MEN WHO HAVE WALKED WITH GOD BEING THE STORY OF MYSTICISM THROUGH THE AGES TOLD IN THE BIOGRAPHIES OF REPRESENTATIVE SEERS AND SAINTS WITH EXCERPTS FROM THEIR WRITINGS AND SAYINGS B Y Sheldon Cheney New York Alfred A. Knopf 1948 THIS IS A BORZOI BOOK, PUBLISHED BY ALFRED A. KNOPF, INC. Copyright 1943 by Sheldon Cheney. All rights rc emd. No fart of this book may be reproduced in any form unthout permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce not more than three illustrations in a review to bo printed in a magazine or newspaper. Manufactured in the United States of America Published simultaneously in Canada by The Bpmm Press PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 20, 1045 REPRINTED FOUR TIMES SIXTH PRINTING, MAY 1948 Contents Preface viii I The Golden Age and the Mystic Poet LAO-TSE 1 II The BUDDHA, the Great Light, and the Bliss of NIRVANA 38 III The Age of Reason in Greece PYTHAGORAS and PLATO 86 IV The Tardy Flowering of Greek Mysticism PLOTINUS 118 V Christian Mysticism, from the Founders to SAINT BERNARD 143 VI The Medieval Flowering ECKHART and the Friends of GOD 176 VII FRA ANGELICO, the Saintly Painter and Tool of GOD 212 VIII JACOB BOEHME, the Shoemaker-Illuminate of the Reformation 238 IX BROTHER LAWRENCE, the Lay Monk Who Attained Unclouded Vision 285 X A Mystic in the Age of Enlightened Scepticism WILLIAM BLAKE 309 Afterword 378 A Descriptive Reading List, with Acknowledgments 385 Index 395 List of Illustrations FOLLOWING PAGE Lao-Tse on a Water Buffalo. Chinese, Sung 10 Sage in Contemplation. In the style of Ma Yuan 20 Sage in Contemplation under a Pine Tree. By Ma Yuan 84 An Arahat Entering into Nirvana. By Lin Ting-Kuei 80 Socrates102 Christ Appearing to the Apostles. By William Blake 146 Saint Paul By El Greco 154 Augustine Recording His Vision of the City of God 160 Saint Bernard. By El Greco 170 Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata, School of Giotto 178 Meeting of Saint Francis and Saint Dominic, By Fra Angelico 182 The Garden of Paradise. School of Cologne, about 1400 204 The Annunciation. By Fra Angelico 216 Portrait of Fra Angelico. By Carlo Dolci The Naming of Saint John. By Fra Angelico 222 The Visitation, By Fra Angelico The Annunciation. By Fra Angelico 226 The Annunciation. By Fra Angelico Coronation of the Virgin. By Fra Angelico 232 The Nativity, By Fra Angelico j The Flight into Egypt. By Fra Angelico 286 vi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FOLLOWING PAGE Glad Day. By William Blake 250 When the Morning Stars Sang Together. By William Blake 318 Then a Spirit Passed before My Face. By William Blake 326 338 356 362 Saint Paul Preaching at Athens. By William Blake Satan Rousing the Rebel Angels. By William Blake The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun. By William Blake Satan Smiting Job with Boils. By William Blake Then Went Satan Forth from the Presence of the Lord. By William Blake The Ancient of Days Laying out the Circle of the Earth. By William Blake Blake Dethroning Urizen. By William Blake The Angel of the Revelation. By William Blake 374 THE author and the publisher wish to record their thanks to the De partment of Education and Museum Extension of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and to the Photograph Library, School of the Fine Arts, Yale University, for providing certain of the illustrations of Fra Angeli co s paintings and to Miss Elizabeth Mongan of the Print Department of the NationalGallery, Washington, for exceptional aid in assembling the photographs of William Blakes drawings and prints. Our indebted ness to museum directors and to photographers is more directly re corded in the captions under individual illustrations. vii gjr PBEPACE JlN THE final analysis there is only one subject of permanent interest, the soul. It is a truth easily forgotten in the press of prac tical undertakings...

