A Study of the Experience of the Unspeakable and Its Manifestations in Selected Mystic Saints and Holy Persons in Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

includes index and biblioraphy

1. Introduction to Mysticism Definitions .............18 Mystical Ecstasy..........25 Essential Elements in Genuine mysticism .........26 Mystical Experiences and Mystical States ..............27 Mediated and Unmediated Experience..............29 Historical Overview ............34 Patristic Perspectives..............41 Contemporary understanding of Mysticism ........49 MYsticism and Psychology ...........53 Monasticism and Mysticism ..................61 Post modern theories and trends of Mysticism ...........65 2. Schools of Mysticism St. Anthony of the Desert............84 The tradition of Eremites and Coenobites ......86 Apothegmata Patrum - The wisdom of the Desert fathers and Mothers ............90 Essential Elements of Syrian Mystical Tradition ............95 Some influential Figures in Early syrian mystical Tradition ............98 Major Schools of Byzantine mystical Tradition...........111 The cappadocian Trio..............125 St. Seraphin of Sarov...........132 Archimandrite sophrony, the Mystic ..............135 The philokalia and the Way of the Pilgrim ................137 Western Mystical Tradition ...........144 Relation between monasticism and Mysticism ............155 3. Points of Exploration - parameters to Study the characteristics of Mystical Experiences of Selected mystic Saints and Holy persons in the Malankara orthodox Syrian Church 4. Mystical Experience in Selected mystic Saints and Holy persons: St. Gregorious of Parumala ..............194 5 . Mystical Experience in Selected mystic Saints and Holy persons: Catholicos Baselios Geevarghese II....................239