So Many Books, So Little Time!
Does the sheer volume of mystical writings overwhelm you? You're not alone.
I’m the kind of person who gets overwhelmed easily.
I think that’s one of the reasons why I love monasteries so much. I’ll take the deep silence of the abbey over the frenzied activity of a shopping mall any day of the week. When I used to work at the monastery, I used to tease my wife whenever we went to the Mall of Georgia (the biggest and overwhelmingest mall in the metro Atlanta area; we typically would only go there to see a movie on the IMAX); I’d say “after two hours of this, I’ll need an entire day at the monastery just to detox!”
What surprised me was that I eventually reached a point where even mystical literature began to overwhelm me.
Make no mistake: when I think about the literary creations of great mystics like Julian of Norwich, Thomas Merton, Evelyn Underhill, or Howard Thurman, I think of words that have given my life and my contemplative practice meaning and purpose. I think about words that inspired me to write, to pray, to meditate and seek deeper intimacy with the Divine. But I am also humbled by the sheer size of the “mystical canon” — the collection of writings generally recognized as authored by renowned mystics. The “Classics of Western Spirituality” series published by Paulist Press alone includes over 100 mystical classics; prolific authors like Merton, Bernard of Clairvaux, Underhill, and Karl Rahner all published enough books to fill entire shelves of seminary libraries. Even though mysticism represents only a tiny fraction of all the books available on topics like theology and spirituality, it’s still a vast body of writings to read, study, and get to know.
I once visited a library of Tibetan Buddhist writings in California; that library alone had more books than I could hope to read in a lifetime, and that represented just one spiritual tradition in one religion. Multiply that by all the great lineages of mystical spirituality, and… well, overwhelming is the word.
The irony, of course: the mystics keep telling us that the real point here is silence and love — not the acquisition of knowledge. There comes a point where reading more books by or about the mystics represents, well, just reviewing the depth of knowledge one already has, at least for the most part.
So why should we read the mystics (or commentators on the mystics)?
The answer came to me the other day when I was having a conversation with a retired Episcopal priest who loves to study Buddhist sutras. Her eyes shone with radiant light as she discussed insights she gleaned from this or that ancient text. I’ve known this woman for many years, and I believe she is already an accomplished mystic in her own right; a mature contemplative, an advanced practitioner of silent prayer. She does not need to read more books, or learn more facts (at least, not about mysticism). If anything, she should be writing her own book to share with others! But that doesn’t interest her nearly as much as the joy she gets from discovering her latest find at the library.
And that, my friends, is the answer. Sure, at first we read the mystics to learn from them, to be inspired by them, to be instructed by them in the art of renunciation and simplicity and sustained contemplative practice. But the authors of these writings will tell you that reading their books will not turn anyone into a mystic: only the Spirit can do that, acting in our lives through grace. So there comes a point when there is only one real reason to keep reading the mystics: and that’s simply because their writings bring you joy.
Mysticism for the Sheer Joy of It
Yes, I can get overwhelmed by the mystics. But when I take a break, usually it’s not very long before I’m back in the saddle, itching to get my hands on yet another sermon by Meister Eckhart or poem by Hadewijch, or some other bit of mystical writing that I can find inspiration in, or feel argumentative about, or glean this or that insight from.
I read the mystics because I enjoy reading them. It’s really that simple.
No one needs to read the writing of the mystics — or the commentaries that others have offered to help us get to know the mystics better. If you are bored with mystical writing, set it down. Find yourself feeling overwhelmed, then take a break. If you feel like you have your hands full just trying to care for others and practice a little bit of Centering Prayer, there’s no need to feel like you have to dig deeper or further. Let love be your guide. Read the mystics because you like to, because you find happiness or joy in digesting their words. Whether you read the mystics, or not, just remember: the books are there to serve the prayer; the prayer is there to serve the silence; the silence is there to serve love in its many authentic forms; and love, of course, both serves and reveals the divine to us (and us to the divine) — or should I say, love reveals the divine in us, and us in the divine.
Friends, join me on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 for a free online event that will include Centering Prayer and a conversation about some of the most common challenges we face when we engage in a contemplative practice. Do any of these statements sound familiar? “I’m just not very good at Centering Prayer: my mind is too distracted!” “How can I be attentive to the silence within, when all I notice is how noisy my mind is!” “I thought contemplation was about finding inner peace, but all I’m finding is inner turmoil.” So often, we find ourselves discouraged, rather than inspired when we give Centering Prayer a try. As a commissioned presenter of Centering Prayer Introductory Workshops and a long-time practitioner of Centering Prayer myself, I am no stranger to these kinds of discouraging thoughts. I hope you’ll join me and other seekers of the silence within on April 8, 2026, as we seek to bring more curiosity, and less criticism, to our Centering Prayer experience. This 90-minute online event is free and everyone is welcome. I do need you to pre-register so I can make sure my Zoom account will accommodate everyone.
To register, click here.
Please note: this workshop is based on an article I recently published on my “Fullness of Joy” Substack, called “Above Boats on a River, the Sky.” You don’t have to read the article to participate in the meeting, but reading it will enrich the experience. Click on the title to read the article.
