So instead of the heart of contemplation being thought or cogitation, in a spiritual sense, contemplation is wordless prayer.
It’s not about thought — in fact, contemplation takes us to a place beyond thought.
Category: Mysticism
Is Mystical Spirituality an Appropriate Response to the Social and Political Crises of Our Time? Absolutely.
I am writing these words on a Monday morning following two mass shootings that occurred on the previous weekend — one in El Paso, TX, and the other in Dayton,…
The Feast Day of Julian of Norwich: May 8 (or May 13?)
We know the first woman who wrote a book in the English language (at least, the first one that has been preserved for posterity). But there is a lot about that author, who lived in the fourteenth century, that we don’t know. We know she was a visionary based in Norwich, England.…… Read more at Patheos
Five Ways to Think About Mysticism
Mysticism is a notoriously squirrelly word to try to define. In The Big Book of Christian Mysticism I devote an entire chapter to defining mysticism, and even then I admit that defining…
Walter Hilton: A Contemplative Guide Who Will Take You Back to the Basics
Twice this month, the lesser-known English mystic Walter Hilton has shown up on this blog. First I wrote about a dream I had, and how I think Hilton inspired me to dream about a “Hilton Hotel.” Then I wrote about some of my favorite “mystical book covers” and one of…… Read more at Patheos
Nondual Christianity and the Problem of Evil
A reader of one of my previous blog posts sent me this question via Facebook messenger. I read your article about non dualism Nonduality in the Bible … and us. So what about scriptures about God hating sin, wickedness, evildoers etc… Or am I misunderstanding? Also there’s a lot of…… Read more at Patheos
Mysticism and Contemplation: What’s the Difference?
Since mysticism cannot be put into words, and contemplation likewise involves a wordless gaze of love, silence is the essential nutrient for anyone seeking to walk the path of mystical or contemplative prayer.
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
If Mystical Christianity is Shamanistic, then the Divine Office is the Drum
For years, I have thought that one of the best ways to understand Christian spirituality is by the study of shamanistic forms of spirituality and religion, typically found among indigenous cultures the world over. Wikipedia defines shamanism as “reaching altered states of consciousness in order to perceive and interact with…… Read more at Patheos
A Litany for Julian of Norwich
Here is a litany created from the words of Julian of Norwich, 14th Century English Mystic. I put together this litany for a Julian of Norwich quiet day I led at a church in Atlanta a few years ago. Yesterday I was going through some papers and found a copy…… Read more at Patheos
Is Mystical Experience the Antidote to Nihilism?
In response to my previous post from last October, Why Experience Is Not the Foundation of (All) Spirituality, a reader recently posted this comment on Facebook: As someone who struggles with fear and nihilism I often find myself craving an experience of god to help “cast out all doubt.” While in…… Read more at Patheos
Contemplation and Ecstatic Experience
A reader named Kevin wrote and asked me: 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