Mysticism Its True Nature And Value

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This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

With a Translation of the Mystical Theology of Dionysius, and of the Letters to Caius and Dorotheus (1, 2 and 5). 17 Chapters total with 3 Letters. Partial Table of Contents: CHAPTER I: 9 TWO IDEAS OF MYSTICISM Knowledge is either experimental or theoretical, but is limited by sense-experience -- Natural knowledge of God, through reason or revelation, is theoretical; It cannot be experimental -- Experimental knowledge of God always desired -- Mystical theology -- Two points of view, the natural and the supernatural -- They are not naturally opposed, but complementary -- Natural mysticism is the attempt either to transcend the limitations of sense or to find Transcendental knowledge within them -- Fundamental difference between these two methods -- Neither is more than a mental attitude -- Supernatural mysticism implies the transcendence of God, on the one hand; and on the other hand, the Inability of the natural powers alone to attain to Immediate knowledge of Him -- Catholic idea of mysticism -- True mysticism rightly said to be empirical -- Compared with sensation -- The intellectual principles of mystical knowledge not essentially different from those of ordinary knowledge -- What is to be understood by the Supernatural -- The Via Remotionis -- Supernatural illumination not contrary to nature -- Its method -- Natural theories to account for supernatural mysticism -- Reasons for rejecting them -- Theological and evidential value of the subject CHAPTER II: 44 SUPERNATURAL MYSTICISM Origin of the term -- Mysticism in the Church -- In Greek philosophy -- Dionysius -- Social conditions which bring mysticism into prominence -- Spurious mysticism CHAPTER III: 52 THE NATURE OF MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE Mystical experience essentially supernatural -- Three modes of relation of creatures to the Creator -- "Natural" contemplation -- Passivity -- Mystical cognition and sensation -- Mystical and ordinary religious experience -- Mystical certitude -- Mystical experience indescribable -- Necessity of preparation -- Gerson -- Eckhart, Tauler -- Three stages -- St Teresa -- Visions and locutions -- Self-delusion CHAPTER IV: 73 THE OBJECT OF MYSTICAL KNOWLEDGE Mystical "vision," how to be understood -- How the soul can see God -- The Beatific Vision -- Doctrine of St Thomas -- St Paul's visions -- Transiency of mystical state -- Spiritual marriage -- The lumen gloriae -- St Augustine's classification -- Uncertainty of sensible and imaginary impressions as compared with intellectual vision -- All three truly supernatural CHAPTER V: 86 THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MYSTICISM The object of mystical contemplation perceived by a natural process, and therefore capable of analysis -- No theory on the subject formulated by mystical writers -- Three different views. (1) Existence of a special mystical faculty. This theory is superfluous. (2) That all apparently mystical states are merely automatic, and generally of pathological origin. This implies the presupposition that genuine mysticism is impossible. (3) That mystical communications really take place, but are apprehended by the same psychical process which transmits automatic suggestion. This practically coincides with the view of ecclesiastical authority -- Difficulty of distinguishing, how caused CHAPTER VI: 99 EVIL Affinity of the problem with mysticism -- The solution of mystics often appears unsatisfactory to others -- Evil due to created freewill -- Independence of the Divine will -- Evil negative -- Practical character of mystical solution compared with the philosophical or theoretical -- Schopenhauer, Hartmann and "Ethical" religions -- Benefits of mysticism in this respect not restricted to mystics CHAPTER VII: 110 IMMANENCE AND TRANSCENDENCE Terms explained -- Spinoza, Hegel and Mysticism -- The "ground" -- Immanence and transcendence not ontologically distinct CHAPTER VIII: 118 PLOTINUS Philosophy and mysticism of Plotinus...etc.

