Jean-Pierre de Caussade, Abandonment to Divine Providence. This short eighteenth-century mystical text, originally written as letters of spiritual direction for a convent of nuns, promotes the freedom that arises from living in the present moment and joyfully offering all our concerns to the loving care of God.
Nikodimos of the Holy Mountain and Makarios of Corinth (compilers), The Philokalia. This multi-volume anthology of writings from the fathers of the Eastern Orthodox churches provides detailed instructions on asceticism and the life of prayer, particularly the "Prayer of the Heart." Among the great mystics whose writings are included in The Philokalia are John Cassian, Evagrius Ponticus, Maximus the Confessor, and Gregory Palamas.
Douglas V. Steere (editor), Quaker Spirituality. This installment in the Classics of Western Spirituality series presents key writings from the Religious Society of Friends, including works by George Fox, Isaac Penington, John Woolman, Rufus M. Jones, and Thomas R. Kelly, all of whom celebrate the rich Quaker tradition, whose profound attentiveness to silence and to God's presence within has resulted in a strong heritage of social justice.
Michael Casey, Fully Human, Fully Divine. The mystery of deification is explored and, as much as possible, explained in this meditative commentary on the Gospel of Mark and how Mark's story of Christ can, in turn, illuminate our own experience as members of Christ's Body, here and now.
Walter Hilton, The Scale of Perfection. A contemporary of both Julian of Norwich and The Cloud of Unknowing, Hilton is not as well known now, but, during their lives, his work was the most widely circulated of the three. This may be because The Scale of Perfection is an astute study of the psychology of spiritual development that explains the dynamics of the inner life in a down-to-earth, practical style.
Ignatius of Loyola, The Spiritual Exercises. Ignatius's spiritual exercises are designed to assist in the process of discernment. But they also stand on their own as a powerful method for using imagination and visualization to embrace Christ as encountered through scripture, and for using meditation and prayer to draw closer to God.
Simone Weil, Waiting for God. One of the twentieth century's most enigmatic figures, Weil was a Jewish philosopher who had mystical experiences of Christ and who explored the teachings of the Christian faith. She was never baptized, however, preferring to remain an "outsider" to the institutional church. Her masterpiece, Waiting for God, collects a number of her essays and letters, including a powerful reflection on the various forms of the implicit (not readily visible) love of God.
Evagrius Ponticus, The Praktikos & Chapters on Prayer. Perhaps the most important of the Desert Fathers, Evagrius influenced later monks like John Cassian and Benedict, thereby influencing monasticism as a whole. This book gathers his pithy, concise writings about the struggle to overcome sin, become holy, and enter into the serene state where true contemplation may occur.
Gerald May, Will and Spirit: A Contemplative Psychology. Combining the scientific thinking of a psychiatrist with the deep interior knowingness of a mature contemplative, May explores how the prayerful process of surrendering to God in a spirit of "willingness" can transform us both psychologically and spiritually.
Ruth Burrows, Guidelines for Mystical Prayer. Drawing on the rich wisdom of Carmelite spirituality, Burrows describes what contemplative prayer is, and why it is ultimately a spirituality that involves surrendering to Christ and trusting in his initiative trusting Christ to draw us into union with God.
Martin Laird, Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation. Ideal for both beginners and proficients in the spiritual life, this book examines the landscape of interior prayer, drawing on both the eastern and western traditions of Christian wisdom. The book offers practical advice on such topics as attentiveness to the breath as an aid to contemplation, dealing with distractions, and learning how to pray through suffering.
APPENDIX C
Online Resources
www.anamchara.com
My blog and website, with information about Christian spiritual formation and the writings of the great Christian mystics.
www.benedictine-oblates.org
Benedictine oblates "donate their own being to God... infusing the values of the Holy Rule of Benedict into their paths of faith."
www. cistercianfamily. org
Website for an international association of Catholic and ecumenical contemplative communities associated with Cistercian monasteries.
www.contemplativeoutreach.org
Dedicated to the practice and promotion of centering prayer and the teachings ofThomas Keating.
www.laycarmelites.com
Catholic organization of laypersons dedicated to the spiritual tradition of Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, and Therese of Lisieux.
www. n afra -sfo. or9
Secular (Third Order) Franciscans date back to Francis of Assisi himself, and follow Franciscan spirituality while living "in the world." This site is for Catholic Franciscans; other websites serve Anglicans (www.tssf.org) and ecumenical Franciscans (www.franciscans.com).
www.sdiworld.org
Interfaith organization dedicated to promoting the ministry of spiritual di- rection.The site includes a directory of spiritual directors.
www.shalem.org
Programs and resources for those who want to open themselves more fully to God in their daily lives and work.
www.universalis.com
Website that provides the text of the Catholic Daily Office each day. The text can be downloaded to your computer or iPhone.
www.wccm.org
Center for Christian meditation, following the teaching of Benedictine monk John Main.
