilden Edwards, Thomas Keating, Kenneth Leech, George Maloney, Gerald May, M. Basil Pennington, Maggie Ross, and Martin Thornton — authors who may or may not think of themselves as “mystics” but whose work clearly stand in that tradition. The more I read, the more I loved classical western mysticism. And the more it all made sense to me when I endeavored to become a student of Christian mysticism as it is practiced today, through disciplines such as centering prayer, Christian meditation, lectio divina, praying the daily office, and endeavoring to follow the teachings of the Rule of St. Benedict, adapted to my life as a married layperson.
Out of this lasting love for mysticism — and mystical literature — has arisen my desire to share this too-little-known treasure of Christian spirituality with others. Hence, this website. With the rise of the internet, I like so many others have found that it is a splendid method for discovering books that speak to my distinct needs. In this spirit, I’ve decided to create this website, with several tiers of information:
- My Blog, which includes not only my personal angst at the sheer fact that I’m alive, but also occasional reviews of books or media that may be of interest to students and aspirants of the mystical life;
- A Booklist which includes several hundred titles of books concerning not only Christian but world mysticism, covering both primary sources (writings of the mystics themselves) as well as introductory, scholarly, and devotional commentaries on mysticism and the writings of the mystics;
- The Reviews page is basically an archive of reviews that have appeared in my blog; here they’re arranged not chronologically according to when they were written but alphabetically by author(s), making it easier to find a given review;
- And three portals to further stuff for you to read: Mystics offers reflections on specific mystics or schools of mysticism; Formation offers reflections on the “doing” aspect of mysticism; i.e. what spiritual practices are available to contemplative seekers today; and the House of Breathings page features links to writing I’ve done elsewhere on the web, interviews of me that have appeared online, along with a miscellany of my older works, covering everything from interviews with musicians to reflections on interfaith spirituality.
- Concurrent with my love for Christian mysticism is a long-standing appreciation for the uniquely Celtic forms of Christian theology and spirituality: the traditions of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, where for 1500 years Christian mysticism has existed less as an ascetical/contemplative practice, and more as a way of living mindfully in harmony with the natural world. I believe Celtic spirituality is the “unsung tradition” within western mysticism. To get a glimpse into the natural beauty of the Celtic path, visit my Holy Well page.
I hope this site is useful for you. It is a one-man show, a labor of love; so please be kind to its perpetually unfinished feel. If you’d like to support it, I have two suggestions: first, tell others about it. And then, consider buying some of the books I recommend by following the links I provide to Amazon.com. When you purchase these books through this site, I receive a small percentage as a commission (I actually don’t even see the cash, it’s just a credit that goes to my own rather voluminous purchasing through Amazon!). Thank you, and may the One Who Is Beyond All Names and Images bless you richly.
— Carl McColman
P.S. In case you’re wondering, the name of the website is derived from the title of one of the towering classics in the mystical canon: the anonymously written 14th century manual on contemplative prayer called The Cloud of Unknowing.
About me… Although I was an Air Force kid, I spent virtually my entire childhood in Hampton, Virginia, and so I can confidently say “that’s where I’m from.” As an adult I’ve lived in West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee before settling in the metro Atlanta, Georgia area, where I remain, having moved here in 1993 when I got married. I have a profoundly handicapped stepdaughter, which is why we remain near the big city, although I love being surrounded by trees and so I’m always daydreaming about moving somewhere far away from the metropolitan rat-race.But the city does have its benefits: not only do I enjoy many friends with varied interests and backgrounds and lifestyles and values, but I am a member of a richly rainbow-hued, immigrant-heavy, multicultural church (at last count our membership boasted over 90 nationalities!) and I work for a bookstore owned by a Trappist monastery (which means I regularly can participate in the liturgical life of the monks, a blessing for which I never cease to give thanks). Although I’ve been interested in contemplative Christianity since my high school years, my spiritual journey has also included a long-standing interest in Neopaganism — the spirituality of Goddess worship, nature veneration, reconstructed primal European religions like Druidism and postmodern equivalents like Wicca. For several years (right around the age of 40, imagine that) I was estranged from the church and identified as a Neopagan: a fact which is significant because I am also the author of several books, most of which concern neopagan spirituality. I returned to the intentional practice of the Christian faith in 2004, driven in large part by my ongoing devotion to Christian mysticism and my desire to express my personal spirituality in a contemplative manner, which for me is more easily done in a Christian rather than a Pagan context. As of this writing (January 200
I am at work on a book about Christian mysticism due for a late 2009 publication; I’ve also begun work on a book exploring both the reasons why I abandoned Christianity for Neopaganism, as well as why I ultimately found my way back to the church.Although I no longer identify as a Neopagan, the fact that I’ve written books about it means it will always be a part of me. But that’s not just okay — I count it as a blessing. I consider it a privilege to express my Christian spirituality in such a way that I can maintain a positive and gracious spirit of openness toward all that is good and true in other faiths. Paganism, like Buddhism and Vedanta and Judaism and Islam, can be a powerful means for grace to flow into our world. For this reason, I am happy to commend my books to anyone who would like to learn more about contemporary Pagan and Goddess spirituality. Please visit the books page to learn more about the books I’ve written.
Finally, a few odds and ends about me: As I suspect this website makes obvious, I have a profound love for literature and for book collecting. Additionally, I am interested in vegan cuisine (I’ve been a vegetarian since 1987 and mostly-vegan since 2005), music (both sacred and secular, with a particular fondness for Renaissance choral music, British and Irish folk-rock, 70s prog-rock, and the good ol’ Grateful Dead), cats (I am owned by three), disability issues (a concern that naturally arises from having a disabled family member) and the integral theory of Ken Wilber.
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THE WEBSITE OF UNKNOWING is devoted to Christian mysticism, interfaith spirituality, Celtic wisdom, emergent theology, and assorted other topics. Click on the tabs above to explore all that this website has to offer.