As time goes on, man still has the same unanswered questions regarding the unknown phenomenon that's infected our planet. Without expectation, the unknown has appeared and disappeared without a clue as to what they are, who they are, and why they are here. We know there is an outer space beyond Earth which contains an endless mass of stars planets, asteroids, and moons. We call it the cosmos, which refers to everything in space including Earth. Is there anyone or anything out there besides us?

Once we take up the writings of Ch'an (Zen in Japanese) we will be conscious of having entered another world different from any other. The Foundling is the story of the legendary masters and semi-recluses named Feng Kan, Han Shan, and Shih Te who lived their lives outside the rules of mainstream Buddhist conventions and achieved a higher level of enlightened perception. Their historical authenticity is uncertain. What we actually know about these famous figures in paradoxical Ch'an tradition comes from their more than three hundred poems, the complete set of which has for the first time been translated into Western language.

Although they did repeatedly talk what seemed to be nonsense, this practice of entry into the world of absurdity was not nonsensical at all. Moreover, their "madness" was highly praised through centuries not only in China but in Japan, Korea, and in the other Asian countries. Why is this so? For anyone interested in throwing a clearer light on the mysteries of Ch'an studies, as well as to find out what actually was behind the exterior clumsiness and buffoonery of Ch'an masters, The Foundling ought to be made compulsory reading.

It's so comforting to know that we have helpers waiting to assist us in attracting abundance, love, and happiness to our lives. This book is filled with specific tips on how to contact your invisible helpers Kelly Wallace was a professional intuitive counselor for more than 20 years. She shows people how to create miracles in their lives by connecting them with their angels. Your angels are with you all the time, just waiting for you to ask for their help. Once you learn how to communicate with these loving beings get ready to finally live the life you've always wanted They will hear you and will begin to work with you. Their messages come through in many ways, and all you need to do is follow their guidance then reap the benefits

"This book is very valuable. Today, there are too many books on the Work that are either deliberately impersonal and as a result are just a re-explaining of basic ideas which are already there in Ouspensky. Or else, the purely subjective 'what I felt, what I experienced'. Dorothy strikes a good balance, because the subjective experience in this context is the ground through which precious memories of the Work in its early and soon-to-be forgotten period can be shared." Peter Brook (Author, Film and Theatre Director, and a student of Gurdjieff himself)

ULTIMATE TRUTH is the first volume of the 'TRUTH' series. It is a riveting, thought provoking masterpiece of theories, philosophy and great spiritual insight about our Divine nature and Celestial origins. It delves heavily into the esoteric and occult teachings that many are often unaware of or too afraid to accept. In this book, author Peter C. Rogers, D.D., Ph.D takes on many of the topics that are taboo or often hard to understand and simplifies them for the common lay person. This book will prompt you to ponder and even question a lot of the things you hold to be true. It will shake your foundation to the core causing you to wonder why you've never been taught these things in school, in church or in society. By the same token, this book will be met with public ridicule, controversy and resistance by those who are still unwilling to accept the 'Ultimate Truth' about our Being. As this book will point out, we are living in an age where truth is our only salvation and the deception of the elite will no longer be tolerated by the masses. Our planetary consciousness is stirring and we as a race of Cosmic Spiritual Beings are heeding the call of the Divine in our spirits and in our genetic memory code. This book is yet another piece of the awakening process for all those who look therein. It is a synthesis of various truths, fundamental spiritual beliefs, powerful incite and thought provoking stimuli. The only thing that now stands between you and a new way of life is You --for a closed mind is a barrier against change. May your life be forever altered by the renewing of your mind and the liberation of your Spirit.

La armonia, la paz y la felicidad, solo se logran por una gracia especial que resulta de buenos propositos, de los buenos proyectos, del trabajo; y de acciones honestas, y humildes que tengan un toque de misericordia, de razon y de justicia.

