Mysticism

Cloud of Unknowing: We cannot know God with the intellect

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

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

Addled

Addled Chapter 8: The Ultimate Subversion – part 2

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

Addled

Addled Chapter 8: The Ultimate Subversion – part 1

As soon as I walked through the supermarket doors I wanted to turn around and walk out again. I was still feeling jangled from my latest encounter with weirdness, like my skin had been pulled off. It was early, so Morrisons wasn’t too busy, but the light still hurt my eyes and the vacuous music… Continue reading Addled Chapter 8: The Ultimate Subversion – part 1

Psychology

Red Book Dialogues: Becoming Conscious

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!

>More on the Red Book
Spirituality · The Shining Ones

Gobekli Tepe: the temple rewriting history

The stone age temples dug into a hill near Sanliurfa in Turkey are causing a storm. It’s not often we find something that overturns everything we know, but Gobekli Tepe is a genuine mystery. Archaeology and history are being rewritten. Not that you’d know about it. The discoveries haven’t been suppressed, they’re just not being reported… Continue reading Gobekli Tepe: the temple rewriting history

Awakening · Mythology

The Origins of Christmas – Part 2: Shamanic Roots

After exploring the pagan roots of the midwinter festivals and the dying Sun God, we travel into the darkness of the far north. This is where we’ll find the origins of Christmas, its real meaning, and a hint at our true purpose on this earth. In the first part of this article we found that… Continue reading The Origins of Christmas – Part 2: Shamanic Roots

Book Reviews · Spirituality

Religion Bookshelf

A selection of recommended books on Religion for anyone on the path to awakening and self-knowledge. These are some of the books I’ve found particularly interesting or inspiring over the years, plus links to online texts… Karen Armstrong – The Great Transformation This book is a fascinating exploration of the Axial Age which occurred between… Continue reading Religion Bookshelf

Book Reviews · Mysticism

The Mystic Heart: Book Review

“Physicist Stephen Hawking has remarked that mysticism is for those who can’t do the math. In response to Hawking’s remark, George Cairns retorted, ‘Mystics are people who don’t need to do the math. They have direct experience!’” So begins The Mystic Heart by Wayne Teasdale. This lucid and open-minded book seeks to discover the universal… Continue reading The Mystic Heart: Book Review

Meditation

How to Meditate: Centring Prayer

Many of the meditation practices that we’ve already looked at in this series can be practised without focusing on spirituality at all. You can watch your breath, do body scans and practice mindfulness as basic techniques to calm the mind and reduce stress. But centring prayer has a direct spiritual meaning and significance, and is… Continue reading How to Meditate: Centring Prayer