I'm curious how your idea of letting be corresponds to what I've called the "negative virtue" of "Gelassenheit" in medieval Rhineland mysticism. I think there are definitely parallels, though clearly the kind of detachment and "letting-go-ness" of an Eckhart or a Suso is less a recipe for psychological health and more the first step toward divine illumination and union. (Not that it can't be used in the former way in a more contemporary context...)
That's such a fascinating idea. If you can recommend anything on this you've written, I'd love to read it. The relationship between mystical practices and mental health are also intriguing (a while back I read a lot of Teresa of Ávila, and thought about how her meditations in Interior Castle relate to things we might do in a contemporary context.
Nothing relating mystagogical practice to contemporary ideal concerning mental and spiritual health (so far... I'm hoping to do more on this in the future - distancing it from a lot of the appropriations of mysticism in more esoteric "positive thinking" movements). But Holly Hillgardner has a great book that might interest you, titled "Longing and Letting Go: Christian and Hindu Practices of Passionate Non-Attachment" (on Hadewijch and Mirabai).
Helen, I cannot wait to read your book! It has so much resonance with my own writing. I have started demystifying myself of the "internalized the injunction not to waste time" and it really has opened up deeper understanding of how I operate.
Any chance you’ve read Jenny Odell’s books How To Do Nothing and Saving Time? They’re some of my favorites from the past couple years and resonate really well with the sentiments expressed in your essay, highly recommended!
I'm curious how your idea of letting be corresponds to what I've called the "negative virtue" of "Gelassenheit" in medieval Rhineland mysticism. I think there are definitely parallels, though clearly the kind of detachment and "letting-go-ness" of an Eckhart or a Suso is less a recipe for psychological health and more the first step toward divine illumination and union. (Not that it can't be used in the former way in a more contemporary context...)
That's such a fascinating idea. If you can recommend anything on this you've written, I'd love to read it. The relationship between mystical practices and mental health are also intriguing (a while back I read a lot of Teresa of Ávila, and thought about how her meditations in Interior Castle relate to things we might do in a contemporary context.
Nothing relating mystagogical practice to contemporary ideal concerning mental and spiritual health (so far... I'm hoping to do more on this in the future - distancing it from a lot of the appropriations of mysticism in more esoteric "positive thinking" movements). But Holly Hillgardner has a great book that might interest you, titled "Longing and Letting Go: Christian and Hindu Practices of Passionate Non-Attachment" (on Hadewijch and Mirabai).
Helen, I cannot wait to read your book! It has so much resonance with my own writing. I have started demystifying myself of the "internalized the injunction not to waste time" and it really has opened up deeper understanding of how I operate.
Any chance you’ve read Jenny Odell’s books How To Do Nothing and Saving Time? They’re some of my favorites from the past couple years and resonate really well with the sentiments expressed in your essay, highly recommended!