Essential Readings in Traditional and Contemporary Mystical Literature
Seasoned students of comparative mysticism will be familiar with many of the following titles. For newer spiritual aspirants, this list will serve as a basic introduction to more than sixty selected classics and recommended texts on mysticism. This list is periodically updated. In addition, we have provided links to books that are in the Public Domain and available online (except where noted).
Our emphasis is on practical rather than theoretical knowledge. While books can be valuable tools for the serious aspirant, they are no substitute for spiritual practice. It is useful to remember what Jesus declared: “The kingdom of God is found within you” (Lk. 17:21).
Comparative Mysticism and World Religions
F. C. Happold, Mysticism: A Study and an Anthology
Philip Novak, The World’s Wisdom: Sacred Texts of the World’s Religions
Huston Smith, The World’s Religions
Walter T. Stace, The Teachings of the Mystics
Evelyn Underhill, Mysticism [emphasizes Roman Catholic saints]
Buddhism – General
William Theodore de Bary (ed.), The Buddhist Tradition in India, China and Japan
Christmas Humphries (ed.), The Wisdom of Buddhism
Buddhism – Theravada
Narada Mahathera, Buddhism in a Nutshell
Nyanaponika Thera, The Power of Mindfulness
Nyanatiloka Mahathera, The Word of the Buddha
Walpola Rahula, What the Buddha Taught
U Silananda, The Four Foundations of Mindfulness
Buddhism – Tibetan
The 14th Dalai Lama, Kindness, Clarity, and Insight
Dilgo Khyentse, Enlightened Courage
Lama Yeshe, Introduction to Tantra
Buddhism – Zen
William Barrett (ed.), Zen Buddhism: Selected Writings of D. T. Suzuki
John Blofeld (trans.), The Zen Teaching of Huang Po on the Transmission of Mind
Richard B. Clarke (trans.), Hsin Hsin Ming – Faith in the Ultimate Reality, by the Third Zen Patriarch
Thomas Hoover, The Zen Experience
Red Pine (trans.), The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma
Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind
Christianity – General
The New International Version, The New Testament
Gerald Heard, The Creed of Christ (not in public domain; disclosure: The Barrie Family Trust administers the Gerald Heard Estate)
Henry Koestline, What Jesus Said About It
Christianity – Orthodox
R. M. French (trans.), The Way of the Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way
Timothy Ware (ed.), The Art of Prayer: An Orthodox Anthology
Christianity – Protestant
Joseph D. Driskill, Protestant Spiritual Exercises
Peter Erb (trans.), True Christianity, by Johann Arndt
Christianity – Roman Catholic
John Beevers (trans.), Abandonment to Divine Providence, by John-Pierre de Caussade
John J. Delaney (trans.), The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Lawrence
William Johnston (trans.), The Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counseling
Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez (trans.), The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross
E. Allison Peers (trans.), Interior Castle, by St. Teresa of Avila
H. A. Reinhold (ed.), The Soul Afire: Revelations of the Mystics
Leo Sherley-Price (trans.), The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas A’ Kempis
Hinduism – Vaishnavism
Swami Paramananda (trans.), Srimad Bhagavad Gita
Swami Tapasyananda (trans.), Srimad Bhagavad Gita
Hinduism – Vedanta
Swami Adishwarananda, The Vedanta Way to Peace and Happiness
Swami Nikhilananda (trans.), Self-Knowledge, by Shankara
Swami Nikhilananda (trans.), The Upanishads [one-volume abridged edition]
H. P. Shastri (trans.), World Within the Mind [extracts from the Yoga-Vasishtha]
Hinduism – Yoga & Meditation
Swami Adishwarananda, Meditation & Its Practices
Swami Paramananda, Concentration and Meditation
Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood (trans.), How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali
Hinduism – Modern Teachers
David Godman (ed.), Be As You Are: The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi
M. N. Gupta (trans.), The Condensed Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
Sri Ramakrishna Math (ed.), Sayings of Sri Ramakrishna
Judaism – General & Hasidism
Arthur Green and Barry W. Holtz (trans.), Your Word is Fire: The Hasidic Masters on Contemplative Prayer
Louis Jacobs (ed.), The Jewish Mystics
Judaism – Renewal
Avram Davis, The Way of Flame: A Guide to the Forgotten Mystical Tradition of Jewish Meditation
Aryeh Kaplan, Jewish Meditation: A Practical Guide
Sufism – General & Anthologies
Nahid Angha, Principles of Sufism
Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Sufi Essays
Reynold A. Nicholson, The Mystics of Islam
Annemarie Schimmel, Mystical Dimensions of Islam
Margaret Smith (trans.), Readings from the Mystics of Islam
Mir Valiuddin, Contemplative Disciplines in Sufism
Sufism – Mystics
William C. Chittick and Peter Lamborn Wilson, Divine Flashes, by Fakhruddin ‘Iraqi
Victor Danner (trans.), The Book of Wisdom, by Ibn ‘Ata’illah, combined with
Wheeler M. Thackston (trans.), Intimate Conversations, by Ansari
Paul Jackson, S.J. (trans.), The Hundred Letters, by Sharafuddin Maneri
K. Khosla, The Sufism of Rumi
Barbara R. Von Schlegell (trans.), Principles of Sufism, by Qushayri
Taoism
John Blofeld, The Secret and Sublime: Taoist Mysteries and Magic
Jane English and Gia-Fu Feng (trans.), Tao Te Ching, by Lao Tzu
Contemporary Mystical Literature
Fritjof Capra, The Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels Between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism
Gerald Heard, Training for the Life of the Spirit (not in public domain; disclosure: The Barrie Family Trust administers the Gerald Heard Estate)
Lee M. Hollander (trans.), Selections from the Writings of Kierkegaard
Anne C. Steinemann, Love is Like the Universe