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Mysticism: A Study in the Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness
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Mysticism is Evelyn Underhill's seminal work on the subject. The book is divided into two parts, "The Mystic Fact" and "The Mystic Way." In the first part Underhill explores the theological, psychological, and philosophical underpinnings of mysticism from a historical perspective. In the second part Underhill examines the application of mysticism in one's life as a means f
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Paperback, 356 pages
Published
January 1st 2005
by Digireads.com
(first published 1911)
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Start your review of Mysticism: A Study in the Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness
This book really challenges me in a way I rarely experience in spiritual reading. I think there is such a strong idea of mystics being extreme hermits who live in caves, that the whole understanding of Christian Mysticism has been undermined. But really, what this book is helping me to grasp, is that mysticism is simply the concentrated focus of one's entire life upon the person of Christ. The mystics were people who chose to live in such a way as to powerfully encounter the reality, the living,
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Read this book a long time ago, but I throw it down here because the memory of it still lingers, strong. I remember being mesmerized reading page after page of summaries of the mystics in history, Jacob Boehme, Emmanuel Swedenborg, William Blake, Dante, Meister Eckhart, the list goes on and on. Ms. Underhill, another of the great largely unheralded women writers of the 20th century, succinctly and without diminishing her subjects' greatness, presents their thinking, excerpts from their work, and
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“It is no argument to say that most men see the world in much the same way, and that this “way” is the true standard of reality: though for practical purposes we have agreed that sanity consists in sharing the hallucinations of our neighbors” page 10
“Now and then an artist is born, terribly articulate, foolishly truthful, who insists on “Speaking as he saw.” Then other men, lapped warmly in their artificial universe, agree that he is mad: or, at the very best, an “extraordinarily imaginative fel ...more
“Now and then an artist is born, terribly articulate, foolishly truthful, who insists on “Speaking as he saw.” Then other men, lapped warmly in their artificial universe, agree that he is mad: or, at the very best, an “extraordinarily imaginative fel ...more
May 22, 2020
Mathias
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
vitalism,
idealism,
platonism,
naturalism,
utilitarianism,
heresy,
objective-idealism,
intellectualism,
meta-physics,
alchemy
Mysticism is the belief that the individual will be absorbed or reabsorbed into the deity or the absolute. It is therefore incompatible with Christianity and constitutes a heresy that is sometimes affiliated with the occult.
I saw this book on LibriVox several times and it somehow caught my attention. I wanted to know more about Christianity and this was a subject I hadn't dealt with before. Every time I walk my pug I listen to a Christian audiobook and recently I've chosen this one.
I asked th ...more
I saw this book on LibriVox several times and it somehow caught my attention. I wanted to know more about Christianity and this was a subject I hadn't dealt with before. Every time I walk my pug I listen to a Christian audiobook and recently I've chosen this one.
I asked th ...more
This book took me quite a while to read, and not at all because it is difficult (it isn't). I struggled to finish this book due to its inanity.
Underhill was obviously not a mystic. She never had a "true" mystical experience. For had this have been so she would have known that the entirety of her book is pointless. That which is the mystic experience is completely outside of language and human conception - it is outside of the human. And what does Underhill do? She tries to analyze this experien ...more
Underhill was obviously not a mystic. She never had a "true" mystical experience. For had this have been so she would have known that the entirety of her book is pointless. That which is the mystic experience is completely outside of language and human conception - it is outside of the human. And what does Underhill do? She tries to analyze this experien ...more
Apr 28, 2008
Jann
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
those who want to submerge themselves into descriptions of mystical states
Shelves:
spiritual
....very interesting, however, western mystics' descriptions (quotes) of the various transcended states became tedious and repetitive for me. Evelyn needed a good editor. St Teresa's quotes were the most interesting. Evelyn's organization of the subject, however, was excellent. I think I was looking more for a cultural history of mysticism.
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It's a book to outlast a bookshelf. It is a thorough, insightful, clarifying overview and well referenced approach to a word which is actually quite difficult to pin down. In returning to it, I am inevitably darwn to the sections on acidie, dark nights of the soul etc. as a resource to help distinguish spiritual aridity from medical depression.
