Review: Mysticism by Evelyn Underhill

30/05/201729/01/2020 Jessica Davidson4 Comments

This week I’m reading Mysticism: A Study of the Nature and Development of Man’s Spiritual Consciousness by Evelyn Underhill. This is the classic text on mysticism. It explores the subject in depth, and although Underhill focuses mostly on mystical Christianity, she also looks at Sufism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and others too. Part 1 explains how mysticism… Continue reading Review: Mysticism by Evelyn Underhill

Mysticism

Cloud of Unknowing: Final Words

16/08/201626/05/2019 Jessica DavidsonLeave a comment

Extracts from the last chapters of the classic mystical text The Cloud of Unknowing. Here our anonymous author explains who the book is for and offers some final words of encouragement to those called to the contemplative life: from Chapter 74: The author takes his leave “Now if you think that this kind of prayer… Continue reading Cloud of Unknowing: Final Words

Mysticism

Cloud of Unknowing: Death of the Ego

09/08/201626/05/2019 Jessica Davidson2 Comments

Extracts from some of the later chapters of the classic mystical text The Cloud of Unknowing. Here our anonymous author explains how to forget the self and some of the dangers of the contemplative path and how to deal with them: from Chapter 43: A naked awareness of self “Make sure that there is nothing… Continue reading Cloud of Unknowing: Death of the Ego

Mysticism

Cloud of Unknowing: Techniques to get rid of distractions

02/08/201626/05/2019 Jessica DavidsonLeave a comment

Extracts from chapters 26 and 32 of the classic mystical text The Cloud of Unknowing. Here our anonymous author explains the work of contemplation and gives some tips on how to focus (and these tips work really well, in my limited experience): from Chapter 26: God will pierce the cloud of unknowing “Set to work,… Continue reading Cloud of Unknowing: Techniques to get rid of distractions

Mysticism

Cloud of Unknowing: What is God?

26/07/201626/05/2019 Jessica DavidsonLeave a comment

Extracts from chapters 6, 7 and 9 of the classic mystical text The Cloud of Unknowing. Here our anonymous author explores the nature of God and how to go about your contemplations: Chapter 6: What is God? “But now you are going to ask me: ‘How am I supposed to think about God himself? What… Continue reading Cloud of Unknowing: What is God?

Mysticism

Cloud of Unknowing: We cannot know God with the intellect

23/07/201626/05/2019 Jessica DavidsonLeave a comment

Extract from chapter 4 of the classic mystical text The Cloud of Unknowing. Here our anonymous author explains why we can’t understand ultimate reality or the nature of God using our minds: Chapter 4: We cannot know God with the intellect “I must tell you a little more about this matter, as I see it,… Continue reading Cloud of Unknowing: We cannot know God with the intellect

Mysticism

Mystical Texts: The Cloud of Unknowing

19/07/201626/05/2019 Jessica Davidson2 Comments

The Cloud of Unknowing is a classic mystical text that was written by an anonymous English monk in the 14th century. It’s a guide to contemplative prayer but with an agnostic approach that’s very similar to Zen, once you get past the religious language. The main message of the text is that God is ultimately unknowable… Continue reading Mystical Texts: The Cloud of Unknowing

Mysticism

Beyond Words: a commentary on Rumi by Andrew Harvey

23/01/201626/06/2020 Jessica Davidson7 Comments

On the night of creation, I was awake Busy at work while everyone slept. I was there to see the first wink and hear the first tale told. I was the first one caught in the hair of the great imposter. Whirling around the still point of ecstasy, I spun like the wheel of heaven.… Continue reading Beyond Words: a commentary on Rumi by Andrew Harvey

Addled

Addled Chapter 8: The Ultimate Subversion – part 2

27/11/201526/06/2020 Jessica Davidson

I slammed the front door behind me, swept through to the living room, and flung myself on the sofa. Jonah was composing on his synth at his computer in the corner, headphones clamped to his ears. He slipped them off and spun his chair to face me. ‘What happened?’ he said, looking worried. ‘He’s a… Continue reading Addled Chapter 8: The Ultimate Subversion – part 2

Awakening

It Starts Now

17/08/201526/06/2020 Jessica DavidsonVideo3 Comments

I’ve shared this fantastic video from Alan Watts before, but it bears repeating as a little reminder of a basic truth: you can’t blame others for the world you’re living in. Wake up and remember who you are!

Psychology

Evolution of Consciousness: True Nature

30/04/201524/02/2022 Jessica Davidson9 Comments

“We are afraid to approach the fathomless and bottomless groundlessness of everything. ‘There’s nothing to be afraid of’. The ultimate reassurance, and the ultimate terror.” – R.D. Laing, The Politics of Experience Absolute Subjectivity, Pure Awareness, Suchness, No-mind, Oneness, Non-duality Consciousness, Brahman, Original Mind, Luminous Emptiness, God. These are some of the words used to name… Continue reading Evolution of Consciousness: True Nature

Psychology

Red Book Dialogues: Becoming Conscious

09/03/201526/06/2020 Jessica DavidsonVideo3 Comments

This is a fascinating and spirited dialogue between Rabbi David Wolpe and Lionel Corbett that explores the process of communicating with the unconscious and bringing it to conscious awareness.

Jung explored this process of becoming conscious in the Red Book, an account of his breakdown and how he came to understand the nature of the unconscious and its archetypes. Rabbi Wolpe and Lionel Corbett look at some of the beautiful images Jung created during his crisis, and have a wide ranging discussion that touches on the nature of the divine, the reality of the psyche, whether a human being is really one with God, and the nature of evil.

Enjoy!