Mysticism East And West

"This book attempts to penetrate the nature of that strange spiritual phenomenon which we call mysticism by comparing the two principal classic types of Eastern and Western mystical experience. By means of this comparison, and by explaining the individual features of one type by those of the other, the nature of mysticism itself becomes gradually more comprehensible." --From the Foreword

""This book attempts to penetrate the nature of that strange spiritual phenomenon which we call mysticism by comparing the two principal classic types of Eastern and Western mystical experience. By means of this comparison, and by explaining the individual features of one type by those of the other, the nature of mysticism itself becomes gradually more comprehensible."" --From the Foreword Dr. Rudolf Otto, who died in 1937, was one of the most distinguished German theologians of this century. Perhaps his best-known book was Das Heilige, which ran through ten editions in Germany before being published in an English translation in 1924 under the title The Idea of the Holy.

Explores themes of transformation, wholeness, and healing as presented by both Eastern and Western mystics, and how their ideas parallel the global insights found in Hinduism, Taoism, Islam, and Buddhism.

"This book attempts to penetrate the nature of that strange spiritual phenomenon which we call mysticism by comparing the two principal classic types of Eastern and Western mystical experience. By means of this comparison, and by explaining the individual features of one type by those of the other, the nature of mysticism itself becomes gradually more comprehensible." --From the Foreword

Popular perception still persists that science and mysticism do not and cannot mix; they belong to two very different worlds. In light of recent developments, particularly in the sciences, the fourteen original papers by international scholars from the East and the West argue that this perception can no longer be sustained. It is becoming more and more evident that the reach of the human mind extends far beyond what can be captured either by the senses or narrow, rigid logic and rationality. Below and beyond the world of science there exists a serene, real world of intuition and insight which is a rich mine of knowledge and wisdom. Recent studies and research show that mystics of all times and all places have had a special access to this world. Today the consensus is gradually emerging that both scientists and mystics share the common mission of being seekers of truth, and their findings are complementary rather than contradictory. This volume also points out that this constructive blending of science and mysticism can serve as an effective catalyst for a meaningful and enriching East-West dialogue.

Defining the mystical experience in terms of a direct encounter with ultimate reality, an examination of the mystical experience as it has been found in six major world religions illuminates the lives and beliefs of each tradition's outstanding mystics. UP.