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This is a wonderful book, but one that I'm having to approach more as a textbook than reading it straight through. Underhill was a genuine genius, incredibly well read, scholarly, and willing to probe deeply into an esoteric subject like mysticism without being a cold materialist. The density of her writing is impressive, which is why she takes so long to read. I've had to buy a couple of books that I can use to follow up on some of her references. This is a book that will never be completely "r
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Aug 02, 2008
Acid
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
any student of mysticism, religion,
this is a work of scholarship on the subject of mysticism...it is one of the more in depth books i have read about the subject...covering all the stages of the mystic journey... I learned that a mystic always holds love as the highest aim of the work begun in the individual...that no one mystic has ever revealed all of the stages that are present in any single journey toward god...that the stages appear in no particular order...after the initial contact with the absolute...I love to read this bo
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Read it.
Dec 13, 2010
Robert
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
psychology,
philosophy
This book took a very long time to read. It is a must read for anyone interested in mysticism. I believe Underhill was the first woman to teach theology at Oxford and her knowledge of the spiritual life is amazing. I would have to spend a few years to fully grasp this book, but I suppose her main points can be summarized as follows:
1. Mysticism is practical, not theoretical.
2. Mysticism is entirely a spiritual activity.
3. The business and method of mysticism is love.
4. Mysticism entails a psych ...more
1. Mysticism is practical, not theoretical.
2. Mysticism is entirely a spiritual activity.
3. The business and method of mysticism is love.
4. Mysticism entails a psych ...more
Underhill's bold undertaking of mysticism is still relevant today. Hume wanted academia to catch up and make progress in defining and codifying metaphysics. Maybe Underhill hasn't reached Hume's level of intellectual study of the subject, but her insights are relevant and valuable.As a follower of another metaphysical path I found this an important addition to my library.
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The primary source for a first understanding of mysticism. A monumental work. One of the Sayers-Lewis collective. Did you know St. Catherine lived for years running on nothing but one communion wafer a day - never lost weight or energy? A dangerous path to start if you like your HDTV and couch sitting.
Interesting classic on the subject of mysticism. Generally a good book and it covers authentic mysticism which is refreshing and not the diluted "new age" idea of mysticism which is now sadly all too common.
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Jun 01, 2009
Grant
added it
I read the appendix "A Historical Sketch of European Mysticism from the Begiinning of the Christian Era to the Death of Blake." It is a good short introduction to the Western Mystical tradition.
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A classic early monograph on mysticism. A must read for those interested in the question of mysticism.
I have such mixed feelings about this book. Man, it was a slog -- and a slog that involved a lot of outdated psychology and philosophy. Underhill's writing is like nothing I've experienced before. Her approach is bizarre, but maybe correct for a topic as arcane as mysticism? I am so far out of my field of expertise here that I genuinely don't know. I suppose this is what it looks like to take mysticism seriously? The first half of the book considers mysticism through various lenses, such as phil
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It is no argument to say that most men see the world in much the same way, and that this “way” is the true standard of reality: though for practical purposes we have agreed that sanity consists in sharing the hallucinations of our neighbors” page 10
“Now and then an artist is born, terribly articulate, foolishly truthful, who insists on “Speaking as he saw.” Then other men, lapped warmly in their artificial universe, agree that he is mad: or, at the very best, an “extraordinarily imaginative fell ...more
“Now and then an artist is born, terribly articulate, foolishly truthful, who insists on “Speaking as he saw.” Then other men, lapped warmly in their artificial universe, agree that he is mad: or, at the very best, an “extraordinarily imaginative fell ...more
Though not an easy read, this is a must for anyone seriously interested in mysticism and contemplative prayer. Underhill does an excellent job exploring the similarities and differences in cross cultural theologies and philosophical views and also does justice to the psychology of mysticism, especially the dissociative aspects (considering the limited perspective of the early 20th century). Furthermore, she does well in presenting her thesis without blurring the heretical lines of pantheism and
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Firstly, the book is entirely Christocentric. I found much of it to be a slog to read through. The two cool parts of the book where when she 1) opens with a quick examination and bashing of other philosophies and finds a nice place to slot the philosophy of Mysticism into and 2) where she systematises the ‘mystic way’ into her five fold path, I like it because it’s ambitious and striving for a pattern even if at times it feels contrived and procrustean.
