Mysticism sacred and profane by robert charles zaehner. Since the specific meaning of these terms may elude you, i wish to take this opportunity to provide the following explanations that i believe will shed some light on these subjects. I want to say his obvious bias puts into question everything else he says, but, hell, hes free to say whatever. Holding that there are similarities between the experience on mescaline, the mania in a manicdepressive psychosis and the visions of god of a mystical saint suggests, for zaehner, that the saints visions must be the same as those of a lunatic. This book is written as a counterpoint for aldous huxleys doors of perception.
Download the bible, the holy quran, the mahabharata, and thousands of free pdf ebooks on buddhism, meditation, etc. A spiritual biography elizabeth connor, ocso mw11 the way of humility andre louf, ocso mw12 four ways of holiness for the universal church. Mysticism and religious experience introduction the nature and types of religious and mystical experience the nature of mysticism, from the teachings of the mystics, walter stace nature mysticism, soul mysticism and theistic mysticism, from mysticism. On the varieties of mystical experience springerlink. In his mysticism, sacred and profane 1957 he vehemently criticized. Zaehner, one gains a kind of rapport with the world, or panenhenic feeling mysticism sacred and profane, ch. Sacred and profane 1957 was his first published on another subject. Huxley continued to take these substances several times a year until his death, 76 but with a serious and huxlsy frame of mind. The doors of perception is a book by aldous huxley. Jul 14, 20 i found two written sources quite helpful in understanding mysticism, buddhist and christian. Secular mysticism and the history of religions article pdf available in religion 384.
Mysticism, sacred and profane an inquiry into some varieties of praeternatural experience zaehner, r. Moreover, he thought free will to be an essential part of the iranian. Mysticism in the worlds religions this book is both universal in its scope and discriminating in its approach, and may be recommended unreservedly to any serious enquirer. Mysticism is the practice of religious ecstasies religious experiences during alternate states of consciousness, together with whatever ideologies, ethics, rites, myths, legends, and magic may be related to them. Robert charles zaehners mysticism sacred and profane 1957 was one of these responses.
What we seem to be witnessing in zaehners mysticism sacred and profane is a reenactment of the ageold pattern in the conflict between science and religion. List of books and articles about mysticism online research. Zaehner clearly does not agree with staces argument for the universal core, and n mysticism, sacred and profane argues against such a view. By these researches he has been led to discriminate real spiritual communion from its. That the dlela to transcend oneself is one of the principal appetites of the soul 67 is questioned by zaehner. It may also refer to the attainment of insight in ultimate or hidden truths, and to human transformation supported by various practices and experiences. Mar 08, 2012 robert charles zaehners mysticism sacred and profane 1957 was one of these responses. Yet, although we may never be able to find sense experience completely free of. Following are three fundamental, interrelated characteristics of mysticism. Mysticism usually centers on practices intended to nurture those experiences. Published in, it details his taking mescaline in may the book takes its title from a phrase in.
Mysticism is an attempt to commune experientially with god or some life force and to find spiritual understanding beyond words and ideas through various means and practices. Introduction 11 when the sacred manifests itself man becomes aware of the sacred because it itself, shows itself, as something wholly differ ent from the profane. The books conversational style delivers clarity and wisdom on a difficult subject, and along the way are found many. I found two written sources quite helpful in understanding mysticism, buddhist and christian. Western mysticism a timeline philosophical explorations. In meeting dr suzuki and drinking a cup of tea with him i felt i had met this one man. While the fourth sort of mysticism he distinguishes here corresponds to theistic mysticism, and the third sort corresponds to monistic mysticism, he has broken down nature. Earlier, starting in world war ii, he had served as an intelligence officer in iran. Implying an opposition between a certain qualification of religiosity and its absence, this double concept will reflect the users. An inquiry into some varieties of praeternatural experience 1957. The typology that zaehner employs here is slightly different from that of mysticism sacred and profane. Through mysticism men are drawn toward satan and his program under the guise of spirituality. These three types zaehner relates to one another in terms of christian theology and jungian psychology.
Robert charles zaehner 191974 was a british academic whose field of study was eastern religions. This page was last edited on 6 decemberat the appendices to mysticism sacred and profane include three accounts of mescaline experiences, including those pwrcezione zaehner himself. It followed his assumption of the spalding chair at all souls college, oxford. And of course this is the man one really wants to meet. Zaehner s mysticism sacred and profane as having fully examined and refuted the religious claims for mescaline which aldous huxley sketched in the doors of perception. Profaniteit, mystiek, godsdiensten, mysticism, hallucinogenic drugs and. Zaehner, on the other hand, labelling sankaras mysticism profane and sharply distinguishing it from the fuller, or sacred, mysticism of the theist. Xviii256 zaehner probes deep into some items of modern psychologic experience in the light of the comparative history of religions. He understood the original language of many sacred texts, e. Mysticism and drugs religious studies cambridge core. Download gonelosepdf le porte della percezione paradiso e inferno by aldous huxley pdf ebook le porte della percezione. Zaehner, professor of orientai religions and ethics at the university of oxford, is wellknown for his researches in the field of lranian traditions, zurvanism, manicheism etc.
