• Front cover of the hardcover book 'A History of Mysticism'.
  • Additional view of the hardcover book 'A History of Mysticism'.
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A History of Mysticism — World Traditions From Shamanism On

A History of Mysticism — World Traditions From Shamanism On

$249.95
$249.95
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This is the one you buy when you want the whole map. Richard H. Jones opens with the nature of mystical experience itself, then walks through the world's traditions in turn — Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism — and keeps going into New Age mysticism, secular mysticism, and what science has made of the whole business.

It begins earlier than most surveys dare to, in shamanism and the early use of psychedelics, and it ends with an appendix on the misunderstandings that cling to the subject. 524 pages, written plainly enough for a general reader and rigorously enough for a student of religion.

At a glance

  • Hardcover, 524 pages
  • Author: Richard H. Jones, independent scholar and researcher
  • Published: April 01, 2024
  • Dimensions: 1.31 x 9 x 6 in
  • Covers: shamanism and early psychedelics, Greek philosophy, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, New Age and secular mysticism
  • Includes an appendix on popular misunderstandings of mystical experience

How to read it

  • Read chapter one first — it sets out what is meant by a mystical experience before any tradition is discussed.
  • Then jump. The tradition chapters stand alone; go to the one you care about.
  • Use the appendix early. It clears out assumptions you may not know you are carrying.
  • Keep it as a reference. At 524 pages it earns shelf space between readings.

What this book covers, by section

Section Ground covered
Opening The nature of mystical experiences
Prehistory Shamanism and the early use of psychedelics
Ancient Greece The possible role of mystical experience in Socrates and Plato
World religions Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism
Present day New Age mysticism, secular mysticism, the scientific study of mystical experience
Appendix Popular misunderstandings of mysticism

✨ Temple Tip — start with the tradition you already know

Read the chapter on the religion you were raised in or know best, whatever your relationship to it now. Seeing familiar ground described in comparative language is the fastest way into everything that follows.

Questions we get asked

Is it academic?
It is written in a clear, accessible style and is suitable for general readers as well as students of religion and philosophy.
Which traditions are covered?
Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Daoism, plus shamanic prehistory, Greek philosophy, New Age and secular mysticism.
Does it discuss psychedelics?
Yes — the early use of psychedelics is treated as part of mysticism's prehistory, alongside shamanism.
Has the author written on this before?
Yes. His previous books include An Introduction to the Study of Mysticism and Philosophy of Mysticism: Raids on the Ineffable, both from SUNY Press.
How long is it?
524 pages in hardcover, 9 x 6 inches.

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In short

A History of Mysticism is a 524-page hardcover by independent scholar Richard H. Jones, published in April 2024. It surveys mystical traditions across Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Daoism, and also covers shamanism and early psychedelic use, Greek philosophy, and New Age and secular mysticism. An appendix addresses common misunderstandings of mystical experience. It is used as a single-volume survey and shelf reference, and sells for $204.00. The book describes and analyses traditions for general readers and students of religion — it does not teach a practice.

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