There is a growing awareness of mysticism among people whose interest in world religions spills over into curiosity about the mysterious and esoteric. 'That mystical claims are made in many religions', writes Professor Parrinder, 'is taken both as proof of the universality of the inner life of the soul and as the real link between religions which may be divided by dogma but are really united in their quest for the universal One'.
This wide-ranging book aims to provide clues to the diverse forms and expressions of mysticism, by considering some of the major religious traditions of both East and West. It explores two principal areas: monistic mysticism (seeking self-identity or union with the All) and theistic mysticism (seeking communion, but not identity, with God). The search for the mystical through drugs, sex and visions is also discussed, as is the relationship of the expert to the ordinary seeker.