The Physical Phenomena Of Mysticism

The Physical Phenomena of Mysticism by Herbert Thurston is the result of the author's tireless study of a wide range of psychic phenomena, including, levitation, stigmata, telekinesis, luminous phenomena, inedia (living without food), and more.

The Physical Phenomena of Mysticism is a 1947 work by Augustus Montague Summers that explores the subject of mysticism, with a particular focus on Stigmata--the appearance of bodily wounds, scars, and pain in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ. Augustus Montague Summers (1880 - 1948) was an English clergyman and author most famous for his studies on vampires, witches and werewolves--all of which he believed to be very much real. He also wrote the first English translation of the infamous 15th-century witch hunter's manual, the "Malleus Maleficarum", in 1928. Other notable works by this author include: "A Popular History of Witchcraft" (1937), "Witchcraft and Black Magic" (1946), and "The Physical Phenomena of Mysticism" (1947). Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new biography of the author.

An exploration of mysticism, with a particular focus on the appearance of bodily wounds that bear resemblance to Jesus Christ’s crucifixion wounds, known as Stigmata. First published in 1947, The Physical Phenomena of Mysticism details the Christian mysticism of Stigmata. Those who lead a virtuous, Christian life may discover wounds in similar places to that of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion wounds, for example, the hands and feet from the nails, the head from the crown of thorns, or the shoulders and back from the weight of carrying the cross. Montague Summers was an English clergyman, best known for his studies on vampires, witches, and werewolves. In this volume, he explores and analyses divine and diabolic phenomena.

The power of the mind to influence the physical world has long been debated, debunked, studied for military applications, and used in science fiction. This historical and theoretical study of mind-matter interaction, or MMI, explores the phenomena of levitation, stigmata, inedia, paranormal activity, bilocation, fire immunity, luminosity, and the teleportation of matter. The results of more than a century of formal experimental research are discussed, as are resultant training techniques, theories, and controlled experiments used to test or bolster psychokinetic abilities.

Jeffrey Kripal here recounts the spectacular history of Esalen, the institute that has long been a world leader in alternative and experiential education and stands today at the center of the human potential movement. Forged in the literary and mythical leanings of the Beat Generation, inspired in the lecture halls of Stanford by radical scholars of comparative religion, the institute was the remarkable brainchild of Michael Murphy and Richard Price. Set against the heady backdrop of California during the revolutionary 1960s, Esalen recounts in fascinating detail how these two maverick thinkers sought to fuse the spiritual revelations of the East with the scientific revolutions of the West, or to combine the very best elements of Zen Buddhism, Western psychology, and Indian yoga into a decidedly utopian vision that rejected the dogmas of conventional religion. In their religion of no religion, the natural world was just as crucial as the spiritual one, science and faith not only commingled but became staunch allies, and the enlightenment of the body could lead to the full realization of our development as human beings. “An impressive new book. . . . [Kripal] has written the definitive intellectual history of the ideas behind the institute.”—San FranciscoChronicle “Kripal examines Esalen’s extraordinary history and evocatively describes the breech birth of Murphy and Price’s brainchild. His real achievement, though, is effortlessly synthesizing a dizzying array of dissonant phenomena (Cold War espionage, ecstatic religiosity), incongruous pairings (Darwinism, Tantric sex), and otherwise schizy ephemera (psychedelic drugs, spaceflight) into a cogent, satisfyingly complete narrative.”—Atlantic Monthly “Kripal has produced the first all-encompassing history of Esalen: its intellectual, social, personal, literary and spiritual passages. Kripal brings us up-to-date and takes us deep beneath historical surfaces in this definitive, elegantly written book.”—Playboy

Ecstasy, or extasis, is the Greek term for trance, and is linked with a pleasurable, God-given state of out-of-body experience recorded throughout the New Testament and the church age. Starting with the apostles ecstatic experiences on Pentecost, the Book of Acts further records trances in the lives of Peter and Paul. From the early church to the Christian mystics of the Middle Ages and the famous revivalists of centuries present, God s movements on the earth have always been marked by these supernatural experiences. In this book, John Crowder takes us on a journey from Old Testament ecstatic prophets such as Samuel and Elijah, to the future ecstatics who will usher in a massive wave of harvest Glory to the streets in these last days. God has always wanted a people who live in the Heavens, even as they walk on the Earth. And the world is hungry for the demonstration of a gospel of supernatural power that flows from a life of divine pleasure. More than a state of mind, you will see how the nature of God s ecstasy is found in the joy, bliss and inner raptures of His presence. In this book, you will be encouraged to drink from the river of His pleasure! (Ps. 36:8)

Have you had experiences with telepathy, precognition or subtle energies? You are not alone. These and many other extraordinary abilities have been reported since the earliest days of humankind and hint at an indwelling potential we all share. To broaden our understanding of these abilities, Infinite Possibility compares eight different spiritual traditions and the Scientific paradigm to understand: How different cultures understand the extraordinary The range of abilities seen across cultures Where in the hierarchy of consciousness extraordinary abilities occur The methods used to evoke abilities And the risks reported in undertaking the extraordinary Perhaps you are interested in what your particular tradition has contributed to our understanding of the extraordinary. Or you may simply enjoy reading about the exploits of saints, lamas, shaman and intuitives. Whatever your reason, this exceptional survey of the worlds traditions is guaranteed to deepen your understanding of our infinite human potential.