5^th January, 2024 • Søren Aas

Introduction

This series is a chapter by chapter walk-thru of Evelyn Underhills Practical Mysticism. The book is a clear and straight forward guide to getting started on your own spiritual path.

On the bleak outset of World War I a small book, making spirituality approachable, was published by Evelyn Underhill. The book was widely read and titled Practical Mysticism: A Little Book for Normal People

A century later our world is also still facing troubled times, and many of us are trying to come to terms with their reality. For some, spirituality may offer the answers they seek, but many are perhaps uncertain about where to start. Perhaps this book can guide you to your spiritual trail head.

Underhill was a Anglo-Catholic writer and pacifist, renowned for her works on spiritual practice. Her works on spirituality where widely read throughout the early 20th century western world. Practical Mysticism is Underhill encouraging the seeker to find their own path.

This series examines each chapter, summarizing it and providing commentary. The book is out of copyright and can be downloaded for free from Project Gutenberg. We will be referencing the online version.

Mysticism aka spirituality

Before we begin in earnest, it is prudent to think about what the word Mysticism means to us, since we do live some hundred years after this book was first published.

Mysticism often has a religious connotation, and certainly Underhill was a religious author. The religious aspect can perhaps be off putting or excluding to some. A more neutral word that matches Underhills meaning and that is in popular use today is spirituality. There are a few reasons why equating mysticism and spirituality in this case can be beneficial.

Firstly spirituality is more familiar to us and sees more everyday use. The working definition of spirituality is a connection only with a greater force than oneself. This seems to be more in keeping with the sentiment of our times, where for many religion does not hold the same place as it once did. Lastly spirituality seems to match well with what Underhill calls mysticism, we will get back to that shortly.

Throughout this walk-thru it can be useful to think spirituality whenever mysticism is used.