Excerpt from Mysticism, Its True Nature and Value: With a Translation of the Mystical Theology of Dionysius, and of the Letters to Caius and Dorotheus (1, 2 and 5) In quite another direction, again, mysticism has been brought into connection with a certain school of metaphysics, as a kind of direct intuition by means of which the absolute reality underlying the phenomenal world may be perceived and contemplated; and this intuition is held by some to be the true essence of mysticism, as the common and only reality belonging to all kinds of mystical experience. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

MYSTICISM, in the wide and somewhat loose sense in which the term is commonly used, may be considered as the final outcome of a congenital desire for knowledge which appears in all animate creatures. In children and savages, as also in the lower animals, it takes the rudimentary form of sensitive curiosity; in more fully developed rational natures it becomes the desire to understand the inner nature of things and finally extends itself to that obscure region, dimly recognised by all men, which lies beyond the sphere of things, and of the senses by which things are perceived. But knowledge is of two kinds—abstract and concrete, or experimental and theoretical. Aeterna Press

With a Translation of the Mystical Theology of Dionysius, and of the Letters to Caius and Dorotheus (1, 2 and 5). 17 Chapters total with 3 Letters. Partial Table of Contents: CHAPTER I: 9 TWO IDEAS OF MYSTICISM Knowledge is either experimental or theoretical, but is limited by sense-experience -- Natural knowledge of God, through reason or revelation, is theoretical; It cannot be experimental -- Experimental knowledge of God always desired -- Mystical theology -- Two points of view, the natural and the supernatural -- They are not naturally opposed, but complementary -- Natural mysticism is the attempt either to transcend the limitations of sense or to find Transcendental knowledge within them -- Fundamental difference between these two methods -- Neither is more than a mental attitude -- Supernatural mysticism implies the transcendence of God, on the one hand; and on the other hand, the Inability of the natural powers alone to attain to Immediate knowledge of Him -- Catholic idea of mysticism -- True mysticism rightly said to be empirical -- Compared with sensation -- The intellectual principles of mystical knowledge not essentially different from those of ordinary knowledge -- What is to be understood by the Supernatural -- The Via Remotionis -- Supernatural illumination not contrary to nature -- Its method -- Natural theories to account for supernatural mysticism -- Reasons for rejecting them -- Theological and evidential value of the subject CHAPTER II: 30 SUPERNATURAL MYSTICISM Origin of the term -- Mysticism in the Church -- In Greek philosophy -- Dionysius -- Social conditions which bring mysticism into prominence -- Spurious mysticism CHAPTER III: 35 THE NATURE OF MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE Mystical experience essentially supernatural -- Three modes of relation of creatures to the Creator -- "Natural" contemplation -- Passivity -- Mystical cognition and sensation -- Mystical and ordinary religious experience -- Mystical certitude -- Mystical experience indescribable -- Necessity of preparation -- Gerson -- Eckhart, Tauler -- Three stages -- St Teresa -- Visions and locutions -- Self-delusion CHAPTER IV: 47 THE OBJECT OF MYSTICAL KNOWLEDGE Mystical "vision," how to be understood -- How the soul can see God -- The Beatific Vision -- Doctrine of St Thomas -- St Paul's visions -- Transiency of mystical state -- Spiritual marriage -- The lumen gloriae -- St Augustine's classification -- Uncertainty of sensible and imaginary impressions as compared with intellectual vision -- All three truly supernatural CHAPTER V: 55 THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MYSTICISM The object of mystical contemplation perceived by a natural process, and therefore capable of analysis -- No theory on the subject formulated by mystical writers -- Three different views. (1) Existence of a special mystical faculty. This theory is superfluous. (2) That all apparently mystical states are merely automatic, and generally of pathological origin. This implies the presupposition that genuine mysticism is impossible. (3) That mystical communications really take place, but are apprehended by the same psychical process which transmits automatic suggestion. This practically coincides with the view of ecclesiastical authority -- Difficulty of distinguishing, how caused CHAPTER VI: 63 EVIL Affinity of the problem with mysticism -- The solution of mystics often appears unsatisfactory to others -- Evil due to created freewill -- Independence of the Divine will -- Evil negative -- Practical character of mystical solution compared with the philosophical or theoretical -- Schopenhauer, Hartmann and "Ethical" religions -- Benefits of mysticism in this respect not restricted to mystics CHAPTER VII: 70 IMMANENCE AND TRANSCENDENCE Terms explained -- Spinoza, Hegel and Mysticism -- The "ground" -- Immanence and transcendence not ontologically distinct CHAPTER VIII: 75 PLOTINUS Philosophy and mysticism of Plotinus