Practical Mysticism · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Practical Mysticism by Evelyn Underhill.
Chapter 1
Dedication
A brief dedication of the work to the unseen future, acknowledging the unknown readers and the enduring relevance of the ideas presented.
Chapter 2
Epigraph
The epigraph presents William Blake's vision of perception cleansed to reveal the infinite, contrasting with man's self-imposed limitation of seeing through narrow chinks.
Chapter 3
Practical Mysticism
This chapter introduces practical mysticism as a path accessible to ordinary people, emphasizing the union with reality through contemplation and action.
Chapter 4
I: What Is Mysticism?
This chapter defines mysticism as the art of union with Reality, arguing that it is a natural human faculty accessible to all, not just saints or visionaries. It contrasts the 'practical man' who lives in a world of labels with the mystic who seeks direct, intuitive communion with deeper levels of existence. Through the parable of Eyes and No-Eyes, it illustrates how attention and desire determine one's perception of reality, and invites the reader to a practical mysticism that sharpens consciousness and emancipates from illusion.
Chapter 5
The World of Reality
This chapter challenges the practical man's assumption that the world of common sense is the only reality. It argues that human perception constructs a limited, conventional picture of reality, akin to a tapestry that omits much of the actual richness. By examining the subjective and fragmentary nature of this constructed world, the chapter introduces the possibility of other planes of reality and the need for a 'spring-cleaning of the soul' to achieve direct, unmediated contact with the Real. It presents the artist and poet as exemplars of a contemplative consciousness that can access a fuller, more vital world through 'absolute sensation' and a purified perception.
Chapter 6
III: The Preparation of the Mystic
This chapter outlines the preliminary stages of mystical experience, focusing on the purification of the senses and the will as essential preparations for union with Reality. It emphasizes self-simplification, the cleansing of perception from egocentric judgments, and the practice of Recollection—the disciplined withdrawal of attention from the time-world to the unity of the spirit. The chapter addresses the 'practical man,' arguing that contemplative acts are natural to all humans and that fleeting moments of involuntary contemplation reveal a deeper, more valid Reality.
Chapter 7
IV: Meditation and Recollection
This chapter introduces recollection as the deliberate control of attention, the first step in the contemplative life. It argues that this discipline, though often neglected, is essential for anyone seeking mastery over their own mind. Drawing on the teachings of St. Teresa of Ávila, the chapter describes meditation as a gradual training of the attention, a 'halfway house' between thinking and contemplating. The practitioner learns to hold an idea or object before the mind, resist distractions, and eventually enter a deeper, more unified state of perception, withdrawing from the world of appearances to glimpse the true self.
Chapter 8
Self Adjustment
This chapter explores the necessary process of self-adjustment after the initial discovery of the true self through recollection. It describes the painful conflict between the surface self, conditioned by worldly habits and desires, and the deeper self that longs for union with Reality. The chapter emphasizes the need for purgation, detachment, and mortification—a deliberate remodelling of character—to resolve this dualism and prepare for the mystical life.
Chapter 9
Love and Will
This chapter explores the integration of love and will in the contemplative life, emphasizing that true contemplation is an active, passionate, and self-forgetful act of communion with Reality, not idle musing. It discusses the necessity of recollection and self-simplification as complementary practices that gather the soul's powers into unity, enabling a progressive transformation of character and perception. The chapter argues that love and will, rather than pure intellect, are the primary faculties for mystical knowledge, and that this loving intuition transcends but does not oppose reason.
Chapter 10
The First Form of Contemplation
The chapter describes the gradual process of contemplation beginning with the natural world, where the practical man, through purification and disinterested love, opens himself to a deeper communion with Reality. It emphasizes that this first form of contemplation involves a loving exploration of the world at hand, leading to a perception of the divine in all creatures, as exemplified by mystics and poets like Julian of Norwich, Florence Nightingale, and Walt Whitman.
Chapter 11
VIII: The Second Form of Contemplation
This chapter explores the second form of contemplation, where the soul, having achieved union with the flux of life, now experiences an insatiable hunger and thirst for a transcendent reality beyond the natural world. It describes the progression from immersion in the world of becoming to a yearning for the eternal and absolute, emphasizing that deeper union with nature leads to a craving for something more. The chapter discusses the necessity of surrendering selfhood, controlling attention, and moving beyond intellectual and sensory images to achieve 'Naked Contemplation' or union with the Divine Dark. It highlights the role of love over thought in attaining this union, and notes that while fleeting, this experience transforms the soul and prepares it for further transfiguration.
Chapter 12
IX: The Third Form of Contemplation
This chapter describes the transition from active to passive or infused contemplation, where the soul ceases its own striving and surrenders to a higher power. It explores the shift from self-discipline to receptivity, the experience of the 'Night of the Spirit,' and the soul's passive yet profound union with the Divine, which is described as an experienced Fact beyond reason. The chapter emphasizes that this stage adds to, rather than replaces, earlier stages, enriching the personality and allowing the contemplative to move between intimate communion and vast self-loss in the Divine.
Chapter 13
X: The Mystical Life
This chapter describes the mystical life as an active, transformative union with Reality, where contemplation and action are interdependent. The mystic becomes a tool for the Supreme Artist, contributing to the creative act of the universe. The practical man's question about utility is addressed, emphasizing that this path leads to a profound personal transformation and a harmonious will with the Whole, even amidst suffering and darkness.
