Inspired Writings

These are the classic works of mystics from all religions.
A Testament of Devotion, by Thomas R. Kelly.
Art of Peace, the. by Ueshiba, Morihei. Boston, MA: Shambhala. 1992.	These inspirational teachings show that the real way of the warrior is based on compassion, wisdom, fearlessness, and love of nature. Drawn from the talks and writings this book offers a nonviolent way to victory and a convincing counterpoint to such classics as Musashi's Book of Five Rings and Sun Tzu's Art of War.
Ascent of Mount Carmel, by St. John of the Cross.
*Atma rama*, by Samartha Ramdas.	Samartha Ramdas had told his disciples, "Even if, 'my body' cannot be seen after my death, you all can see me in my two Treatises: 1) Dasbodha - an elixir of human excellence, and 2) Atma rama - a soul within self' and. invaluable guidance for Self realisation and most desirable use of this human form of living." The Atma rama further clarifies the concept of righteous living through a series of questions and answers between the swami and his disciples.
*Bezels of Wisdom , the (Fusus al-hikam),* by al-'Arabi, Ibn.	The monumental work by Ibn al-'Arab (1165-1240), the celebrated Muslim mystic-philosopher who gave the esoteric, mystical dimension of Islamic thought its first full-fledged philosophic expression.
Bible’s Greatest Stories, the. by Roche, Paul. New York. NY: Mentor/Penguin Books. 1990.	In this superb new translation, Paul Roche brings you the timeless stories of the Bible in fresh and lucid modern English. Here are the great tales of life, death, and rebirth, of love, war, and destruction, of envy, greed, and heroism that form such an important part of our literary and cultural heritage. Combining a scholar's knowledge with a poet's sensitivity, his eloquent retelling preserves all the drama of the great biblical stories while capturing the rhythm, cadence, and balance of the original text.
*Book of Eternal Wisdom, the* by Suso, Henricus.	A seminal work by one of the earliest German mystics (14^th century).
*Book of Five Rings, the*, by Minamoto Musashi.
*Book of Truth, the*** by Suso, Henricus.	Henricus Suso was a Dominican monk. The masterpiece of one of the earliest German mystics (14^th century).
*City of God, the*, by St Augustine.	This influential work of Christian theology uses two symbolical cities: the earthly city and the city of God. The earthly city is people by a God-forgetful nation ("the damned"), while the city of God is peopled by those who have been turned their life over to God and are therefore able to escape their negative qualities, to love God, and attain liberation.
*Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counseling, the.* by Johnston, William. ed. New York, NY: Image Books- Doubleday. 1973.	Originally written in Middle English by an unknown mystic of the fourteenth century. This book represents the first expression in our own tongue of the soul's quest for God. A literary work of great beauty in both style and message, it offers a practical guide to the path of contemplation. The author explains how all thoughts and concepts must be buried beneath a "cloud of forgetting," while our love must rise toward God hidden in the "cloud of unknowing."
*Confessions, the*, by St Augustine. New York, NY: Image Books Doubleday. 1960.	By common consent this work has a special place among the world's great books. Autobiographical in character, it is not an attempt to tell the story of all the years of the writer's life, least of all of the outward events of those years. But no writer ever went deeper into his own character and deeds, passed keener judgments upon himself, or revealed himself more fully and more humbly to others. This book is not only a most penetrating psychological study and a unique document for understanding the spiritual and ascetical life, but it is also a storehouse of thought for the philosopher and the theologian, and for others as well.
*Dark Night of the Soul, the*, by St. John of the Cross.
*Dasbodha*, by Samartha Ramdas.	Samartha Ramdas had told his disciples, "Even if, 'my body' cannot be seen after my death, you all can see me in my two Treatises: 1) Dasbodha - an elixir of human excellence, and 2) Atma ram - a soul within self' and. invaluable guidance for Self realisation and most desirable use of this human form of living." The Dasbodha provides a rare code of conduct for enlightenment, applicable to all ages, cultures, and social positions.
Dialogue of the Seraphic Virgin, the by St. Catherine of Sienna.	St. Catherine of Sienna (1347-1380) was a Dominican layperson, mystic, and patron saint of Italy. This mystical treatise was dictated by Saint Catherine of Siena during a state of ecstasy while in dialogue with God the Father.
