What the Mystics Know: Seven Pathways to Your Deeper Self

RE-CENTERING ON GOD - Full book review: http://www.primelifers.org/reviews2.phpI've been a fan of Richard Rohr since reading "Falling Upward" in 2013 and "Eager To Love" in 2014. Richard Rohr is an authentic spiritual teacher who promotes balancing Christian contemplation with action. His views are a unique blend of orthodox, yet iconoclastic (meaning he's an equal opportunity religious offender in a good way). So, what exactly is a Christian mystic? Since the word mystic has some negative baggage, as in "so heavenly minded they're of no earthly good", I was interested to read what the widely respected Franciscan Friar had to say on the subject. Rohr defines a "Christian mystic" is anyone who places experiencing God personally as their number one priority, as opposed to simply knowing about God in Scripture, church doctrine and theology. Rohr advocates prioritizing God-centeredness to rule over self-centeredness, a basic Kingdom principle...

I needed to read this: "To become aware of God's Presence in our lives, we have to accept what is difficult....We have to accept that human culture is in a mass hypnotic trance. We're sleepwalkers." page 11. I have resisted this fact. I have tried so hard to be in this world and not of this world and it is not easy. I cannot understand why this human culture is just walking towards what I perceive to be a cliff, with their ear buds plugged in and reading their devices while walking down sidewalks and crossing streets. I want to be a lunatic with a microphone screaming at people in front of Union Station as they walk as if in a herd with little or no regard for one another "Wake up!". It is a hard observation to accept but that is all I can do - or become the lunatic with the microphone screaming "Wake Up" with futility as some might notice me and say silently to themselves, "Another nutcase". All of Fr. Rohr's books have helped me grow and accept. I will read this book several times, as I have his other books. I thank Fr. Rohr for writing another book I needed to read. Blessings to him and others responsible for this book.

When one is working on deepening one's relationship with Jesus Christ, this book comes in very strong. Rohr gives us vignettes to mediate on that are life changing and call us to the challenge of truly being a disciple of Jesus. I especially liked the entry of p.111-112 in which he states:"- learning how to be taught, how to receive love, how to be healed and transformed- before they would dare to father or mother others." I also like Rohr's thoughts on "What you think God is, He isn't". In this meditation he states: "(You only get to know God) through painful encounters with the living God where you feel your flesh being torn off and yet you do not die. Then you experience another kind of life, another kind of freedom. Christians call it the life of the risen Jesus." There are so many meditations in the book that resonate with being a disciple of Jesus.

Richard Rohr wrote this book that is easy to read. Short thought provoking and life challenging messages. I started each morning with coffee reading and found myself underlining specific messages that i will go back to as i hope to start regrouping my daily life. I encourage other Catholic, protestant,Muslim, whatever faith tradition or no faith tradition or spiritual to read. Richard Rohr is a breath of fresh air.

I am still slugging through it, but it isn't easy to read. Really more of a collection of thoughts than a book. I has some good insights and thoughts, but it is a fairly tough sledding. I pick it up every day or two and read a few pages, then put it down. I don't want to say it isn't good, but it isn't something you can just sit down and read for hours at a time.

When we have big questions we may reach for a big book to look for answers, but Franciscan Father Richard Rohr makes it easier for us. He answers questions, including some we didn’t know we had, in a collection of straightforward little articles or essays. Each one addresses a major concern, and Father Rohr is a practiced story-teller with a talent for getting to the point.“What the Mystics Know” begins with a collection of essays under the heading, “The Enlightenment You Seek Already Dwells within You.” After that comes a collection called “God is Found in Imperfection.” That interested me, because imperfection is one of my specialties. Mine is not a defiance of God, like Job’s, but I was stirred by Job’s remarks as worded by Rohr: “I know God is right somehow; I just don’t understand in this instance how he’s right.” Then Job gets it: “But,” he says, “I’m willing to wait.”Rohr founded the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His books and lectures and followed by people of all faiths along with people who are uncertain about their faith.

Understanding the path to holiness is one thing, having the humility to walk it AND the gift of surrendering my WILLfulness - well, that's the magic of mysticism... For me.Sounds trite. It's anything BUT simple. Yet it takes so little to acquire.It's not even about knowing what they know. It's more about DOing...about BEing..Enjoy.

I read this book with fascination. Covers in-depth the topics of Mysticism and is educational. I recognized 80% of the themes from my previous studies but found the presentation really helpful. I write in books, so I liked this books layout, good for repeated use.

Excellent book. Very thought-provoking and educational. Well-worth the read.

Rereading it now! Quite excellent and a wonderful portrayal of mystical understanding and spirituality to be found any where.

This book is written in a format I didn't expect or appreciate . It is small pieces of Rohr's thoughts over many years . I loved his book "Falling upward" and I read it twice. Its a classic in my mind . But this book is not an easy read . The title is misleading as well, it does not get into the details of what the mystics know very well at all or if it does its in a very indirect way. It does not talk much about the true self which I enjoyed in his book " Immortal diamond". It is written for the seeking Christian mostly, I believe , who wants to go deeper and it will probably help thousands of people who are still clinging to that faith. But, from my perspective I am disappointed with the content and format. It was not meant for me at this time I guess. In my search for inner truth I have become agnostic of most christian theology. But Rohr has that audience who will just love this book and that is good. Sorry I had to be critical and only give it two stars because I really love Rohr's teaching most of the time.

Richard Rohr always finds the threads that will make transition seemless and gentle. His work brings a sence of empowerment in the midst of deconstruction and reconstruction even when your reconstruction doesn't have any walls. The journey is one you will enjoy while wondering whether you will ever have or want control again. If I am not making sense, you have recieved the prize.

Before reading this book I was not familiar with the writings of Richard Rohr. This book has been a revelation to me but I would have preferred to start with something of Richard's that would serve as an introduction to his style of spirituality. I am using the present book as a stimulus to reflection and meditation. For that purpose I think that the book is very valuable.