The author takes you on a journey to far-reaching corners of the world, where he drinks tea with loving Sudanese Muslims, prays in ancient Coptic churches, and whirls with Sufi dervishes in the desert. In seeking the mystical in extraordinary places, he discovers that an intimate relationship with God can be found in known religious practices. The key is not the practice itself, but the role of the mind and the heart. With the right intention and contemplative approach, the religious practice unveils an attentive and loving God. The author draws upon Rumi and Hafez, in Islam, and Saint Teresa of Avila and Thomas Merton, in Christianity, and many others to discuss the fundamental principles for embracing the Divine. By distilling the basic tenets and practices of Islam and Christianity, he finds they both hold similar mystical treasures. Learn new and ancient methods for meditation, prayer, chanting, prayer beads and pilgrimages. Closely examine the Koran's incredible poetry and beauty and gain insight into how it has brought millions to God. Learn about lectio divina, the ancient technique of listening to God's personal communication with you through the Bible. The author provides step-by-step instructions for you to begin to use these mystical tools. By the end of the book, you'll have taken your own journey into the heart of both Islam and Christianity and found Love.

Ancient Paganism explores the false religion of the ancient pre-flood world and its spread after Noah's Flood into the Gentile nations. Quotes from the ancient church fathers, rabbis, and the Talmud detail the activities and beliefs of both Canaanite and New Testament era sorcery. This book explores how, according to biblical prophecy, this same sorcery will return before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to earth. These religious beliefs and practices will invade the end time church and become the basis for the religion of the Antichrist. Wicca, Druidism, Halloween, Yule, meditation, and occultic tools are discussed at length. This book is brought to you by Biblefacts Ministries, Biblefacts.org

H. P. Blavatsky introduces and clarifies her theosophical movement to the curious reader in this detailed text, which is written in the style of questions and answers. The Theosophic Society attracted popular interest for its esoteric and unusual nature; theosophy unites numerous mystical, spiritual and occult principles with the stated mission of finding the hidden truths of existence. This was accomplished through investigating ancient societies and writings, together with Medieval and Renaissance era authors, occultists and other mystics. With The Key to Theosophy, Blavatsky intended to demystify and clarify many of the finer points of the movement she founded. She not only discusses what topics the Theosophical Society has an interest in, but the organizational structure and leadership under which it operates The agreed beliefs among its members concerning man's place on the Earth, and how nature affects and controls humans perceptibly and imperceptibly, are likewise detailed.

Based on a series of lectures delivered by Rudolf Steiner in Paris, 1906 and transcribed by Eduard Schure, An Esoteric Cosmology is a concise but powerful book and essential reading for students of Steiner. A wide variety of topics are covered, including Intellect, the Mission of Christianity, Manicheism, God, Man and Nature, Involution and Evolution, History of Yoga, The Gospel of St. John, Christian Mysticism, The Astral World, The Devachanic World (Heaven), Dreams, The Evolution of Planets and Earth, Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Human Will, Redemption and Liberation and the Apocalypse.

A traumatic medical emergency and subsequent near-death experience combine to transform the life of author Peg Abernathy in "The Self-Full Life: A True Story That Will Help Your Soul Remember." These and other spiritually moving moments are weaved into a powerful personal odyssey of life, death, and rebirth.

."..I found myself alone, and I lay there as my body was being ravaged. I remember staring at the clock on the wall. 11:45 P.M., 11:46 P.M., 11:47 P.M. Where was everybody? "Help me " I whispered. All of a sudden, the thought of death passed through my body and I began to hear a low hum and then a soft roaring sound. I heard bells go off and I rolled over and grabbed the bars on the side of the hospital bed. My eyes were wide open but I could no longer see. All I could hear was the escalating roaring sound and distant voices. And I knew I was dying. I stopped fighting. I was going home."

"Come to us you who thirst for the nature of reality. Come you who yearn for yourself. Come brothers of the breach and broken sisters. Come you who cannot find rest, and who can have no peace." -The Book of Specularis. This is the second book in a trilogy on the Sethian Gnostic tradition of today, and it contains a selection of texts from the Charaxio, the holy book of the organization Sodalitas Sanctum Seth. This collection of modern Sethian writings intends to give new perspectives to those who have stumbled upon an encounter with Metanoia, Our Lady of Unexpected Insight and Perplexity, and thus perceived the shape of the Mystery. Consider this entire book as a projective test. As in the field of psychology, such a test has no meaning in itself: It is you; with your background, opinions, cultural frame of mind and self-understanding that determine what you see, or are shown. As in the previous volume, The Key, it is important to remember that as you read this book, the book is also reading you.