*Early Fathers from the Philokalia.* by Kadloubovsky, E., Palmer, G.E.H., trans. London, Great Britain: Faber & Faber. 1979.	This book is drawn from the great collection of writings of Fathers of the Orthodox Church which was compiled in the eighteenth century under the title Philokalia. Contains writings of St. Abba Dorotheus, St. Isaac of Syria and St. Gregory of Palamas.
*Enneads, the* by Plotinus. Stephen MacKenna, trans. London, England: Penguin Books. 1991.	Plotinus is the last great philosopher of antiquity, although in more than one respect he is a precursor of modern times. The Enneads bring together Platonism, mystic passion and ideas from Greek philosophy, together with striking variants of the Trinity and other central Christian doctrines, to produce a highly original synthesis. MacKenna gave his uncertain physical and mental health to the translation of this book and it ranks with the greatest translations of the twentieth century.
*Entretiens avec un ermite de la sainte Montagne sur la priere du coeur.* by Vlachos, Hierothee. Paris: France. Editions du Seuil. 1988.	In French.
Flowing Light of the Godhead, the, by Mechtilde of Magdeburg.	A journal kept by the great German mystic Mechtilde of Magdeburg in which she recorded her revelations of God's love. She encourages the readers to read it nine times in order for the real message to be revealed. A work of soul-stirring beauty, it has influenced Christian mystics for centuries.
*Gilgamesh Epic and Old Testament Parallels, the.* by Heidel, Alexander. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press. 1963.	Cuneiform records made some three thousand years ago are the basis for this essay on the ideas of death and the afterlife and the story of the flood which were current among the ancient people of the Tigro-Euphrates Valley. Heidel interprets the famous Gilgamesh Epic and other related Babylonian and Assyrian documents. He compares them with corresponding portion of the Old Testament in order to determine the inherent historical relationship of Hebrew and Mesopotamian ideas.
Gnostic Gospels, the. by Pagels, Elaine. New York, NY: Vintage Books. 1989.	In 1945 an Egyptian peasant unearthed what proved to be the Gnostic Gospels, the sacred books of one of the earliest Christian sects. This landmark study, draws on those texts to illuminate the world of the first Christians and to examine the different ways in which both Gnostics and the orthodox constructed God, Christ, and the Church. Did Jesus literally rise from the dead? Was there only one God, and could He be both Father and Mother? Whose version of Christianity came down to us and why did it prevail? Brilliant, provocative, and stunning in its implications, The Gnostic Gospels is a radical yet accessible reconsideration of the origins of the Christian faith.
**Great Mystery, the (Mysterium Magnum)**, by Bohme, Jakob.	Jakob Bohme (1575-1624), was a great mystic and visionary from Germany. This most important of his work seeks to reconciles nature mysticism with Biblical teachings, and will have a profound influence on later intellectual movements such as idealism and romanticism.
Guide of the Perplexed, the, by ben Maimon, Rabbi Moses.	Moses Maimonides (1135-1204), was a Jewish physician, philosopher and master Cabbalist. Born in Cordova, Spain, he was educated on Arab texts. He was instrumental in the dissemination of the Kabbalah in medieval Europe. Later in life he moved to Egypt and became Saladin's physician. . He wrote many commentaries on the Talmud and the Mishna, philosophical essays, as well as medical and astronomical treatises. In the Guide of the Perplexed, Maimonides aims at dispelling confusions arising from a too literal interpretation of the Bible, and introduces a rational method of allegorical interpretation.
Hua Hu Ching: The Unknown Teachings of Lao Tzu. by Walker, Brian. San Francisco, CA: Harper Collins Publishers. 1992.	This is a collection of eighty-one lessons for attaining enlightenment and peace of mind. When the book was banned in China, the lessons were passed on by world of mouth from teacher to student. Such a work can only be called a labor of devotion, and it's wonderful that Brian Walker has made this contribution to the body of Taoist literature in English.
