4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
You can probably do better..., 2005-10-18
This is an adequate survey of some of the highlights of a variety of religious writings. Unfortunately, I was looking for information on the mystics, not the author's summary of what he thought was the important mystical texts. If you're looking for this type of info, you probably already have or know a lot of the material in this book. "Cliff Notes" for mystics just doesn't makesense to me!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Go to a quiet place to read..., 2004-11-10
This wide-ranging anthology collects all the essential texts and themes of great mystic traditions of the world -- from Buddhist, Taoist, Jewish, and Christian to Hopi, Hindi, Islamic, Sikh, Aboriginal, and Kogi. Provides analysis and historical information with special attention to the sacred feminine mystics. Well introduced with important historical information. This is an approachable guide to the unique and inspiring personalities that define the mystical experience.
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
A momentous journey..., 2003-06-07
Andrew Harvey's 'The Essential Mystics' is subtitled 'The Soul's Journey into Truth'; this is a book which takes a broad approach to exploring the mystical side of religion, whatever cultural contexts it might take.This is apparent from the basic listing of chapters:
Voices from the First World
Taoism: The Way of the Tao
Hinduism: the Way of Presence
Buddhism: The Way of Clarity
Judaism: The Way of Holiness
Ancient Greece: The Way of Beauty
Islam: The Way of Passion
Christianity: The Way of Love in Action
Drawing on the holy texts of the different traditions, and exploring the practices of the spiritualists, monastics and holy teachers of these traditions, Harvey has given us a concise volume that reaches to infinity. Harvey's ancient, native and cultural mystical experience has a choice example in the following:
'Sacred One,
Teach us love, compassion, and honour
That we may heal the earth
And heal each other.'
- from a Yokuts prayer
With regard to Taoism, Harvey says, 'This vision in its sanity, lack of pretension, depth, humanity, and wise, demanding humility offers, I have found, a marvelous touchstone by which to inwardly test both the truths and the imbalances of the later mystical traditions.'
In exploring Hindi mysticism, Harvey claims that Hinduism's chief attraction to us now is that it has kept alive a very full at once majestic and tender vision of God the Mother.
'Daily existence in the heart of my extended family
is the worship beyond worship
that perceives Mother Reality
as every being, every situation, every breath.'
The way of clarity in Buddhism is exemplified by the Buddha's statements, such as, 'Be a lamp into yourself! Work out your liberation with diligence!' The buddha awoke to clarity, and Harvey introduces the four noble truths and other enlightenment texts.
Harvey's exploration of Jewish mysticism explores an extraordinary postive vision of the divine and the human life.... Yahweh is both transcendent and immanent, thus giving blessing and goodness to the world. This follows the kabbalistic tradition with insight and sensitivity.
The chapter on Ancient Greece is one of the real treasures of this book, for it is a topic which is often overlooked. We are much more familiar with the philosophical, political, and historical writings, as well as literature, but a true mystical sense has often been discounted as a side-show to the mythology. But Harvey says, 'in the great pre-Socratic philosophers such as Heraclitus and Empedocles we find maters of fearless paradox who rival the anonymous seers of the Vedas and Upanishads in their awareness of the necessity of opposites and of the unity that uses, contains, and transcends them.'
Harvey's chapter on the mysticism of Islam follows a Sufi approach; there is passion in realising reality, burning like the Flame of Love, that sees all of creation as a reflection or even incarnation of the divine.
'O My servants who believe!
Surely My earth is vast,
Therefore Me alone should you serve.'
- Qur'a
In the chapter on Christianity, Harvey states, 'one of my hopes for this anthology is that it will deepen this wonder by helping people to see the truths of the other mystical traditions reflected in the depths of the Christian messages.' Harvey knows that the primary audience for this book is the western, Christianised (if not Christian) academic readers. He also explores his own journey which recognises the spirituality of Mary and Jesus as male and female subjects of mysticism.
These chapters provide a brief introduction to the wide range of mystical paths in history. They provide much meditation material, and the brief introductory texts to each section are gracefully enlightening and blessedly brief, so as to let the texts themselves speak. Were you to get only one volume of the Essentials series, this would most likely be it.
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
You'll end up feeling better about Mankind, 2002-06-14
_If I was to take one book along to an isolated beach or island this summer for a serious read and reflection this would be it. You'll end up feeling better about your self, because you'll end up feeling better about mankind. This book proves that people of all cultures and all times have had the capacity to transcend the commonplace and petty and know God. This is the "golden thread" that connects all mystical traditions, all true wisdom in the world.
_Inspite of the extensive footnotes, I would not consider this to be a scholarly book. Rather, I would consider it a spiritual book- that is why it has value and is worth the reading. Here is the mystic heart of native cultures, Taoism, Hinduism, Buddihism, Judaism, Classical Greece, Islam, and Christianity all in one beautifully designed book of 236 pages. What better use could you find for your reading time?
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
Fantastic Collection!!, 2001-10-03
This is a beautiful book that is really well put togetther. I love that it opens with "voices of the first world" - native american poems. It then moves into Taoist poetry from the Tao Te Ching, then into Hindu poems, the Judaic writings, then writings from ancient Greece, then Islamic poems, and finally christian passages and poems. The book is marvelous in the way that it shows that all religions are talking about the same things, just using different words/concepts to express them. Too bad more people don't realize this - there'd be fewer wars. Great book, really nicely pulled together. Glad I bought it.