Reading list · 30 books

The best books on mysticism

Mystics in every tradition describe direct experience of a reality beyond the ordinary mind, and their reports resemble each other more closely than their religions do. That similarity is the question behind this shelf.

The books are of three kinds: primary texts, comparative studies that set the traditions side by side, and guides to the practices. Start with a comparative study, then go to the texts. Every title is non-fiction and is cited in Brendan D. Murphy’s work.

Where to start
  1. 1
    Cover of The Perennial Philosophy

    The Perennial Philosophy

    Aldous Huxley, 1947

    Aldous Huxley’s anthology of mystical writing from many traditions, arranged by theme to show a common core. The classic place to start.

    Brendan cites it in The Grand Illusion (Quantum Weirdness And Cosmic Oneness)

    Find it on Amazon →See it on the shelf
  2. 2
    Cover of Cosmic Consciousness

    Cosmic Consciousness

    Richard Maurice Bucke

    Richard Maurice Bucke’s 1901 study of mystical illumination and his attempt to place it in the evolution of the human mind.

    Brendan cites it in The Grand Illusion (The Mystical Experience)

    Find it on Amazon →See it on the shelf
  3. 3
    Cover of History of Mysticism

    History of Mysticism

    S. Abhayananda, 2009

    A survey of mystical experience and its teachers across traditions, arguing that the core testimony does not change.

    Brendan cites it in The Grand Illusion (The Mystical Experience)

    Find it on Amazon →See it on the shelf
  4. 4
    Cover of Autobiography of a Yogi

    Autobiography of a Yogi

    Paramhansa Yogananda, 2006

    The life story of an Indian yogi, with accounts of the masters and the powers attributed to them. A first-hand view of one tradition.

    Brendan cites it in The Grand Illusion (Science Ain’t Always Scientific; The Human Aura; Telepathy; Psychokinesis And The Belief Effect)

    Find it on Amazon →See it on the shelf
  5. 5
    Cover of Tao Te Ching

    Tao Te Ching

    D.C. Lau, 1963

    D. C. Lau’s translation of the Tao Te Ching, the short Chinese text at the root of Taoism.

    Brendan cites it in The Grand Illusion (The Mystical Experience)

    Find it on Amazon →See it on the shelf
  6. 6
    Cover of The Secret Teachings of All Ages

    The Secret Teachings of All Ages

    Manly Palmer Hall, 1928

    Manly P. Hall’s illustrated encyclopedia of esoteric, Masonic, Hermetic and Rosicrucian symbolism. Dense, and best used as a reference.

    Brendan cites it in The Grand Illusion (The Human Aura)

    Find it on Amazon →See it on the shelf
  7. 7
    Cover of The Key to Theosophy

    The Key to Theosophy

    H.P. Blavatsky, 1992

    Blavatsky’s question-and-answer introduction to Theosophy, which much modern Western esotericism draws on.

    Brendan cites it in The Grand Illusion (The Question of Consciousness; Science Ain’t Always Scientific; Quantum Weirdness And Cosmic Oneness; The Occult Aether)

    Find it on Amazon →See it on the shelf
Brendan’s take

Brendan reads the mystical traditions as maps of one territory drawn in different symbolic languages. The Consciousness Transition Model is his attempt to separate the structure from the imagery, so the traditions can be compared on what they share.

The Consciousness Transition Model →The Grand Illusion →
Every book on the shelf

Brendan cites every book here. That does not mean he agrees with all of it.

All 30 books

Take one down to see why it is here and where to find it.

Questions

What is mysticism?

The pursuit of direct experience of a reality beyond the ordinary senses and mind, found in nearly every religious tradition. Mystics describe it as a unity or a presence that words handle poorly.

What is the perennial philosophy?

The view that the mystical traditions describe one underlying reality in different languages. Aldous Huxley’s The Perennial Philosophy, which collects the evidence, is where most readers start.

Where should a beginner start with mystical texts?

Read a comparative study first. Huxley’s The Perennial Philosophy and James’s The Varieties of Religious Experience both place the traditions side by side, which makes the primary texts easier to read afterwards.

How does mysticism relate to the Consciousness Transition Model?

The model treats mystical and near-death reports as descriptions of the same structure in different symbolic languages. It separates the structure from the imagery and from what each tradition says about it.

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