Explore the Mystical Life

Articles and Essays on Christian and World Mysticism by Carl McColman

In Every Heart There Is A Place Of Infinite Longing.

Mysticism. Christian mysticism. Mystical Christianity. The mystical life. Mystical theology, mystical prayer, mystical experience…

If we take the renowned 20th century theologian Karl Rahner seriously, mysticism – the contemplative dimension of Christian spirituality and discipleship – is a topic we should all be taking seriously. For Christians, the mystical dimension of our faith may be the key to personal spiritual growth, and also a means to more fully embody the wisdom teachings of Jesus in today’s world, teachings that have social as well as personal implications.

Even if you’re not a Christian, this topic will give you a new way of understanding both Christianity and spirituality. As the key to Christianity’s future, mysticism is also the key to making Christianity a renewed force for good in the world, that even people who don’t follow Jesus can respect and maybe even admire.

Follow any of the links on this page to get started, or enter your question or keywords into the search box above. Or submit your question using one of the feedback forms at the bottom of every article. Such questions often are used to develop new articles for this website.

It takes time to explore the depth and beauty of Christian mystical spirituality. It’s time well spent.

We live in an age when many people say, “I’d rather be spiritual than religious.” But what if there were a path where you could integrate the best of both worlds – the best wisdom and practices of a truly life-transforming spirituality, combined with the rituals, practices, and ethical aspirations of religion at its best?

Welcome to the path of Christian mysticism.

Christian mysticism is a dimension of spirituality which stresses a teaching that goes all the way back to Christ himself: “The kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21) – and, connected to that, even further back to the beautiful wisdom of the Psalms: “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

Every century since the time of Christ has been blessed with people who truly embody that “reign of God” in their hearts, and who have left behind poetry, wisdom, and teachings to help ordinary Christians to find their own path to the presence of God within – the “via mystica.”

The content on this website is designed to help you learn more about the mystics – and to apply their wisdom to your life.

What is Mysticism?

• • • What is Mysticism?
    • What is Christian Mysticism?
    • Is Mysticism in the Bible?
    • Why is Mysticism Controversial?
    • The Hidden Tradition of Christian Mysticism
    • What do Mystics believe?
    • The Difference Between Mysticism and Contemplation
    • The Difference Between Mysticism and Spirituality
    • Twelve Ways to Approach Christian Mysticism
    • Intimacy, Union and Love: the Heart of Christian Mysticism
    • Varieties of mysticism
    • Problems with mysticism (pantheism, quietism, dualism, etc.)
    • Why is Mysticism so little known?
    • Mysticism, justice, and privilege (is this a white person’s hobby?)
    • “The Christian of the Future” – The Future of Mysticism

Who are the Mystics?

1. 1. • John of the Cross
      • Meister Eckhart
      • Howard Thurman
      • Teresa of Ávila
      • Julian of Norwich
      • Francis of Assisi
      • Margery Kempe
      • The Cloud of Unknowing
      • Thomas Merton
      • Evelyn Underhill
      • Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
      • John Ruusbroec
      • Hildegard of Bingen
      • Walter Hilton

What do mystics believe?

1. 1. • Mysticism and Individual Well-Being (Happiness/Holiness)
      • Mysticism and Social Justice
      • Mysticism as a Way of Life
      • Mysticism and the Fruit of the Spirit
      • Mysticism and the Embodiment of Christ
      • Why mysticism isn’t afraid of the dark
      • Understanding Mystical Union and Nonduality
      • Discerning the Mystical Sense of the Bible
      • The Characteristics of a Mystic
      • Three Dimensions of the Contemplative Life
      • The Heart of Mysticism is Contemplation
      • The relationship between mysticism and faith
      • Why Mysticism Matters/The Significance of Mysticism
      • The Relationship between mysticism and (institutional) religion
      • Mysticism and Enchantment (riff on Richard Beck, Thomas Moore)

How does one become a mystic?

• • • The Seven Dimensions of Relationship with God
    • The Seven Core Mystical Practices
    • Making and Keeping a Rule of Life
    • The Gift of Spiritual Accompaniment
    • Why “Becoming a Mystic” isn’t What Matters
    • Centering Prayer
    • Dimensions of Prayer
    • Lectio Divina
    • Praying with Icons
    • Spiritual Direction
    • The Jesus Prayer/Prayer of the Heart
    • Ignatian Prayer
    • Liturgy of the Hours
    • Rule of Life
    • Fasting/Asceticism/Abandonment
    • Retreats and Retreat Days, Spiritual Exercises, etc.
    • Hospitality/Almsgiving/Generosity
    • The Examen
    • Keeping a Journal

When has Mysticism Flourished?

1. 1. • Mysticism in the New Testament and Early Church
      • Mysticism in the Desert/Wilderness
      • The Monastic Tradition
      • The Golden Age
      • Mysticism Since the Reformation
      • Mysticism through 1800 (by Evelyn Underhill)
      • Mysticism since 1800
      • The Evolution of the Concept of “Mysticism”
      • The Old Testament
      • The New Testament
      • The Desert Mothers and Fathers
      • The Celtic Church
      • The Orthodox East
      • The Monastic West
      • The 14th Century
      • The 16th Century
      • The 20th Century
      • The 21st Century

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Where does Mysticism take place?

