The Secret History of Western ***ual Mysticism by Arthur Versluis ISBN
978-1-59477212-2 167 pages Paperback $14.95 (U.S.)
This book addresses a topic which is often overlooked (or else looked at
as
an embarrassing part of the mystical tradition) here in the Western world.
This book looks at both the Pagan and Christian mystic traditions in many
of
their manifestations, with an emphasis of the Christian side. There is a
tendency, fortunately avoided by Professor Versluis, to perceive movements
such as "Paganism" and "Christianity" as monolithic movements having only
one face. That was not, and is not, the case. There have always existed
multiple approaches to the mystical experience.
This book concentrates on the ***ual mysticism in the Christian tradition,
which is probably less understood than its associated Pagan counterparts.
Western, or Latin, Christianity has had a consistently perceived bias
against ***uality for any purpose beyond procreation.
In order to understand the genesis and evolution of ***ual mysticism (as
differentiated from ***ual magic) Professor Versluis lays the foundation
through an overview of the Greco-Roman mystery schools. As he points out,
however, we do not, and cannot know, what experiences those initiates
underwent due to a scarcity of unbiased information, as well as a major
difference in the perceptions of the world.
The author warns against the all-too-common literalist interpretation of
mystery symbolism. Symbols are just that and are not intended to be
interpreted on a single level.
It is my opinion that this book will appeal to a very narrow segment of
the
reading public (besides the students in Professor Versuluis' cl*****).
Despite the suggestiveness of the title this is dominantly a historical
discussion of the suppression of non-mainstream attitudes towards
mysticism
with a ***ual component. At times it borders of being dry (although it
never approaches the level of uninteresting). There is no titillation in
this book, merely accurate historical re****ting.
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