Preface to the Twelfth Edition

Preface to the First Edition

Part One: The Mystic Fact

1 The Point of Departure

2 Mysticism and Vitalism

3 Mysticism and Psychology

4 The Characteristics of Mysticism

5 Mysticism and Theology

6 Mysticism and Symbolism

7 Mysticism and Magic

Part Two: The Mystic Way

1 Introductory

2 The Awakening of the Self

3 The Purification of the Self

4 The Illumination of the Self

5 Voices and Visions

6 Introversion Part 1: Recollection and Qui

7 Introversion Part 2: Contemplation

8 Ecstasy and Rapture

9 The Dark Night of the Soul

10 The Unitive Life

11 Conclusion

Appendix

A Historical Sketch of Mysticism

Bibliography

Bibliographical Note

Index

Index of Scripture References

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Each part of the Text is a page on its own with its numbered references at the foot of the page, if you click on the numbered link it takes you to the corresponding reference, use "Back" to return to where you were in the Text.

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EVELYN UNDERHILL (1875 -1941), English poet, novelist, and writer on mysticism, was born in England and educated at King's College for Women, London. In 1921 Miss Underhill was Upton Lecturer on the Philosophy of Religion at Manchester College, Oxford. Between 1900 and 1920 she wrote novels and light verse, but her lasting fame rests on the many books she produced on various aspects of mysticism. The most famous of these is Mysticism , which was first published in 1911. Among her other fine works are: The Mystic Way (1913), Practical Mysticism (1915), The Essentials of Mysticism (1920), The Life of the Spirit and the Life of Today (1922), Concerning the Inner Life (1926), Man and the Supernatural (1927), and The House of the Soul (1929).

First published in 1911, Mysticism remains the classic in its field and was lauded by The Princeton Theological Review as "brilliantly written [and] illuminated with numerous well-chosen extracts . . . used with exquisite skill."

Mysticism makes an in-depth and comprehensive exploration of its subject. Part One examines "The Mystic Fact," explaining the relation of mysticism to vitalism, to psychology, to theology, to symbolism, and to magic. Part Two, "The Mystic Way," explores the awakening, purification, and illumination of the self; discusses voices and visions; and delves into manifestations from ecstasy and rapture to the dark night of the soul. Rounding out the book are a useful Appendix, an exhaustive Bibliography, and an Index. Mysticism is thoroughly documented with material drawn from such great mystics as St. Teresa of Avila, Meister Eckhart, and St. John of the Cross.
    (From the cover of the Image Book edition)

The Text on this and the following pages is by courtesy of the
Christian Classics Ethereal Library
who make freely available the Text which i have formatted,
and to whom i am deeply indebted.