Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents v
3. Preface and Acknowledgments vii
4. Introduction 1
5. PART I Mystical Experience: Its Principal Features and Accompaniments
6. Book One: The Nature of Mystical Experience
7. 1. The Mystical Experience: A Preliminary Reconnaissance 33
8. 2. Distinctive Features of the Mystical Experience 40
9. 3. The Nature of Mystical Illumination 56
10. 4. The Fundamental Contextuality of Mystical Experience 75
11. 5. Recollection and Mystical Experience 94
12. 6. Mystical Experience and Schizophrenic Experience 120
13. 7. What Is Mystical Experience? 130
14. Book Two: Psychological and Parapsychological Aspects of Mystical Experience
15. 8. The Phenomenon of Ex-stasis and Its Variations 135
16. 9. Enthymesis: The Ex-static Recollective Empowerment of the Mind, Will, and Imagination 150
17. 10. Is Empowerment Unusual? 180
18. 11. Recollection, Empowerment, and the Genesis of Paranormal Phenomena 189
19. 12. The “Active” Approach for Inducing Paranormal Manifestations After Recollective Quiet 196
20. 13. The “Passive” Approach for Inducing Paranormal Manifestations After Recollective Quiet 230
21. 14. Empowerment in the Writings of the Mystics 241
22. 15. Why Paranormal Phenomena Are Not of Marginal Significance for Understanding Mysticism 276
23. PART II. HOW TRADITION SHAPES BOTH THE MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE AND THE MYSTIC'S RESPONSES TO IT
24. Book Three: Mysticism Among the Oglala Lakota: The Visions of Black Elk
25. 16. The Historical Setting of Black Elk’s Life 305
26. 17. Black Elk’s Great Vision 325
27. 18. Three Major Characteristics of Black Elk’s Great Vision 343
28. 19. Principal Characteristics of Lakota Power 356
29. 20. Black Elk’s Criteria of Discernment 374
30. 21. Black Elk’s Response to His Great Vision 388
31. 22. Black Elk’s Dog Vision 412
32. 23. Black Elk and the Ghost Dance 422
33. 24. Black Elk’s Conversion to Christianity 432
34. Book Four: The Mysticism of Saint Teresa of Avila
35. 25. Why Study Saint Teresa? 447
36. 26. A Biographical Sketch of Saint Teresa of Avila 451
37. 27. Saint Teresa’s Recollective Technique 501
38. 28. Distinctive Features of Saint Teresa’s Prayer States 527
39. 29. Medieval Influences on Saint Teresa’s Mysticism 556
40. 30. Saint Teresa’s Criteria of Discernment 573
41. 31. The Contextuality of the Most Elevated States of Spiritual Perfection and Mystical Awareness 580
42. Conclusion 607
43. Selected Bibliography 617
44. Index 629