Endnotes
1. Karl Rahner, Concern for the Church (NewYork: Crossroad, 1981), p. 149.
2. Evelyn Underhill, Mystics of the Church (Cambridge, UK: James Clarke & Co. Ltd., 1925), p. 10.
3. Maximus the Confessor, On the Cosmic Mystery of Jesus Christ (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2003), p. 126.
4. Augustine, Confessions, XI, 14 (London: Penguin Books, 1961), p. 264.
5. The American Heritage Dictionary.
6. Evelyn Underhill, The Mystics of the Church (Cambridge, UK: James Clarke & Co., Ltd., 1925), p. 9-10.
7. Margaret Smith, "The Nature and Meaning of Mysticism," from Understanding Mysticism, Ed. Richard Woods, OP (Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1980), p. 19.
8. Harvey D. Egan, SJ, An Anthology of Christian Mysticism (Collegeville, MN:The Liturgical Press, 1996), p. xvi.
9.Timothy Freke & Peter Gandy, The Complete Guide to World Mysticism (London: Piatkus, 1997), p. 9.
10. Swami Abhayananda, History of Mysticism: The Unchanging Testament (Olympia, WA: Atma Books, 1996), p. 1.
11. F. C. Happold, Mysticism: A Study and an Anthology (London: Penguin Books, 1990), p. 16.
12. Andrew Harvey, The Essential Mystics: The Soul's Journey to Truth (NewYork: HarperCollins, 1996), p. x.
13. Thomas Keating et al., Spirituality, Contemplation &Transformation: Writings on Centering Prayer (New York: Lantern Books, 2008), p. xii.
14. Louis Bouyer, in Understanding Mysticism, Ed. Richard Woods, OP (Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1980), p. 43.
15. George Maloney's The Mystery of Christ in You (New York: Alba House, 1998) explains much of the meaning behind the concept of "mystery" in the New Testament, particularly in the writings of St. Paul.
16. Quoted in Antoine Thomas, Praying in the Presence of Our Lord for Children (Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 2003), p. 28.
17. Patrick Henry and David Steindl-Rast, Benedict's Dharma (New York: Riverhead Books, 2001), p. 128.
18. http: / /tinyurl. com /ylsj fll
19. S. Abhayananda, History of Mysticism: The Unchanging Testament (Olympia, WA: Atma Books, 1996), p. 232.
20. Quoted in The Soul Afire: Revelations of the Mystics. Ed. by H.A. Reinhold (Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1973), p. 420.
21. Quoted by Richard Rohr in The
Naked Now (NewYork: Crossroad, 2009), p. 113.
22. Jean-Yves Leloup, Being Still: Reflections on an Ancient Mystical Tradition (NewYork: Paulist Press, 2003), p. 59.
23.Thomas Dubay, Deep Conversion Deep Prayer (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006), p. 64.
24. C. S. Lewis, The Great Divorce (San Francisco: Harper One, 2009), p. 75.
25. Gerald May, Will and Spirit (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1982), p. 46.
26. Quoted in Sermons in a Sentence: A Treasury of Quotations on the Spiritual Life Volume 4: St. Teresa ofAvila. Selected and arranged by John P. McClernon (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2005), p. 107.
27. The Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counseling, Tr. by William Johnston (NewYork: Image Books, 1973), p. 146.
28. Thomas Merton, The Inner Experience (New York: HarperCollins, 2003), p. 22.
29. Meister Eckhart, Selected Writings (London: Penguin Books, 1994), p. 179.
30. These include John Wesley, founder of Methodism; George Fox, founder of the Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as the Quakers; Jonathan Edwards, leader of the "Great Awakening" religious revival; Phoebe Palmer, a Methodist woman renowned for her advocacy of living a holy life; and A.W. Tozer, a minister with the evangelical Christian Missionary Alliance.
31. To learn more, visit www.shalem.org or www.sdiworld.org two websites devoted to the ministry of spiritual guidance.
32. De Incarnatione, 54, quoted in A.M. Allchin, Participation in God: A Forgotten Strand in Anglican Tradition (London: Darton, Longman &Todd, 1988), p. 1.
