Best of
Mysticism

1983

The Philokalia, Volume 1: The Complete Text


G.E.H. Palmer - 1983
    First published in Greek in 1782, then translated into Slavonic and later into Russian, The Philokalia has exercised an influence in the recent history of the Orthodox Church far greater than that of any book apart from the Bible. It is concerned with themes of universal importance: how man may develop his inner powers and awake from illusion; how he may overcome fragmentation and achieve spiritual wholeness; how he may attain the life of contemplative stillness and union with God."This excellent English translation, which takes into account the latest scholarly research into the original works, represents a major 'gift' from the wise men of the East. The fluency of the literary style of this translation and the practical understanding which these writings reveal for the spiritual predicaments facing each Christian in every generation brings the book well within the range of the ordinary reader who seeks spiritual counsel. The complete Philokalia covers the period from the fourth to the fifteenth century. Volume One . . . takes us up to the eighth century and is thus the common heritage of Orthodox and Catholics." - Chrysostom

The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi


William C. Chittick - 1983
    William Chittick translates into English for the first time certain aspects of Rumi's work. He selects and rearranges Rumi's poetry and prose in order to leave aside unnecessary complications characteristic of other English translations and to present Rumi's ideas in an orderly fashion, yet in his own words. Thorough, nontechnical introductions to each chapter, and selections that gradually present a greater variety of terms and images, make this work easily accessible to those interested in the spirituality of any tradition.

Life and Teaching Of The Masters Of The Far East, Vol 1


Baird T. Spalding - 1983
    

Hsin Hsin Ming, the Book of Nothing: Discourses on the Faith Mind of Sosan


Osho - 1983
    Here is an alive, contemporary Zen master at work --and as the meaning of Sosan's teachings are unraveled, so are the habitualpatterns and prejudices of the reader's mind. Furthermore, Osho's work isso subtle and delicate, the surgery is performed almost before you know it.As you turn the last page, you may suddenly realize that you'll never againbe quite so captivated by your own inner chatter -- and without any effortyou've taken the first, vital step towards meditation.Review from sannyas dot org:"If I were to save only two books from the whole world of the mystics, one would be Sosan's Hsin Hsin Ming," Osho says. "It contains the quintessence of Zen, the path of awareness and meditation...the very soul of Zen." Himself a master of both words and silence, Osho builds a bridge between the modern, chattering mind and the infinite no-mind of Sosan through these Zen sutras - the only words uttered by Sosan, the 6th-century Chinese mystic and third Chinese patriarch.SubjectZen and Zen MastersTranslated fromNotesOriginal book title "Neither This Nor That".Time Period of Osho's original Discourses/Talks/Lettersfrom Oct 21, 1974 to Oct 30, 1974Number of Discourses/Chapters10

Forgiveness and Jesus: The Meeting Place of 'A Course in Miracles' and Christianity


Kenneth Wapnick - 1983
    It first discusses the principles of A Course in Miracles, specifically focusing on the dynamics of the ego and the meaning of forgiveness. Next, the teachings of Christianity are presented in the light of these principles, with the person of Jesus also discussed in depth. Throughout, special attention is given to the application of the Course's principles to important areas in our lives such as injustice, anger, sickness, sexuality, and money.

The Secret of Secrets


Osho - 1983
    It will show you the way to become more than the body and the way to bloom - how not to remain a seed but to become a golden flower. What, in India, they call the one thousand-petalled lotus, in China they call the golden flower. It is a symbol that represents perfection, totality. Moreover, the flower represents the actualisation of the potential - the beauty, the grandeur, the splendour of being.This treatise, The Secret of Secrets, is very ancient - possibly one of the most ancient treatises in the world - at least twenty-five centuries old. But twenty-five centuries can be traced back very easily. And this treatise is also, uniquely, a great synthesis of all the great religions. The Bible belongs to the Christians, the Talmud belongs to the Jews, the Vedas belong to the Hindus, the Dhammapada to the Buddhists, the Tao Te Ching to the Taoists. But this small book, The Secret of Secrets, belongs to no one in particular, or it belongs to all.It is heavily based on Taoist teachings, a flowering of the Taoist approach to life and existence. But it is not only that - Zarathustra has played a role; his teachings are incorporated within it. Buddhist teachings have also been integrated, and a certain esoteric school of Christians, the Nestorians, have played their part. It is one of the most synthetical approaches.

