Mysticism

This volume discusses the relationships between the philosophy of Mysticism, which traces its lineage back into prehistory, with that of the world of more traditional philosophy and literature. The author argues for the centrality of mysticism's role in the philosophical and artistic development of western culture. The connections between these worlds are underscored as the author examines the works of Heraclitus, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Iris Murdoch, Yeats, AE (George Russell), T.S. Eliot, Joyce, Woolf, Auden, Huxley, Lessing, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Tony Kushner, among others.

This short book gives the reader a user friendly handle on three key ideas that lead to a happy life. They all boil down to independent thinking, but the important part is how this is attached to the soul. Practical examples and exercises make this book a hands on tool for life long happiness.

A development of scientific idealism. A greater tendency to unite the spiritual and the material modes of our life rather than to place them in opposition and antithesis is the keynote of this work. In view of the tendency, it seemed to Kingsland very desirable that an effort should be made to place mystical experience in general, and modern mysticism in particular, on a more rational basis than had been the case.

From the author of The Call comes an exquisite memoir on the mystical act of parenting. Although Spangler possesses numerous gifts as a writer and spiritual leader (he is a former coleader of Scotland's spiritual community Findhorn), his most meaningful life work has always taken place within the boundaries of marriage and parenthood (he is the father of four children). So it was only fitting that this self-described "freelance mystic" finally shed his wisdom and humor upon this sacred and mundane act. "We may think of mysticism as the dimension of complex issues of theology and spiritual cosmology, but it is really much simpler," explains Spangler. "It is, at heart, about learning how to recognize and work with the connectedness of the world, the wholeness of all things. Love is at its root, and love is equally at the root of what we do as parents. It is in the spirit of this common rootedness that the parent embodies the mystic and mystic the parent."

In sharing his parenting challenges (such as staying present in the presence of a flailing, crying baby or trying to honor a daughter's yearning to become a racehorse jockey), Spangler has packaged a book so tender and profound that parents cannot help but be inspired to bring their highest and most joyful selves to every interaction of parenthood. --Gail Hudson

Contents: Essays on the Life of the Soul in God. A collection of thirty-two Essays in Three Parts. Lamps of Quest: The Path of Reality: An Ex-parte Statement; Oblation and Service; Consecrations of Life and Thought; The Higher Understanding; The Sense of the Infinite; Life and Doctrine; A Study in Contrast; The Higher Aspect; Spiritism and the Mystic Quest; Official Churches and Spiritism; The Path of the Mysteries. Lamps of Life: Of Crowned Masters; The Dionysian Heritage; The Everlasting Gospel; The Message of Eckehart; Ruysbroeck's Journey in the Divine Distance; A bride of Christ; Voices from Carmel; Post-Reformation Mystics; Molinos and the Quietists; Later Witnesses to the Life of Life; In the Shadow of Revolution; A Modern Daughter of Desire;. Lamps on Heights: Mystical Realization; Faith and Vision; The Path of Contemplation; The World to Come and the World of the Holy One; Grounds of Unity in Grace and Nature; The Poet's Glass of Vision; A Study in Christian Pantheism; The Grades of Love; The Inward Holy of Holies.

1906. Partial Contents: Life of the mystic; Enterprise of sanctity; Sense of the infinite; Supernatural goodness; Question of service; Asceticism and mysticism; Foundation of the higher magia; Lesser mysteries of the life of life; By-ways of half a century; Mesmerism and hypnotism; Saviors of Louis XVII; Paradise of Hermes; Some offices of vain observance; Dwellers on the threshold; Who stand at the door and knock; A Masque of anarchy; Powers of the deep; Garden of Venus; Gate and the sanctuary; Voice of the beloved; Stewards of the mysteries; the Building Word; Rumors of the mystic quest; Veil of the Sanctum Sanctorum.

As in the case of James Redfield's The Celestine Prophecy, once in a while a book comes along that unexpectedly soars to the bestseller lists simply because it feeds a specific spiritual hunger. Talking to Heaven is one such book. Based on the personal insights and memories of highly acclaimed medium James Van Praagh, Talking to Heaven offers comforting and startling stories about his contact with the deceased. Van Praagh could have used this text to prove that his gifts as a medium are authentic--the story about the deceased teenager who led his parents to his murderer is impressive (the result was a murder conviction)--but instead, Van Praagh offers spiritual and psychological comfort to those grappling with the loss of a loved one. He also helps readers develop their own means of talking to heaven. Even those who aren't aching for contact with the deceased will find Van Praagh's down-to-earth discussions of karma, the afterlife, and spiritual guides fascinating.