33. Julian of Norwich, Revelations ofDivine Love, Chapter 4,Tr. by Clif- tonWolters (NewYork: Penguin Books Ltd., 1966), p. 66.
34. Quoted in The Soul Afire: Revelations of the Mystics, edited by H. A. Reinhold (Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1973), p. 129.
35. Quoted in Paul Verdeyen, Ruusbroec and His Mysticism (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1994), p. 72.
36. Brian Haggerty, Out of the House of Slavery: On the Meaning of the Ten Commandments (NewYork: Paulist Press, 1978), p. 135-136.
37. Quoted in Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, New Monasticism (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2008), p. 147.
38. Guigo II, Ladder of Monks and Twelve Meditations (Kalamazoo, MI; Cistercian Publications, 1979), p. 90-91.
39. Bonaventure, The Soul's Journey to God and Other Works (NewYork: Paulist Press, 1978), p. 63.
40. Quoted in Sermons in a Sentence: A Treasury of Quotations on the Spiritual Life Volume 2: St. Francis de Sales (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2003), p. 138.
41. Fr. John-Julian, OJN, The Complete Julian of Norwich (Brewster, MA: Paraclete Press, 2009), p. 171.
42. Quoted in The Soul Afire: Revelations of the Mystics. Ed.by H. A. Reinhold (Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1973), p. 112.
43. Richard Rohr, The Naked Now: Learning to See as the Mystics See (New York: Crossroad, 2009), p. 159.
44. John Ruusbroec, The Spiritual Espousals and Other Works (NewYork: Paulist Press, 1985), pp. 146, 150.
45. Evelyn Underhill, Mysticism (London: Methuen & Co. Ltd., 1930), p. 415.
46. Robert Davis Hughes, Beloved Dust (NewYork: Continuum, 2008), p. 373.
47. Tony Castle, ed., The Catholic Prayer Book (Ann Arbor, MI: Servant Books, 1986), p. 74.
48. C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (NewYork: Collier Books, 1970), pp. 185-186.
49. Paulist Press' Classics of Western Spirituality series of great mystical books is an excellent resource for students of Christian mysticism, as well as Jewish, Muslim, and even Native American spirituality.
Selected Bibliography
WRITINGS BY THE GREAT CHRISTIAN MYSTICS
Abhishiktananda. Prayer. Delhi: ISPCK, 1989.
Aclred of Rievaulx. Spiritual Friendship. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1977.
Anonymous. The Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counseling. Newly edited with an introduction by William Johnston. New York: Image Books, 1973.
Anonymous. The Way of a Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way. Blanco, TX: New Sarov Press, 1993.
Augustine of Hippo. Selected Writings. NewYork: Paulist Press, 1984.
Baker, Augustine. Holy Wisdom.Wheathampstead, UK: Anthony Clarke Books, 1972.
Bernard of Clairvaux. Selected Works. NewYork: Paulist Press, 1987.
Birgitta of Sweden. Life and Selected Works. NewYork: Paulist Press, 1990.
Bonavcnturc. The Soul's Journey Into God and Other Works. New York: Paulist Press, 1978.
Brother Lawrence. The Practice of the Presence of God. Washington, DC: ICS Publications, 1994.
Catherine of Genoa. Purgation and Purgatory: The Spiritual Dialogue. New York: Paulist Press, 1979.
Catherine of Siena. The Dialogue. NewYork: Paulist Press, 1980.
Climacus, John. The Ladder of Divine Ascent. NewYork: Paulist Press, 1982.
de Caussade, Jean-Pierre. Abandonment to Divine Providence. Tr. by John Beevers. NewYork: Image Books, 1975.
Du Boulay, Shirley, ed. Swami Abhishiktananda: Essential Writings. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2006.
Egan, Harvey D., ed. An Anthology of Christian Mysticism. Second edition. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1996.
Ephrem the Syrian. Hymns. NewYork: Paulist Press, 1989.
Evagrius Ponticus. The Praktikos &Chapters on Prayer. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1980.
Fox, George. The Journal. London: Penguin Books, 1998.
Francis and Clare. The Complete Works. NewYork: Paulist Press, 1982.
Fremantle, Anne, ed. The Protestant Mystics: An Anthology of Spiritual Experience from Martin Luther to T. S. Eliot. Introduction by W. H. Auden. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1964.
Fry, Timothy, OSB, ed. RB 1980: The Rule of St. Benedict in Latin and English with Notes. Collegeville, MN:The Liturgical Press, 1981.
