Friends, I hope you’ll join me on Substack where I’m creating a new series of brief inspirational writings called Mystical Journey. Subscribers receive up to 3-4 emails from me each…
Category: Mysticism
Deconstructing Mysticism
In recent years, I’ve talked to a number of people who describe their spiritual journey as going through a period of “deconstruction.” These “deconstructors” are usually younger folks, in their…
Four Dimensions of Mindfulness, Brainwaves and Centering Prayer
In chapter five of his book Buddha Is as Buddha Does, dharma teacher Lama Surya Das offers this fascinating insight into the nature of mindfulness: According to Tibetan Buddhist tradition,…
You don’t have to become a monk to be a mystic
A reader wrote to me recently: Hello, I am interested in becoming a Christian Mystic. However I am not sure if I can join a monastery due to being a…
Two Books that Shaped My Spiritual Path
Two of the most meaningful books I’ve ever read are Evelyn Underhill’s Mysticism: A Study in the Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness and Thich Nhat Hanh’s Living Buddha Living Christ. I…
In Memory of Father Tom Francis Smith (1927-2024), Monk, Mystic and Friend
Friends, I am heartbroken to share with you that Father Thomas Francis Smith, OCSO, of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit passed away early this morning. He was 96 years…
The Relationship Between Meditation, Mysticism and Contemplation
A long-term reader and patron of this blog recently wrote to me this message: Just what is a contemplative person or for that matter tradition? Is a Christian mystic by…
It’s Not Too Late to Sign Up for the Modern Mystics School!
Hi friends, just wanted to make sure that if you haven’t had a chance to sign up for the Modern Mystics School sponsored by Spiritual Wanderlust, it’s not too late to do…
Meister Eckhart: A Deeper Dive (33 Books to Explore)
A Facebook friend recently posted a request for suggestions on books by or about Meister Eckhart. There are so many, that I couldn’t figure out a succinct way to respond…
Mystics and Institutional Religion: A Word from Howard Thurman
Acts of worship must be tested by the degree to which they remain living channels for the direct release of God into the life of the worshipper. When they become…
Deep and Wide: Integrating Christian Mystical Practice with Interspiritual Exploration
Here’s a video of the talk I gave last night for the Christian Mystics Summit sponsored by Closer Than Breath. My topic was the integration of Christian mysticism with interspirituality….
Questions and Answers on Interspiritual Mysticism
My good friend and colleague Jana Rentzel of Closer Than Breath invited me to answer a few questions about interspiritual mysticism — which is the topic of my forthcoming talk…