Imitation of Christ, the. by Thomas à Kempis. Trans. by Dudley, Robert. Great Britain: Anthony Clarke Wheathampstead Hertfordshire. 1980.	This new translation is both accurate and without needless embellishment; the work of a scholar and poet. For centuries it has been in high favor with the devout. It was written for a restricted audience of men who had given up the world for the cloister; beginners at the religious life, as all religious remain. It is perhaps necessary to look afresh at the work of Thomas a Kempis and whatever conclusions may be reached the book will still have the permanent interest and value of a classic.
*Interior Castle*, by St. Teresa of Avila.	"I began to think of the Soul as if it were a castle made of a single diamond... in which there are many rooms, just as in Heaven there are many mansions." Using this profound revelation, St. Teresa describes these different rooms
Jñaneshwar's Gita: a rendering of the Jñaneshwari, by Jñaneshwar, trans. by Swami Kripananda. New York, NY: State University of New York Press. 1989.	Jñaneshwar (13th century CE) was a great saint-poet of Maharashtra, India. After attaining full illumination as a child, he wrote at age sixteen his Jñaneshwari, the most profound and enrapturing commentary on the Bhagavad Gita ever written. More than a commentary, it is an eyewitness account of one of the greatest moments in the history of world consciousness. As Sant Eknath put it, "If, after Jñaneshwari, anyone tries to write more on the Gita, it will be as if he were dressing a dish full of nectar with pieces of coconut shell."
*Kingdom of God is Within You, the* by Leo Tolstoy. New York, NY: The Noonday Press. 1884.	This famous interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount was the book that first taught Mahatma Gandhi the principles of non-resistance to evil. Tolstoy himself got much inspiration from nineteenth-century American thinkers who first proposed the notion of non-resistance.
*Last Days of Socrates, the.* by Plato. Tredennick, Hugh & Tarrant, Harold. trans. London: England: Penguin Books. 1969.	Plato presents an exceptionally well-written account on his mentor-spiritual preceptor, showing him to be the very root of the scientific method, modern philosophy, legal and political thought, as well as having articulated the fundamentals of Christian inner life.
Lieh-Tzu: A Taoist Guide to Practical Living. by Wong, Eva. Boston, MA: Shambala Publications Inc. 1995.	This book is a collection of stories and philosophical musings of a sage of the same name who lived around the fourth century BCE. The subjects of Lieh-tzu's teachings range from the origin and purpose of life, the Taoist view of reality, and the nature of enlightenment to questions about training the body and mind, communication and understanding, and the importance of personal freedom.
*Meccan Revelations, the (al-Futuhat al-Makkiyah***), by al-'Arabi, Ibn.	The monumental work by Ibn al-'Arab (1165-1240), the celebrated Muslim mystic-philosopher who gave the esoteric, mystical dimension of Islamic thought its first full-fledged philosophic expression.
*Meditations* by Marcus Aurelius. Trans. by Maxwell Staniforth. New York, NY: Dorset Press. 1964.	Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote his famous Meditations during his campaigns against the barbarian invaders. His private journals record the passing thoughts, maxims, and musings on life and death of a sensitive and humble mind trained in the Stoic philosophy which, to a certain extent, anticipated the development of Christianity. Meditations has often been compared to Thomas à Kempis' Imitation of Christ, its Christian counterpart among personal texts of philosophy and devotion.
*Mystery and Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the.* Compilation. Shanks, Hershel. New York, NY: Vintage Books. 1999.	Fifty years ago, in a cave near Qumran on the Dead Sea, a bedouin shepherd made a remarkable discovery--a cache of scrolls, in Hebrew and Aramaic, dating roughly from the time of Jesus. Here, in hundreds of literary fragments, was a window into an unknown world--the world where Christianity and modern Judaism were born. Here, in arresting detail, is the most complete assessment of the scrolls to date. It is a history of their discovery and dissemination, a summary of their scholarly interpretation, and a thoughtful meditation on their ultimate significance. Above all, it is an act of generosity--a great scholar's gift to the common understanding of the most important ancient texts found in modern times.
*Nag Hammadi Library, the.* Compilation. Robinson, James M. ed. San Francisco, CA: Harper San Francisco. 1990.	This revised, expanded, and updated edition is the only complete, one-volume, modern language version of the renowned library of fourth-century manuscripts discovered in Egypt in 1945. Acclaimed by scholars and general readers alike, this is a work of major importance to everyone interested in the evolution of Christianity, the Bible, archaeology, and the story of Western civilization.
