Evelyn Underhill
One of the most prominent Christian mystics of the 20th century, Evelyn Underhill, wrote Practical Mysticism. The definitive work on contemporary mysticism is her book, Mysticism: A Study in the Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness. Practical Mysticism, a condensed form of Underhill’s theology, is a good place to start if you want to learn more about the topic. Even if Underhill’s writing is straightforward in this instance, it is nevertheless lyrical and pleasurable to read. She offers straightforward illustrations of how mysticism-which she refers to as 'the art of union with reality'-relates to regular people and urges the reader to participate in it. Examples from these authors, as well as poets like Keats and Whitman, as well as mystics like St. Teresa, Ruysbroeck, St. Augustine, and Thomas a Kempis, all had a significant effect on Underhill. Practical Mysticism has enthralled generations of readers and is still the go-to book for anyone interested in learning about mysticism for the first time. It is a great starting point before delving into her more intensive writings.