The Origins of the Christian Mystical Tradition: From Plato to Denys


Andrew Louth - 1983
    Andrew Louth aims to redress the balance. Recognizing that the intellectual form of this tradition was decisively influenced by Platonicideas of the soul's relationship to God, Louth begins with an examination of Plato and Platonism. The discussion of the Fathers which follows shows how the mystical tradition is at the heart of their thought and how the dogmatic tradition both molds and is the reflection of mystical insights andconcerns. This new edition of a classic study of the diverse influences upon Christian spirituality includes a new Epilogue which brings the text completely up to date.

Spiritual Unfoldment 1


White Eagle - 1983
    Chapter headings include: Spiritual Faculties; Life in the Spirit World; The Awoken Memory of Reincarnation; and Healing from the Spirit.

The Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet: the Sacred Letters as a Guide to Jewish


Michael L. Munk - 1983
    This fascinating best-seller weaves these golden threads into a glorious tapestry, presenting hundreds of ideas and comments on the Aleph-Beis, including: the Aleph-Beis as the force of Creation, as a primer for Jewish living, and as a fountainhead of Torah insight and mystical meaning. The product of decades of learning, thinking, and teaching by the revered educator, lecturer, and community activist Rabbi Michael L. Munk. A treat not to be missed.

The Way of Sufi Chivalry


أبوعبد الرحمن محمد بن الحسين بن محمد السلمي - 1983
    In its pages, he records the teachings of renowned spiritual masters (available for the first time in English translation) as well as tales and quotations from the Koran and Hadith. The teachings reveal the true meaning of compassion, love, friendship, generosity, and hospitality, as well as the right actions associated with these virtues. According to the Sufis, Futuwwah is a code of honorable behavior that follows the example of the prophets, saints, and sages. By adhering to its precepts, the student learns detachment from the ego. The Way of Sufi Chivalry addresses the reader directly, providing the aspirant of today with living guidance on the path of perfection and the way of Sufism.

Follow the Ecstasy: The Hermitage Years of Thomas Merton


John Howard Griffin - 1983
    This edition includes a rare selection of Griffin's photographs of Merton and his hermitage.

Spiritual Unfoldment 2


White Eagle - 1983
    It contains teaching on the angelic kingdom. Chapter headings include: The Brotherhood of Men and Angels; The Work of the Angelic Hierarchies; and Companioned by Angels.

The Drunken Universe: An Anthology of Persian Sufi Poetry


Peter Lamborn Wilson - 1983
    For the Sufis, the road to spiritual knowledge could never be confined to the process of purely intellectual activity, without the direct, immediate experience of the Heart. In this book we are concerned with one art that the Sufis made peculiarly their own: poetry. Why should Sufis in general, and Persian Sufis in particular, choose to write poetry? When they wanted to 'be themselves', lovers of the Truth, they needed a language more intense, closer to the centre of human awareness than prose. Truth is beautiful, so when one speaks of it, one speaks beautifully. As the lover sings to his beloved, so did the Sufis to theirs. Love itself creates a taste for this language, so that even the prose writers of Sufism scatter verse throughout their works and create poetic prose. The overwhelming theme of this poetry is the Love relationship between the individual, the lover, and his Beloved, God.

The Enochian Evocation of Dr. John Dee


Geoffrey James - 1983
    John Dee, the famous Elizabethan scientist and magus, The Enochian Evocation of Dr. John Dee is the translation of the original material received from direct Angelic contact. In 1852 Dee and his partner Edward Kelly, while gazing into a crystal stone, began to see and hear angels. These beings desired to re-establish the true art of magic, which had been lost due to man’s wickedness and ignorance. The true magical art, these beings claimed, would bestow superhuman powers upon its practitioners, change the political structure of Europe, and herald the coming of the Apocalypse. Dee believed this research would greatly benefit mankind and documented all of the channeled information into a series of manuscripts and workbooks. Author Geoffrey James presents here the direct translation of the core of the channeled material itself, framed in a historical context, with authority and integrity.

Meditations with Hildegard of Bingen


Gabriele Uhlein - 1983
    Here is an excellent introduction to her words.

Golden Harvest


White Eagle - 1983
    This is a text for the Following the White Eagle Path of Service study course. The teaching contained within it is based on the fundamental principle of love in action.

Living Word of Saint John


White Eagle - 1983
    Deeply mystical, White Eagle's teaching brings transformational insights and depicts St John representing or foreshadowing the teacher for the New Age. This version is gender-neutral.