What the Mystics Know: Seven Pathways to Your Deeper Self - Tapa dura

"First, let me admit something: I'm not crazy about books that anthologize excerpts of writings from other sources. I find such 'taken out of context' selections to be jarring to read. But that's just my bias, so I'm recommending What the Mystics Know even though it's that kind of book: sort of a 'best of Richard Rohr,' at least in terms of his sizable corpus of writings published by Crossroad. Broadly divided into seven categories including enlightenment, imperfection, suffering, paradox, contemplation, truth and transformation, this book gathers together much of Father Richard's easily accessible wisdom - not only on mysticism, but indeed on life in general. If you're not familiar with Rohr, this would be a great starting point; if you already know his work, What the Mystics Know could work beautifully as a daily devotional." - Carl McColman, author, The Big Book of Christian Mysticism.

Drawing from the best and most poetic of Richard Rohr's essays from nearly a quarter of a century, each chapter in this new collection examines one of the seven core mystical truths. Organized according to the mystical paths that every worshiper must follow, Rohr identifies the despair of everyday life, promotes opportunities for change even in the face of pain, thereby transforming one's deeper self into a beacon of light that aids in the perpetual metamorphosis of others. Illuminating these insights with reflections on Christian and Jewish scriptures while citing the greatest religious writers throughout the ages, Rohr offers an unparalleled window into the wisdom of the mystics, within a succinct volume that represents the best treasury of his vast library of writing.