*On Christian Doctrine* by St. Augustine. Robertson, D. W. trans. Indianapolis, IN: Bobbs-Merrill Co., Inc. 1983.	On Christian Doctrine is an introduction to the interpretation and explanation of the Bible. The book thus completed and revised is among the most important writings of the most influential of the Fathers of the Christian Church. It has been said to provide the fundamental plan of Christian culture.
Orchard, the (Bostan), by Saadi of Shiraz, Sheix.	Sheikh Saadi of Shiraz (13^th century) was a wanderer and saint-poet in the Sufi tradition. His two famous books, the Bostan ("The Orchard") and the Gulistan ("The Rose Garden") contain some of Sufism's most profound teaching stories and aphorisms. An endless mine of proverbs, quotations and practical wisdom.
Phaedo, the. by Plato.
Phaedrus. by Plato.
Pilgrims' Progress, the. by Bunyan, John. London, England: Penguin Classic. 1987.	A book that has crossed most of the barriers of time, race and culture, The Pilgrim's Progress remains the supreme classic of the English Puritan tradition. Bunyan wrote the first part of his allegory while in prison for his faith, and this experience adds extra urgency and depth to his story of Christian pursuing his pilgrimage through Vanity Fair, the Slough of Despond and Delectable Mountains towards the Celestial City. The influence of The pilgrims progress, both indirectly in the English consciousness and directly on the literature that followed, has been immeasurable. Rich, inventive, profoundly challenging, it is a work of imaginative intensity that has rarely been matched.
Practice of the Presence of God, the. by Lawrence of the Resurrection, Brother. Delaney, John. J., trans. New York, NY: Image Doubleday. 1977.	Published originally at the end of the seventeenth century, this book has endured for three centuries and today is more widely read than ever. Here is a guide for all seekers aspiring toward union with God, which, according to Brother Lawrence, is the ultimate goal of every soul. In reading these conversations, letters, and spiritual maxims, we learn the key to endless joy. This little spiritual classic--in its fresh, contemporary English translation--renders the simple wisdom of Brother Lawrence accessible to every Christian who yearns for the fullness of life.
Republic, the. by Plato. Lee, Desmond, trans. London, Great Britain: Penguin Books. 1976.	The Republic, perhaps the best known of Plato's dialogues, is an attempt to apply the principles of his philosophy to political affairs. Ostensibly a discussion of the nature of Justice, it lays before us Plato's vision of the ideal state, covering a wide range of topics, social, educational, psychological, moral and philosophical. It also includes, in the process, some of Plato's most important writing on the nature of reality and the theory of the 'forms'. Plato is critical of Athenian Democracy, which had been responsible for the execution of his friend and teacher, Socrates, and his political ideas, as expressed in The Republic, started lines of thought which are still relevant today.
*Revelations of Divine Love.* by Julian of Norwich. Spearing, Elizabeth. trans. London, England: Penguin Books. 1998.	Coming from a society where women were barred from serious writing and teaching, Julian, used the English vernacular of the day to describe an extraordinary series of 'showings' which she received from God. Through her experiences, she identifies the female nature of Christ's suffering and the motherhood of God, and, using images from domestic daily life, emphasizes the homeliness of God's love. In the famous parable of the Lord and the Servant, she reveals her penetrating insight into the mystery of salvation; and she moves towards the controversial belief that God's love will not allow any of humankind to be lost. This new translation, preserves all the directness of expression and the rich complexity of her thought; offering a work which stands alongside The Cloud of Unknowing and Langland's Piers Plowman.
Rose Garden, the (Gulistan), by Saadi of Shiraz.	Sheikh Saadi of Shiraz (13^th century) was a wanderer and saint-poet in the Sufi tradition. His two famous books, the Bostan ("The Orchard") and the Gulistan ("The Rose Garden") contain some of Sufism's most profound teaching stories and aphorisms. An endless mine of proverbs, quotations and practical wisdom.
*Scivas* by Hildegard von Bingen, trans. by Columba Hart and Jane Bishop. New York: Paulist Press, 1990.	The first major work of the great abbess, visionary, doctor, poet, composer, artist and religious reformer. At the instruction of her confessor, she spent ten years writing down her twenty-six visions, which were eventually published in this book, and which constitute a mystical summary of Christian salvation.
