The Spiritualities of Christianity: The Power of Mysticism

Sometimes an ancient tradition reinvigorates modern life. Many people have found this with contemplative prayer and Christian mysticism in general. For me, it was a discovery of the depths of inner life possible through prayer - a discovery of the power of silence and stillness, in contrast to a contemporary world that is hectic, instant …

A Year of Inspirers (9) : The Power of Mysticism and Julian of Norwich – 8th May

On 8th May 1373 a young woman had a series of visions.  These led to one of the most extraordinary books ever written - Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich. Sometimes an ancient tradition can reinvigorate modern life.  Many people have found this with contemplative prayer and Christian mysticism in general.  The experience …

Spiritual Reflection: Six Different Kinds of Truth…

I think we all have an intuitive sense of truth. We know when we are lying, and we know when we are being honest. But we have become confused about "truth", I think, because we have narrowed the definition of truth too much to "scientific / mathematical truth", forgetting that most of the important things …

Spiritual Reflection: The Three Ways of Illumination, Purgation and Mysticism

I don’t think there are only three ways in spirituality.  But sometimes it’s helpful to think thematically, and so the theme of this post is “The Three Ways”, and these ways are: IlluminationPurgationMysticism I don’t think we go through these stages necessarily in this order.  Sometimes we might experience more than one simultaneously.  And we …

Inspirers – Richard Rolle

“The Fire of Love” is a great name for any book, and Richard Rolle’s work on mysticism has inspired me again and again. Be absorbed in that blessed love . Blazing in your Soul . That fires such sweetness and such devotion . Know nothing but that Heavenly song . Flaming in your Heart . …

Flowing from Life to Life

  It begins With a word   This search To be true   To the myriad Currents of grace   Flowing From life to life   Bearing the soul That is mine   Onward Deeper   Into further Communion   With the mystical Gracious divine.  

Spiritual Reflection – More than Meets the Eye : Three Ways of Perceiving

  There are things in themselves, there are things understood, and there is the reasoning power applied to what we see.  These are like the stepping stones to eternity...     According to Bonaventure, one of my inspirers, there is “more than meets the eye” to looking! First, he says “the supreme power, wisdom and …

Inspirers: “a thousand forms of loveliness”

  She open our eyes to the unnoticed beauties of life:     ...and reminds us how our habits of thought can blind us to the real realities of life:     She places value in "a deep and real inner life":     And urges us not to hurry  life:     I have …

To Be a Mystic

  To be a mystic is to feel within   The tug of the transcendent moving the mind   And a hunger for more of that moment   Of living beyond   It is to embark on a journey of prayer   Whose destiny is nowhere and whose sails the spirit fills   It is …

Mystic Mooring

  By what mystic mooring   The soul is held today   Materialists can't answer   Theologians cannot say.   This was inspired by Emly Dickinson's poem "Whether my bark went down at sea" (Emily Dickinson)