Comments on: 111 Mystics

By: Concerning Gnosis and Gnosticism « The Website of Unknowing

Concerning Gnosis and Gnosticism « The Website of Unknowing — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:59:28 +0000

[...] I know that it has been fashionable for those who reject the church to see in gnosticism some sort of “pure” mysticism that the church itself abandoned when it got in bed with the empire. I have no problem with criticizing the church’s failings here, but I remain unpersuaded that gnosticism is the key to recovering authentic mysticism. Before jumping to the conclusion that gnosticism comprises some sort of noble mystic fraternity that was cruelly marginalized by those mean orthodox/catholic Christians, it’s helpful to remember that the Pagan philosopher Plotinus, founder of Neoplatonism and arguably a mystic of the same caliber as Meister Eckhart and John of the Cross, wrote a treatise against the gnostics (which Ken Wilber quotes extensively in A Brief History of Everything). Gnosticism (the heresy), in its dualism and elitism, represents a distortion of true gnosis, not some sort of preservation of it in the midst of the church’s inevitable failing (if you want to find the preservation of gnosis in the Christian tradition, look to my reading list). [...]

By: Jacquelyn Judd

Jacquelyn Judd — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 18:58:38 +0000

I am excited about finding your website (via Aon), and I am very much looking forward to reading along with you and discussing these books.

By: links for 2007-07-17 « notations / lurking chihuahua

links for 2007-07-17 « notations / lurking chihuahua — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 12:31:30 +0000

[...] 111 Mystics (My Reading List) « The Website of Unknowing (tags: books blog) [...]

By: Jane Hutchinson

Jane Hutchinson — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:27:44 +0000

Hello,

It is me again. I have almost finished your book, but with your book I checked out another one out of the library. I don’t see it on your list (of 111, haven’t checked the long version so forgive me if it’s there) so I thought I’d pop by and let you know of it’s existence.

It’s written by a Western Sufi (my designation, not necessarily his) named Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee and is titled, The Circle of Love. [ISBN: 1-890350-02-8, 1999, The Golden Sufi Center, Inverness, CA.]

Maybe you already have it in your library or have read it. If not, I believe, based on what I see listed by you here, that it would be a great addition to your reading list. It’s quite amazing and my first exposure to Sufi Mysticism. He also blends in many other faiths.

I’ll be back to purchase some books through your site in a week or so.

Blessings,
Jane
Seattle, WA

By: A Mini-Sabbatical... « The Cloud and the Hazelnut

A Mini-Sabbatical... « The Cloud and the Hazelnut — Mon, 14 May 2007 13:43:59 +0000

[...] Published May 14th, 2007 111 Mystics Continuing my journey through 111 of the great western mystics that I began in late 2004, recently I’ve been plodding through the A. C. Ionides translation [...]

By: 111 Mystics Update « The Cloud and the Hazelnut

111 Mystics Update « The Cloud and the Hazelnut — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:37:24 +0000

[...] 111 Mystics Update Published March 15th, 2007 111 Mystics I fear that I have been remiss in keeping my blog up-to-date in regard to my 111 Mystics Project. [...]