1. 1. • The Body
      • Nature/Wilderness/The Desert
      • The “Inner Room”
      • Churches, Retreat Centers, Monasteries
      • The Home
      • The City/the Marketplace
      • Overview
      • The Body
      • The Cloister
      • The Desert/Wilderness
      • The Church/Parish
      • The Home
      • The Marketplace
      • The Studio
      • The Garden
      • The Imagination
      • Hospital/Hospice (anywhere there’s a chaplain)
      • Silence

Recommended Authors and Resources

1. 1. • Evelyn Underhill, Mysticism
      • Howard Thurman, With Head and Heart
      • Martin Laird, An Ocean of Light
      • Jason Baxter, An Introduction to Christian Mysticism
      • Walter Hilton, The Scale of Perfection
      • Bernard McGinn, The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism
      • Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation
      • Thomas Keating
      • Ruth Burrows, Guidelines for Mystical Prayer
      • Richard Rohr
      • Mary Margaret Funk,
      • Kenneth Leech
      • Bruno Barnhart
      • Cynthia Bourgeault
      • Sara Grant
      • Edith Stein

Glossary

1. 1. • Union/Theosis/Deification)
      • Purgation/Purification)
      • Dark Night of the Soul
      • Illumination
      • Mysticism
      • Deification and Theosis
      • Contemplation
      • Experience
      • Silence
      • Kataphatic
      • Apophatic
      • Nonduality
      • Kenosis
      • Metanoia
      • Illumination, Theoria
      • Dark Night of the Soul
      • Purgation, Katharsis
      • Visions, Voices, Locutions
      • Ecstasy, Rapture
      • Nepsis, Watchfulness
      • Henosis, Union (Unitive Life?)

Audio and Video Resources

1. 1. • Encountering Silence
      • Via Mystica
      • Schola Mystica
      • Youtube
      • Recommended DVDs
      • Video: What is Mysticism?
      • Podcast Episodes (TBD)
      • Videos (TBD)

Special Topics

1. 1. • Christian Mysticism and Interspirituality
      • Celtic Spirituality
      • Mysticism and Creativity/the Arts
      • Mysticism and Gender
      • Mysticism in dialogue with Atheism and Agnosticism
      • Interspirituality
      • Spiritual But Not Religious
      • Celtic Spirituality
      • Deification and Nonduality
      • Ecumenism
      • The Erotic Dimension of Mystical Spirituality
      • Study/Academics
      • Social Justice
      • Monasticism/Monastic Spirituality
      • Fostering a Contemplative Church
      • Reading the Bible as a Mystical Text
      • Art, writing, creativity
      • Elaine Heath/Evangelism
      • Neo-monasticism
      • Mistaken Criticism of Centering Prayer

Community Resources

1. 1. • The Shalem Institute
      • The Living School
      • Contemplative Outreach
      • World Community for Christian Meditation
      • Verbum
      • Shalem
      • Contemplative Outreach
      • SDI
      • Verbum/Logos
      • WCCM
      • Lay Cistercians
      • Lay Carmelites
      • Third Order Franciscans
      • Benedictine Oblates
      • Quakers
      • Ignatian Spirituality/Spiritual Exercises
      • The Living School
      • Esoteric and “Interior” Orders

Questions about the Mystical Life

1. 1. • Can You Combine Different Methods of Silent Prayer?
      • Do We Lose Our Identity When We Become One With God?
      • How Much Daily Silent Prayer Do We Need?
      • What is the Best Church for Christian Mysticism and Contemplation?
      • What is the Best Method for Silent Prayer?
      • Do I have to be a member of a church to be a Christian mystic?
      • Why do mystics talk about purgation or purification?
      • Does talking about a mystical experience make it stronger?
      • What are the boundaries for interspirituality and Christian mysticism?
      • How can I practice mysticism in a secular setting?
      • How can I tell if I am progressing/growing?
      • What are the pitfalls I need to watch out for?
      • How do I find a spiritual director?
      • How can I tell if I’m making progress?
      • What are the stages of the mystical life?
      • Is charismatic spirituality mystical?
      • What is the monkey mind, and how do I deal with it?