Zaehner proceeds to analyze huxleys experience pointing out the. Pdf mysticism, historical and contemporary researchgate. Initiation into the monastic tradition 3 thomas merton. Zaehner proceeds to analyze huxleys experience pointing out the variety of mystical experiences in different traditions, and reasons, why certain experience catalyzed by a psychedelic, may not be what connection with divinity truly is. After zaehner s initial works on zoroastrianism, mysticism. Aldous huxley on mescaline, on drugs and distractions.
These are certainly features of what has been called introvertive mysticism by w. Reflection on zen and christian mysticism, was authored. May 19, 2020 this article is about the book by aldous huxley. Read the fulltext online edition of mysticism, sacred and profane. Mysticism, sacred and profane an inquiry into some varieties of praeternatural experience. Mysticism, sacred and profane an inquiry into some.
The macmillan company, 1932 samkhya karikua, in a source book of indian philosophy, pp. To which his colleague, retorts in effect, speak for yourself. The position taken in one of the most forwardlooking volumes of theological essays to have appeared in recent years 1 accepts r. First, mysticism emphasizes a direct experience of god. In his influential 1957 book mysticism sacred and profane, zaehner discussed this traditional. He feels he understands the hindu concept of satchitanandaas well as the zen koan that, the dharma body of the buddha is in the hedge and buddhist suchness. Christian and buddhist in meeting him one seemed to meet that true man of no title that chuang tzu and the zen masters speak of. Jul 03, 2014 mircea eliade, the sacred and the profane, trans. Zaehners mysticism sacred and profane as having fully examined and refuted the religious claims for mescaline which aldous huxley sketched in the doors of perception. Huxley was particularly fond of the shop and the large variety of products available there in stark contrast to the much smaller selection in english chemists shops. Mysticism is a major element of the mystery of iniquity.
We see, for example, eliot deutsch defending as philosophically intelligible and as significant sankaras nondualistic interpretation of the mystics experience. Although he acknowledged the importance of the doors of perception as a challenge to people interested in religious experience, 64 he pointed out what. Esoteric and mysticism books and texts in pdf format. The immediate occasion for his book has been provided by. Zaehner argues for a difference between theistic and monistic nature mysticism, the latter of which is induced by among other things drugs.
Therefore some old writers referred to the trash or poison of mysticism and others spoke of its vagueness or crude. Professor of religion and philosophy took issue with the belief that mysticism sacred and profane had fully examined and refuted huxleys claims made in the doors of perception. The idea of god creating the world out of nothing, in an absolute present, and therefore altogether beyond the control of. Zaehner, 1961, oxford university press edition, in english. Practical mysticism by evelyn underhill free pdf download. For a true understanding of gnosticism, which zaehner mentions briefly and misrepresents, see jonas and rudolph. Pdf an evident experience of gods presence is the basis for all religion.
Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. They are captured by lies under the guise of truth. And lastly, for a treatment of mysticism which does place it properly within the history of human consciousness, a task beyond the abilities of zaehner, see the corresponding chapter in f m cornford s book from religion to philosophy. Id like to read this book on kindle dont have a kindle. Springer nature is making sarscov2 and covid19 research free. Zaehner, the author of mysticism, sacred and profane, their deliberate induction is regarded as immoral. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Drawn from the monastic tradition francis kline, ocso mw an introduction to christian mysticism. Zaehner, rc 1957 mysticism sacred and profane, clarendon press, p.
Principally, zaehner says that the praeternatural experience is not typical of mescaline. Mysticism sacred and profane galaxy books 9780195002294. Pub 1915 download here way before the law of attraction became a popular phrase, charles fillmore was teaching and writing about prosperity through the creative power of thought. Pub 1915 download here way before the law of attraction became a popular phrase, charles fillmore was teaching and writing about.
An inquiry into some varieties of praternatural experience oxford, clarendon press, 1957, pp. Zaehner proceeds to analyze huxleys experience pointing out. Zaehner and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. An inquiry into some varieties of praeternatural experience. Mystical experience and metaphysics esalen institute. Apr 22, 2020 that the dlela to transcend oneself is one of the principal appetites of the soul 67 is questioned by zaehner.
The terms mystic and mysticism are used very broadly in english, being extended to mean magic, occultism, or the esoteric. The nature of mysticism there are certain common fallacies current about mysticism. Mysticism sacred and profane 1961 edition open library. On the sacred and the profane reimon bachika the paired up terms of sacred and profane constitute a twin concept we are likely to encounter in not a few studies in the sociology of religion. Zaehner expanded on these criticisms in his book mysticism sacred and profane 1957, which also acts as a theistic riposte to what he sees as the monism of huxleys the perennial philosophy. During his years as spalding professor at oxford university, zaehner wrote. Written in an almost poetic style, practical mysticism cuts to the core of mysticism and teaches you how to get involved with the whole thing. Robert charles zaehner s mysticism sacred and profane 1957 was one of these responses. At oxford university his first writings had been on the zoroastrian religion and its texts. The pervezione to mysticism sacred and profane include three accounts of mescaline experiences, including those of zaehner himself.