Mysticism East and West

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This course is designed to introduce students to major aspects of mystical teachings and practices from a comparative perspective. Our most general task will be to reflect on the definition of “mysticism” in contradistinction with kin concepts such as “religion”, “spirituality”, and “esoterism.” This will lead us to explore the various facets and dimensions of mysticism in world religions, its expressions in the ways of knowledge, love and action, and some of its main manifestations in Semitic monotheistic and Indic religions. We will engage a few classical key-texts within the context of an inter-religious “dialogue” among some of the major representatives from the Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and Islamic mystical traditions.