The Essential Mysticism on Audible, Kindle and Print

THERE are two reasons why one cannot see to the bottom of a well: it may be very deep, or it may be muddy. Most people, consoling themselves for a spiritual myopia, prefer to think that super-sensuous experiences are abnormal and unworthy the consideration of a healthy mind. Thus they dispose very easily of mysticism by calling it muddiness, and of spirituality by terming it neurasthenia. It is well that some are ignorant of the enormity of their ignorance.

Mysticism is defined as “obscurity of doctrine”; the mystic as “one who professes to have direct intercourse with the Divine”; and mystical as something “sacredly obscure or secret; remote from human comprehension.” These three definitions by Webster are entirely satisfactory and sum up in a few words the whole matter. The mystic claims to have direct intercourse with the divine. How such a thing is possible is indeed “remote from human comprehension.”