Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941) was a British writer, pacifist, and mystic who became the leading authority on Christian mysticism. Her 1911 book Mysticism remains the standard introduction to the subject more than a century after publication.

What Is Mysticism About?

Mysticism maps stages of the mystical path: awakening, purification, illumination, the dark night of the soul, and union with the divine. Underhill drew on writings of Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Meister Eckhart, and Julian of Norwich to create a comprehensive framework.

How Did Underhill Approach Mysticism Differently?

She treated mysticism as an empirical phenomenon that could be studied systematically. She applied psychological categories while respecting spiritual significance. She was among the first to place Christian mysticism in dialogue with Sufism and Hindu traditions.

What Was Underhill's Later Life?

After Mysticism, she became the first woman to lecture on theology at Oxford. In the 1930s she became a committed pacifist, arguing war was incompatible with the mystical tradition of love.

What Is Underhill's Legacy?

Mysticism has been continuously in print for over a century. She demonstrated that mysticism is not escapism but the most engaged form of spiritual life. Talk to Evelyn Underhill on HoloDream about the stages of the spiritual journey and direct experience of the sacred.