The Mystic Heart

Drawing on experience as an interreligious monk, Brother Wayne Teasdale reveals the power of spirituality and its practical elements. He combines a profound Christian faith with an intimate understanding of ancient religious traditions.

When we live our lives consciously, universal motifs, archetypes, and timeless patterns emerge through which we discover not only who we are but also why we are deeply connected to all others. This is life's greatest adventure; it is thoroughly described in the world's wisdom traditions. *Mystic Journey* uses a multi-faith approach to reveal the path of the soul; this not a solitary quest but rather a superhighway meant for everyone. As we explore the deeper story of our soul, we also discover that we are living a lifelong process of soul-making, leading us ultimately to personal and collective transformation. Getting to the heart of your soul's story is soul-making. *Mystic Journey* guides readers to: Use their life stories to help solidify their identities, Live with an eternal perspective in mind, and Reclaim their common spiritual heritage. "This is a reminder of Keats' immortal perception that 'the world is a vale of soul making' and that the uses of psychology have to do with understanding the soul in transformation." -Stephen Larsen, Ph.D., author of *The Mythic Imagination* and *A Fire in the Mind* "Robert Atkinson's new book offers us a thoughtful and thorough guide to a new kind of heroics... This is a rich read." -Gregg Levoy, author of *Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life*

The second MYSTIC CITY novel . . . it's Romeo & Juliet in a dystopic Manhattan. A city in flames. A trust betrayed. A perfect love destroyed. Has Aria lost Hunter, her one true love? Ever since rebellion broke out in Mystic City, pitting the ruling elite against the magic-wielding mystics, Aria has barely seen her boyfriend. Not surprising, since Hunter is the leader of the mystic uprising, and he'll do whatever it takes to win freedom for his people—even if that means using Aria. But Aria is no one's pawn. She believes she can bring the two warring sides together, save the city, and win back the Hunter she fell in love with. Before she can play peacemaker, though, Aria will need to find the missing heart of a dead mystic. The heart gives untold powers to whoever possesses it, but finding it means seeking out a fierce enemy whose deepest desire is for Aria to be gone—forever. "Recommended for dystopian fans."--School Library Journal

"... parallels the prayer practices of Sufi and Christian mysticism with ease.... Vaughan-Lee's prayerful prose is poetic, inclusive, and intelligent." —Publishers Weekly Prayer of the Heart in Christian & Sufi Mysticism guides the reader through the stages of mystical prayer. Mystical prayer is a way to create a living relationship with the Divine within the heart. Drawing on Christian and Sufi sources such as St. Teresa of Avila, Attar, St. John of the Cross, and Rumi, as well as from his own experience, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee describes how prayer is first born of need, but then takes one deep within the heart, into the stages of Union and Ecstasy. Through mystical prayer, one is drawn beyond any words into the interior silence of real communion with God. Here, in the silence within the heart, a meeting and merging takes place that carries us beyond our self into the mystery of divine presence, into the secret nature of love's oneness. Prayer of the Heart in Christian and Sufi Mysticism explores the inner listening of the heart, and the secret of 'pray without ceasing' in which we discover how prayer becomes alive within the heart. Finally there is a chapter on the need at this time to pray for the Earth. How can we pray for the well-being of the Earth? How can we include the Earth in our prayers and our heart? This little book is an offering of the heart that brings together the Christian and Sufi mystical traditions in the oneness of love to which they belong. It will benefit any practitioner of prayer, anyone who is drawn to discover a relationship with God within their heart. “... with the understated simplicity of a true spiritual master, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee seamlessly weaves these complementary traditions into a single tapestry of singular power and beauty... this book offers yet another profound contribution to the collective evolution of our hearts.” —Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault, from the Foreword "... draws together the Christian and Sufi traditions of mystical prayer ... Vaughan-Lee's clearly written little guide will be gratifying and absorbing for those interested in mysticism and alternate routes toward the love of God." —Library Journal “... an excellent book ... As we recover more and more of the ancient contemplative traditions, we are finding immense similarities in goal, practice, and effects. At the mystical level, we are seemingly talking about the same experience, despite our different vocabularies and styles! Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee makes this sacred journey both clear and inviting.” —Fr. Richard Rohr, Franciscan Priest, author, and founder Center for Action and Contemplation

The heart is where the human soul and God meet. This is what teachings from Scripture and the mystics reveal: the heart is the temple of God within us and within the heart we hold the key to live a truly divine life. But how do we embody the tremendous love available to us, deep in our hearts? In Eternal Heart, Carl McColman, author of The Big Book of Christian Mysticism, invites us to create an optimistic, visionary, and imaginative path to personal happiness and fulfillment. Weaving together teachings from the biblical tradition, literature of the mystics, and wisdom of the world's contemplative traditions, McColman engages us in profound, practical exercises for cultivating fuller, more abundant, and more satisfying lives. The path of Christian Mysticism is a path of both contemplation and action. By unlocking the mysteries in our hearts, we discover a source of divine love deep within us: a power for spiritual growth, and for creating meaningful relationships and working together to change the world for the better.

* Highlights pioneers of global spirituality - Thomas Mergon, Thich Nhanh, Abraham Heschel, Mohandas Gandhi, Howard Thruman, Bede Griffiths, and Dorothy Day

"Ursula King's Christian Mystics offers a distinctive perspective on spirituality. The author presents the Christian mystical tradition through short biographies of its great figures, biographies which are highly readable without oversimplifying the ideas of these great figures. This is an outstanding entryway into the rich and deep world of Christian mysticism, recommended for readers of all backgrounds." - Michael Sells (Professor of Comparative Religions, Haverford College).

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Tricia O'Malley, comes a romance series set on the rocky shores of Ireland. It is time... An ancient book, a power untouched, and a heart unloved lead Keelin O'Brien from her graduate studies in Boston to a small village on the coast of Southern Ireland. Determined to unearth the secrets lying hidden in the enchanted waters of the cove, Keelin has little time for a surly Irishman who infuriates her during the day and haunts her fantasies at night. Inexplicably drawn to the woman who has stepped from his dreams and into his world, Flynn fights a stubborn battle against his increasing attraction for Keelin. Forces unknown have better plans for the two. Only the secrets of the cove can show Keelin who she really is, the beauty of her mysterious power, and a love that will break the bounds of what she knows.

One reads not for information, but for inspiration. In his new book, Brother Teasdale presents a powerful daily guide to interspiritual wisdom with 365 quotes from the great religious and spiritual traditions. Teasdale's illuminating commentary follows each passage.

The Heart of the Mystic is a compassionate and life-transforming glimpse of Mystical Truth described in the words of the great mystics, the God-Realized Beings from all spiritual traditions. These simple contemplations distill the essence of Universal Truth and the journey to the inner depths where Truth is recognized by the soul, not learned by the mind. In this state of consciousness, true Wisdom is not mere temporal learning but the "ability to see the finite through the eyes of the Infinite." It is where the unity of life is celebrated in the sublime and timeless perception that there is only "One Doer playing all of the diverse roles of creation in a perfect way and according to a perfect plan of unfolding." In Heart of the Mystic, Jerry Thomas decribes a form of Lexio Divina, the ancient technique of allowing the Spirit of Wisdom to descent to the core of our very being, providing spiritual guidance and knowledge at the level of the soul and the three bodies (physical, astral, and etheric) that cover it. Using this method with any one of the simple contemplations allows the essence of the words to permeate our consciousness, leading us to the bliss of communion with the Source of all Love and all Life. It is the fulfillment of the promise of scripture which is to lead us back to the state of Unity Consciousness from which the concepts were first cognized and the words originally spoken.