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EMBRACE SILENCE • EMBODY LOVE

THE • SPLENDOUR • OF • UNKNOWING

THE • EDGE • OF • WAITING

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Assorted Mystical Topics

1. Abba/Father
2. Accidie
3. Acquired Contemplation
4. Addiction (cf. Gerald May, Addiction and Grace) and Letting Go
5. Adoration
6. Agape (Love, Community, Koinonia, Friends)
7. Angels/Messengers/Nine Choirs
8. Anointing of the Sick
9. Anthropology (what mysticism says about human nature)
10. Apatheia/Passionlessness
11. Apophatic
12. Aridity
13. Asceticism
14. Baptism
15. Beatific Vision
16. Beatitudes
17. Bible
18. Chanting
19. Charismatic
20. Christ/Messiah/Anointed
21. Church/People of God/Koinonia/Body of Christ
22. Cloister
23. Communion (Eucharist, Beatifying Communion)
24. Communion of Saints
25. Community
26. Compassion/Perfection/To Love as God Loves
27. Confirmation
28. Consciousness
29. Consecration
30. Consolation
31. Contemplation
32. Cosmos/Creation
33. Creativity
34. Belief/Creed
35. Daily Office
36. Darkness/Unknowing
37. Death
38. Deification/Divinization/Theosis
39. Demons, Evil, Spirits who are not your friend
40. Desire (Sacred and Profane)
41. Desolation
42. Detachment
43. Devotion
44. Discernment
45. Disciple/Follower/Student/Friend/Lover/Beloved/Faithful
46. Discipleship/Following Christ
47. Distraction
48. Dualism
49. Dying (to Self)
50. Earthiness
51. Ecstasy
52. Emergence
53. Enthusiasm/Drunk on the Spirit
54. Epiphany/Breakthrough
55. Eros
56. Eschatology
57. Eternity/Eternal Life
58. Ethics
59. Eucharist
60. Experience
61. Expression/Storytelling
62. Extraordinary Experiences/Supernatural
63. Faith
64. Fasting
65. Forgiveness (also: Reconciliation)
66. Fruit of the Spirit
67. Gender
68. God/Source/Font
69. Grace
70. Gratitude
71. Ground Rules for Exploring Mysticism
72. Healing (also see Salvation)
73. Heart, Prayer of the Heart
74. Heaven Consciousness
75. Hell
76. Hesychasm, Hesychia
77. Holiness
78. Holy Orders/Consecration/Religious Vocation
79. Holy Spirit
80. Holy Trinity
81. Hope
82. Hospitality
83. How to think/act like a mystic (the Magic Eye painting effect)
84. Humility
85. Ikons
86. Illumination
87. Immanent
88. Incarnation
89. Infused Contemplation
90. Inspiration/Insight
91. Interiority/Interior Life (cf. Wilber’s four quadrants)
92. Interreligious Dialogue
93. Intimacy
94. Introduction
95. Jesus/Yeshua/”The Son”
96. Jesus Prayer
97. Joy
98. Judgement
99. Kataphatic
100. Kenosis
101. Knowledge/Gnosis
102. Lectio Divina
103. Light
104. Logos/The Word
105. Love (see Agape)
106. Love of Neighbors/Love of Enemies
107. Marriage/Mystical Marriage/Bridal Mysticism
108. Mary/Blessed Mother/Divine Feminine
109. Meditation
110. Mercy/Works of Mercy
111. Merkabah (Jewish Mysticism)
112. Metaphors of Mysticism
113. Miracles
114. Misunderstandings/What Mysticism is Not
115. Mixed Life
116. Morality
117. Mortification
118. Mystery
119. Mystical Body of Christ (also see Church)
120. Myths of Mysticism
121. Nature/Earthiness
122. Negative Mysticism/Agnosis
123. Nepsis/Watchfulness
124. Nonduality
125. Paschal Mystery
126. Perseverance
127. Pilgrimage/Mysticism as a Journey
128. Poetry
129. Praxis/Practice
130. Prayer
131. Presence
132. Prophecy
133. Providence/Daily Bread/God’s Ongoing Care
134. Purgation
135. Purgatory
136. Purity (as an aspect of holiness)
137. Quietism
138. Recollection
139. Reconciliation (Sacrament)
140. Redemption
141. Reign of God/Kingdom of God
142. Repentance
143. Resurrection (of Jesus/of mortals-of the Body)
144. Revelation
145. Retreat
146. Rule of Life
147. Sacramental Principle
148. Sacraments
149. Sacramentals
150. Sacrifice
151. Salvation/Healing
152. Sanctity, Sanctifying Grace
153. Savior (Jesus’s Role)
154. Service (Diakonia)
155. Seven Deadly Sins
156. Seven Virtues
157. Shekinah (Jewish Mysticism)
158. Silence
159. Simplicity
160. Sin/Resistance to God
161. Solitude
162. Speculative-Affective Synthesis
163. Spiritual Direction
164. Spiritual Formation
165. Spiritual Warfare
166. Study
167. Suffering
168. Suffering Servant (Christ)
169. Ten Commandments
170. Theophanies
171. Three Ways (Purgation, Illumination, Union)
172. Tradition
173. Transcendent
174. Transfiguration
175. Trust
176. Understanding (Gift of the Holy Spirit, and “understanding mysticism”)
177. Unitive Life
178. Vision/Visionary Experiences/Apparitions
179. Vocal Prayer
180. Vocation/Call/Calling
181. Voices/Locutions
182. Vulnerability/Undefended Life
183. Waiting (Irish concept: “the edge of waiting”)
184. Will, Willfulness, Willingness
185. Will of God/Divine Will
186. Wisdom
187. Work (Ora et Labora), Chop Wood, Carry Water
188. Works of Mercy (Corporal/Spiritual)
189. World, Worldliness