Sampling the Christian Mystics

You’ve probably heard about famous mystics from the Far East, Middle East and Native America. Mystics like: Buddha, Confucius, Gurdjieff, Rumi, Hafiz, Lao Tzu, Gibran, Babaji, Osho, Sitting Bull, Black Elk, Maimonides and the like. Has it ever made you wonder, “Is there such a thing as Christian mysticism or Christian mystics?” Or, perhaps you’ve asked yourself, “What is a Christian mystic anyway?” If you want answers to these questions, or are just curious about Christian mystics, then this is the introductory course for you.

In this course you will briefly explore the lives of six Christian mystics. The idea is to whet your appetite to learn more about these and other Christian mystics, by reading their books, taking other courses, going on retreats and conferences, traveling to their birthplaces, or wherever else your search may take you.

STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE:

Before beginning this mystical journey there is an introductory phase of the course. In this section there will be a reflection question, a working definition of a Christian mystic, and I will share important points about Christian mystics in general. Along the way, there will be some reflection questions to help you connect with the mystic and his or her world. There will be a few handouts included so you won’t have to take notes. You’ll receive a brief overview on each of the six mystics, definitions, important points about what the mystics can teach us, along with the Merton prayer and reflection, a page of interesting and relevant websites, along with a works cited page.

BRIEF PRESENTATION OF SIX CHRISTIAN MYSTICS:

• Hildegard of Bingen, Catholic Saint, Doctor of the Church, & Benedictine Nun

     Our whirlwind tour will then begin in 11th century Europe, meeting up with the medieval German nun, Hildegard of Bingen. We will delve into some of her varied works so you can capture her essence and see what the stir is about concerning her.

• Teresa of Avila, Catholic Saint, Doctor of the Church, & Discalced Carmelite Nun

     We will then travel to Spain to view some of the mystics of the Spanish Golden Age. We will begin our journey greeting the Spanish nun, Teresa of Avila. You will receive a brief overview of Teresa’s life and her difficulties in pursuing her work of reforming the Carmelite religious order.

• John of the Cross, Catholic Saint, Doctor of the Church, Discalced Carmelite Monk, & Priest

     St. John of the Cross will be the next Christian mystic to cross our path. You will learn a bit about his famous concept of the Dark night, along with some of his adventures. We will close the 16th century era with Ignatius of Loyola. We will touch upon his flamboyant beginnings, the twists & turns that led him to become a profound follower of God and a lifelong, compelling preacher who started a new religious order.

• Ignatius of Loyola, Catholic Saint, Jesuit religious order, & Priest.

     We will close the 16th century era with Ignatius of Loyola. We will touch upon his flamboyant beginnings, the twists & turns that led him to become a profound follower of God and a lifelong, compelling preacher who started a new religious order.

• Gabrielle Bossis, French actress

     We will then time-travel to 20th century France, where you will meet Gabrielle Bossis, a nurse in World War I who later became an actress and a playwright. Christ appeared to her in an auditory sense and had long conversations with her on a train, while she was traveling to and from performances. These conversations resulted in her book entitled, He and I.

• Thomas Merton, American Trappist Monk and Priest

     Finally, you will briefly meet Thomas Merton, who was a world traveler and professor, but settled down as a Trappist monk, in a secluded monastery outside of Louisville, KY & became a renowned author.

RELEVANCE OF CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM FOR CONTEMPORARY SEEKERS:

Christian mysticism is not something one often hears about from the Church pulpit. Yet it is a rich heritage of the Christian faith and should not be overlooked but rather, added to our knowledge base to help us grow in our spiritual development. A pursuit of this adventure to learn about Christian mystics, is a pursuit which is well-worth the effort.

In my practice of spiritual direction, I have met people who have had palpable experiences with the Divine. As a spiritual director, it has been extremely helpful for me to have a background in Christian mysticism, so I can hear the directees' stories in a nonjudgmental way, knowing that God works in a multitude of mysterious ways that I cannot begin to predict.

The Christian mystics can help you affirm the value of your work and taking time to rest, both being ways to honor God and the self.

Understanding Christian mysticism is beneficial for clergy and religious too, as they serve others in their work, so reminiscent of these great mystics. The Christian mystics are such wonderful exemplars of prayer, courage, tenacity and yet they are far from perfect. Nevertheless, they can be models of virtues for our clergy and religious sisters and brothers.

1. As we become more familiar with the mystics, we have a window into their humanness, seeing where their faults lie which can help us avoid similar pitfalls for ourselves. In other words, Christian mystics are real people, just like all of us, yet they have a readiness and desire to want to love like God loves and serve like God serves. Christian mystics get spiritually and sensually touched by the hand of God in often an indescribable way, yet they do their best to put it to words for our benefit.

So, you see, this class is for everyone who wants to “find God in all things,” one of the famous sayings from St. Ignatius of Loyola. It is a class for those with a curiosity about Christian mystics, for those who want to learn more about the heritage of Christian mysticism, and how it  all can benefit us in the 21st century. I hope you will join me in this class. It costs you nothing but your time. 

If you want to dive deeper into the life & teachings of the Christian mystics, please join me in other courses I offer for a nominal fee on this platform.

Thank you,