The Mystical Accord

The author of this penetrating book has an academic background in international law, but moved on from this field to focus on artistic and spiritual development as a painter and writer. The first 40 pages give an excellent description of the nature of mysticism, leading up to his idea of the mystical accord with links to the heart (Coeur/core), harmony and the law. The central premise is that 'there is a spirit in all of us. Spiritual consciousness is critical. Consciousness is fundamental, pre-existing, permanent and not emergent', but there is a disciplined process of focusing our attention, especially in the time of 'materialism, mechanism, scientism, technocracy and intoxication.' (p. 41) The rest of the book is structured in terms of lines, sutras, haikus, aphorisms, proverbs and quotes, which makes the content direct and dense. The introduction ends with a poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins, whose influence is apparent in the text (e.g. 'To heal, be holy, be whole, be holistic and integrated wholly'). The chapters then unfold the overall argument in terms of the themes of spiritual evolution, the nature of the self, knowing, distraction and attraction, transcendence and the numinous. Here are a few illustrative lines to convey the flavour of a book that should be read and reflected on a few pages at a time:

Experience takes precedence over opinion of an 'expert.'

Experts they have no experience of the subject of expertise.

Experiments cannot expect to explain all experience.

The experience of the highest things is beyond experience.

The fondest, great treasures are beyond measure, beware the measurers…..

God is a human word wielding more power than yielding meaning…..

Love is the force of the universe that forms food for the spirit.