Gregory of Nyssa. The Life of Moses. Tr. by Everett Ferguson and Abraham J. Malherbe. NewYork: Paulist Press, 1978.
Gregory Palamas. The Triads. NewYork: Paulist Press, 1983.
Guigo II. Ladder of Monks and Twelve Meditations. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1979.
Herbert, George. The Country Parson and The Temple. New York: Paulist Press, 1981.
Hildegard of Bingen, Selected Writings. London: Penguin Books, 2001 .
Hilton, Walter. The Stairway of Perfection. Tr. by M. L. Del Mastro. Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1979.
Housclander, Caryll. Essential Writings. Selected with commentary by Wendy M. Wright. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2005.
. The Reed of God. New York: Sheed and Ward, 1944.
Ignatius of Loyola. The Spiritual Exercises. Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1964.
John Cassian. Conferences. NewYork: Paulist Press, 1985.
John of the Cross. Collected Works. Washington, DC: ICS Publications, 1991.
Julian of Norwich. Revelation of Love. Ed. and tr. by John Skinner. NewYork: Image Books, 1996.
Kempe, Margery. The Book of Margery Kempe. London: Penguin Books, 1985.
Lewis, C. S. Letters to Malcolm: Chi fly on Prayer. San Diego: Harcourt, Inc., 1964.
. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. New York: Macmillan Books, 1950.
. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. New York: Macmillan Books, 1952.
Macleod, George F. The Whole Earth Shall Cry Glory. Glasgow, Scotland: Wild Goose Publications, 1985.
. Daily Readings with George Macleod. Ed. by Ron Ferguson. London: HarperCollins, 1991.
Maximus the Confessor. On the Cosmic Mystery of Jesus Christ. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2003.
McClernon, John P., ed. Sermons in a Sentence: A Treasury of Quotations on the Spiritual Life Volume 4: St. Teresa ofAvila. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2005.
Meister Eckhart. Selected Writings. London: Penguin Books, 1994.
. The Complete Mystical Works. NewYork: Crossroad, 2010.
Merton, Thomas. Contemplative Prayer. NewYork: Image Books, 1971.
> . New Seeds of Contemplation. New York: New Directions, 1961.
. The Inner Experience: Notes on Contemplation. Ed. by William H. Shannon. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2003.
. An Introduction to Christian Mysticism: Initiation into the Monastic Tradition 3. Ed. by Patrick F. O'Connell. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 2008.
. Thomas Merton, Spiritual Master: The Essential Writings. Ed. by Lawrence S. Cunningham. NewYork: Paulist Press, 1992.
. The Seven Storey Mountain. Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1970.
McGinn, Bernard, ed. The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism. NewYork: The Modern Library, 2006.
Mechthild of Magdeburg. The Flowing Light of the Godhead. NewYork: Paulist Press, 1998.
Nicholas of Cusa. Selected Spiritual Writings. NewYork: Paulist Press, 1997.
Nikodimos of the Holy Mountain and Makarios of Corinth (compilers). The Philokalia: The Complete Text (Volumes 1-4). London: Faber and Faber, 1979, 1981, 1984, 1995 .
Origen. An Exhortation to Martyrdom, Prayer, and Selected Works. Tr. by Rowan A. Greer. NewYork: Paulist Press, 1979.
Pascal, Blaise. Pensees. London: Penguin Books, 1966.
Palmer, Phoebe. The Way of Holiness. Charleston, SC: Bibliolife, 2009.
Patmore, Coventry. The Rod, the Root and the Flower. Freeport, NY: Books for Libraries Press, 1950.
Ponticus, Evagrius. The Praktikos &Chapters on Prayer. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1972.
Pseudo-Dionysius. The Complete Works. NewYork: Paulist Press, 1987.
Pseudo-Maearius. The Fifty Spiritual Homilies and the Great Letter. NewYork: Paulist Press, 1992.
Rahner, Karl. Spiritual Writings. Maryknoll, NY: Orb's Books, 2004.
Reinhold, H. A., ed. The Soul Afire: Revelations of the Mystics. Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1973.
Richard of St.Victor. The Twelve Patriarchs and Other Works. NewYork: Paulist Press, 1979.
Rolle, Richard. The Fire of Love and the Mending of Life. Tr. with an introduction by M. L. del Mastro. Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1981.
The Big Book of Christian Mysticism: The Essential Guide to Contemplative Spirituality Page 28