Mysticism

A must-read book if one is interested in the topic. She seems rather intent on making the case for an ultimate I-Thou dualism, as against the eastern thought non-dualism/monism/ pantheism understanding - but I think she fails. Monism of some type seems the more intuitive and logical to me.

When I first read Ms. Underhill's book, I was totally confused. Mysticism, Cosmic Consciousness, Nirvana, and similar states of being are hard enough to understand for the learned scholar or adept let alone a ten year old boy. So I put it away and every so often I would get into it again trying to understand the concepts and meanings of what it was she was trying to convey. It's not an easy read even today in my sixties, but I understand it now very well, and for me, today it is a basic primer compared my earlier understanding. If you have a good understanding of the Mystic Mind and Consciousness, Then this book is a Good read. If you are a novice give it a once over then get back to it in about ten years. Underhill is to Modern show more Mysticism what Rachel Spring is to the Modern Environmental movement. I gave it 4 stars because it is hard to read. But I give it two thumbs up for content and validity. show less

Richly documented with material drawn from such great mystics as St. Teresa, Meister Eckhart, St. John of the Cross, and William Blake, this remarkable study will be of immense interest to students, psychologists, theologians — anyone interested in this extremely personal and powerful form of spiritual life.

Brilliant doesn't start to describe.

Classic modern writing on what it is.

12/11/21

c 1 (1910 ed.), c 2 (Meridian, 1951 ed.), c 3