Practical Mysticism A Little Book For Normal People And Abba Meditations Based On The Lord S Prayer

Practical Mysticism is a book written by Evelyn Underhill and first published in 1915. In this book Underhill sets out her belief that spiritual life is part of human nature and as such is available to every human being. Underhill's practical mysticism is secular rather than religious, since "it is a natural human activity." In the following paragraph, Underhill defines the meaning of the phrase "Practical Mysticism" Therefore it is to a practical mysticism that the practical man is here invited: to a training of his latent faculties, a bracing and brightening of his languid consciousness, an emancipation from the fetters of appearance, a turning of his attention to new levels of the world. Thus he may become aware of the universe that the spiritual artist is always trying to disclose to the race. This amount of mystical perception-this 'ordinary contemplation', as the specialist call it, -is possible to all men: without it, they are not wholly alive. Source Wikipedia

In this short work (subtitled "A Little Book For Normal People") Evelyn Underhill, one of the 20th Century's leading scholars of Christian Mysticism, seeks "to put the view of the universe and man's place in it which is common to all mystics in plain and untechnical language; and to suggest the practical conditions under which ordinary persons may participate in their experience."

Two classics in one volume that show a British poet and mystic to be one of the most authoritative modern voices on mysticism. "God gives without stint all that the creature needs, but it must do its part. He gives the wheat: we must reap and grind and bake it." –Evelyn Underhill Written on the eve of World War I, Practical Mysticism reviews the works of the greatest Western mystics, including Teresa of Avila, Julian of Norwich, and Thomas à Kempis. Underhill’s goal is to guide her readers on a journey toward mystical consciousness, to teach them to see the “eternal beauty beyond and beneath apparent ruthlessness.” Abba, first published in 1940, takes as its starting point the seven phrases of the Lord’s Prayer, using them as a means to propel the self toward union with God. In these important works, Underhill brings an often esoteric subject onto a practical footing, showing that the profound gifts of mysticism are not only for the few but are within reach of us all.

In this short work (subtitled "A Little Book For Normal People") Evelyn Underhill, one of the 20th Century's leading scholars of Christian Mysticism, seeks "to put the view of the universe and man's place in it which is common to all mystics in plain and untechnical language; and to suggest the practical conditions under which ordinary persons may participate in their experience."

In this short work (subtitled "A Little Book For Normal People") Evelyn Underhill, one of the 20th Century's leading scholars of Christian Mysticism, seeks "to put the view of the universe and man's place in it which is common to all mystics in plain and untechnical language; and to suggest the practical conditions under which ordinary persons may participate in their experience." Notice: This Book is published by Historical Books Limited (www.publicdomain.org.uk) as a Public Domain Book, if you have any inquiries, requests or need any help you can just send an email to [email protected] This book is found as a public domain and free book based on various online catalogs, if you think there are any problems regard copyright issues please contact us immediately via [email protected]

Evelyn Underhill (1875 -1941) was a prolific and very popular writer on mysticism and spirituality in the first half of the 20th century, and I am increasingly convinced that she speaks to us today. While she began her writing life as a novelist and poet, she found her vocation in making the profound and at times mysterious inner life of saints, contemplatives and mystics interesting, and even accessible to her many readers. Practical Mysticism, a Little Book for Normal People, is an excellent place to meet Underhill for the first time, or to refresh your knowledge of her work. It is a more condensed read than Mysticism, but equally rich in references to mystics such as Julian of Norwich, Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, and while Underhill draws examples from the Christian tradition, her approach is pragmatic rather than doctrinally insistent, and she is interested in the spiritual growth of individuals far more than the activities of group worship. This is a public domain text edited and with an introduction by Dr Sarah Law, whose PhD (1997) included a study of Underhill.