Selected Writings. by Meister Eckhart. Translated by Oliver Davies. London, Great Britain: Penguin Books. 1994.
*Spiritual Canticle of the Soul, a*, by St. John of the Cross.
Spiritual Dialogue, the, by St. Catherine of Genoa, trans. by Serge Hughes. New York: Paulist Press, 1979.	St. Catherine of Genoa ( 1447 - 1510) had attained an extraordinary mystical state at the age of thirty-six, which lasted until her death. Catherine shared freely her mystical states and revelations with those close to her, and also described them in great details in her two most famous works, The Spiritual Dialogue, and the Treatise on Purgatory.
*Spiritual Espousals, the*, by Jan van Ruysbroeck.	Jan Van Ruysbroeck (1293-1381), reverentially nicknamed "The Divine Doctor", was one of the greatest Flemish mystic. He held that internal contemplation was far more important than performance of rituals in order to realize the Truth. This is his most famous book, in which he uses the metaphor of the bridegroom to describe the relationship between the trinity and the seeker.
*Spiritual Guide, the.* by Molinos, Michael. The SeedSowers Christian Books Publishing House.1982.	Michael Molinos came closer to reforming the Catholic church than any other single man in history, yet he ended up sealed in a dungeon, his book condemned. A man so controversial that even until today the Vatican will not release the transcript of his (secret) trial. Now, for the first time ever, this book appears in modern English. The first English language release in over a hundred years.
Story of a Soul, by St. Thérèse of Lisieux.	The autobiography of the young Carmelite saint known all over the world as the "Little Flower of Christ", in which she presented her "little way" to the Kingdom of God.
Supersensual Life, the. by Jakob Böhme.
*Treatise on Purgatory*, by St. Catherine of Genoa.	St. Catherine of Genoa ( 1447 - 1510) had attained an extraordinary mystical state at the age of thirty-six, which lasted until her death. Catherine shared freely her mystical states and revelations with those close to her, and also described them in great details in her two most famous works, The Spiritual Dialogue, and the Treatise on Purgatory.
*Unfettered Mind, the* by Takuan Soho. Trans. William Scott Wilson. Tokyo: Kodansha International Ltd., 1986.	Takuan Soho was the abbot of an important Zen monastery in Kyoto, Japan at the beginning of the 17th century. This particular work is addressed to a samurai and conveys its teaching through the use martial art metaphors.
Vitality Energy Spirit: A Taoist Sourcebook translated and edited by Thomas Cleary. Boston, MA: Shambhala Publications. 1991.	This volume is an extraordinarily rich collection of Taoist writings from the sixth century BCE to modern times. The "three measures" of human life-vitality, energy, and spirit-are envisioned in Taoist thought as the source of creativity, capability, and intelligence.
*Walden, and Other Writings.* by Thoreau, Henry David. New York, NY: Bantam Books. 1864.
Walled Garden of Truth, the. by Sanai, Hakiu. Pendlebury, D.L., trans. London, Great Britain: The Octagon Press. 1995.	Sanai's fame has always rested on his Hadiqa; it is the best known and in the East by far the most esteemed of his works; it is in virtue of this work that he forms one of the great trio of Sufi teachers. So long as men have speech at all, the philosophers of the world will read this book.
*Way of Perfection, the*, by St. Teresa of Avila.
*Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, the*, by Bodhidharma. Trans. Red Pine. New York: North Point Press, 1987.
Zohar, by ben Shem Tov de Leon, Rabbi Moses.	The Sefer Zohar ("Book of Splendor") is the most important Kabbalistic text. It was either written by, or discovered by, the Spanish Rabbi Moses ben Shem Tov de Leon at the end of the 13^th century. Tradition states that the Zohar was actually written by the Tanna Rabbi Simon Bar Yohai in the second century, while he was hiding in a cave for thirteen years with his son. This text allegedly remained hidden for a thousand years until its "discovery" by Rabbi Moses ben Shem Tov de Leon in 1290. It deals with a vast number of subjects, from spiritual comments on the Midrash, to mystical teachings, the problems of the infinite, the divine emanations, and more.