If you like books like this you'll love my ...more
If you like books like this you'll love my ...more
After the long prefaces and two and half chapters I don't think I see any progress.
There is no organization to this long volume. The book is divided into numbered parts and numbered chapters. There are no chapter titles because I don't think the author herself was able to give them any, just a continuous ramble about mysticism, mystics, and mystical: 564 times, "absolute" 109 times, "becoming" 79 times, “philosophy” 40 times, “religion” 46 times. ...more
There is no organization to this long volume. The book is divided into numbered parts and numbered chapters. There are no chapter titles because I don't think the author herself was able to give them any, just a continuous ramble about mysticism, mystics, and mystical: 564 times, "absolute" 109 times, "becoming" 79 times, “philosophy” 40 times, “religion” 46 times. ...more
This book was an important find on my quest to find explanations on the experience of artists and the almost forgotten spiritual experiences that many of us have. It allowed me to find words for unexplained experiences in my life and put them in understandable terms. I find tat each time i read it , it brings forth different answers to ancient questions.
This is deep..... And I mean VERY VERY DEEP book.... Not sure if we can call it just a "book"? This is actually a work of art in the form of words talking about all these high-level concepts and realms.... Probably the best book on Mysticism that was ever written. Definitely not a book to be taken lightly and it requires full 100% concentration. And it's definitely not for everybody.
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everything you ever wanted to know about mysticism - Underhill is the expert
Shall read at a later date... Very extensive and needs more attention than I am able to give it at this time.
On this topic of mysticism, the best book i have read
Essential text on the topic.
In reading Evelyn Underhill, I’ve began to think about the differences between Religion and Faith and how they connect to the analysis of Mystical Experience. I’ve come to the conclusion that Religion and Faith are two entirely different things. Religion is an institutionalized set of beliefs, attitudes and practices that are formed over generations. It feels like the practice of the religion takes on a life of its own. The heart of the religion, its core belief is substituted over time by the r
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This book is essential reading for anyone serious about mysticism. There is absolutely nothing 'occult' about this subject as presented here. It is as important in its own way today as is William James' Varieties of Religious Experience still a relevant.
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I couldn't find the picture of the edition I read in 1982. If I find my book, it probably got lost in a move, I'll take a picture of the cover. I read this book for a course, Mysticism in the Arts. I remember being so fascinated by it. I have found that I read books when I was young that I wouldn't have the patience for now.
I was thinking about trying to read it now, but I can't get past the hard to understand words for the chapters. It looks like your reviews for this book, will give me a refre ...more
I was thinking about trying to read it now, but I can't get past the hard to understand words for the chapters. It looks like your reviews for this book, will give me a refre ...more
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Evelyn Underhill was an English Anglo-Catholic writer and pacifist known for her numerous works on religion and spiritual practice, in particular Christian mysticism.
In the English-speaking world, she was one of the most widely read writers on such matters in the first half of the twentieth century. No other book of its type—until the appearance in 1946 of Aldous Huxley's The Perennial Philosophy— ...more
In the English-speaking world, she was one of the most widely read writers on such matters in the first half of the twentieth century. No other book of its type—until the appearance in 1946 of Aldous Huxley's The Perennial Philosophy— ...more
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“In mysticism that love of truth which we saw as the beginning of all philosophy leaves the merely intellectual sphere, and takes on the assured aspect of a personal passion. Where the philosopher guesses and argues, the mystic lives and looks; and speaks, consequently, the disconcerting language of first-hand experience, not the neat dialectic of the schools. Hence whilst the Absolute of the metaphysicians remains a diagram —impersonal and unattainable—the Absolute of the mystics is lovable, attainable, alive.”
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“For a lack of attention a thousand forms of loveliness elude us everyday”
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