Love Underhill but the publisher????July 28, 2008 2 out of 4 found this review helpful
Anything I have read from Eveyln Underhill is worth reading. However, copyrights have expired in (all?) of her writings. This book is published by jungle.com which also sells occult reading materials. There is a catalog in the last three pages of this book. I found this offensive and I emailed them about it. One cannot 'serve two masters..'
Practical MysticismJuly 6, 2008 This is a "must read" for anyone whose spiritual journey has led them to writings of St. John of the Cross, Therese of Avila, Thomas Merton, other books of Evelyn Underhill, etc.
A classic gem on Western MysticismJune 12, 2006 15 out of 15 found this review helpful
I first encountered this book when I was an undergraduate student taking a Mysticism course in a Jesuit University. At the time, the book was out of print and the instructor thought it was so valuable he photocopied it for everyone in the class at his own expense. More than 20 years later, I agree with him that this book is unique and valuable. I also think that its message is still relevant to modern people and would rank it as a spiritual classic.
What makes this book valuable is that it cuts to the essence of what mysticism is and how it is relevant to everyday people living in the world. It is written in a lyrical almost poetical style, which is to say that the author has the power to make difficult concepts come alive with great impact and beauty.
There are many books on Western Mysticism, but this one is very concise and delivers the essentials in an easy to digest manner. While some of the language is outdated and the world has changed in many ways, the underpinning of man and the world have changed very little. This is why I still think Evelyn Underhill's message still applies and speaks across the decades directly to the human heart.
At times, there can be a bit of a moralistic tone. However, when viewed from the mystic's side of feeling unworthy of the experience of union with God they are having, this makes sense. When looked at from the human side, it can be a bit disconcerting. However, I think its analogous to the situation where two people who are really in love with each other, don't feel worthy of each other. This is the way I try to view these sections because basically a mystic is much like a lover in relation to the divine.
This book is only $10.00 and I wouldn't hesitate to buy it if you are the least bit interested in Western Mysticism or any kind of mysticism. If you just mine the book for powerful quotes and analogies it is worth many times the cover price. I believe I own at least three copies of it because I keep lending it to people and not getting it back!
With respect to my background and spiritual inclinations, I am primarily a student of Eastern Traditions. However, this is one book that I feel helps bridge the gap between these two great traditions and is accessible to anyone.
Hardly practical but quite alluring in its own wayFebruary 23, 2003 2 out of 13 found this review helpful
Read this to understand one human's attempts to know the mind of the universe. Don't read this if you want some kind of instruction on how to develop your own connection to that Intelligence. A pretty book nonetheless.
creaky old chestnutOctober 9, 2000 10 out of 24 found this review helpful
Evelyn Underhill wrote numerous books about mysticism, an amazing number of which are still in print (click on author name to see). In this little book, published just at the start of WWI, Underhill attempted to distill a summary of the mystical pursuit in simple language.
Addressing an imaginary "practical man", Underhill attempts first to justify the validity and value of the pursuit of mystical experience; then explains the stages of the mystic's quest in several chapters. These chapters represent Underhill's synthesis of the works of many mystics.
The writing style is deliberately lyrical, at times quite striking, at other times crossing the line to become pretentious and old-fashioned.
Is this actually a book for the (modern) "practical man"? I think not. Underhill's instructions in how to begin meditating are vague and could easily mislead a beginner into fruitless paths. Also, the descriptions of the stages of mystical progress are strongly influenced by the Christian mystics of the middle ages -- Underhill had studied few, if any, primary sources on Eastern traditions since few Buddhist or Hindu documents had been translated at the time of writing. But it reduces the value of the book for modern readers.
