
Holistic Mysticism: The Integrated Spiritual Path of the Quakers
Reviewed by Elizabeth Dale
September 1, 2024
By Amos Smith. Anamchara Books, 2023. 360 pages. $24.99/paperback; $7.99/eBook.
For some Christians, a central teaching of the New Testament is that one must work on one’s soul in order to then help one’s neighbors and the world. That is certainly the lesson at the heart of Friend Amos Smith’s Holistic Mysticism, which offers a path from the cultivation of the soul to activism.
Smith is a longtime practitioner and teacher of centering prayer, a spiritual practice that combines Christian prayer with Asian meditation methods. That background clearly influences this book, and several elements will be familiar to those experienced in mindfulness practice or the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh. As Smith emphasizes in a brief introduction, though, the mystic practices he describes are grounded in Christian teachings and the traditions of Quaker silent worship.
Rather than offering a detailed theoretical or theological discussion of mysticism, Smith presents readers with an everyday model of Quaker mysticism that is “practical, accessible, communal, earthy, and integrated.” He begins by suggesting ways to develop an individual contemplative practice. The next sections discuss how to ground that practice in a particularly Quaker vision of Christianity, showing readers how they can strengthen their spiritual practice within a community of silent worship. Finally, Smith explains how and why this practice will lead followers back out into the world to act as “quiet rebels,” pursuing familiar Quaker goals of simplicity, truth-telling, and nonviolence.
Many parts of the path Smith sketches will be well-known to practicing Quakers. The guides he calls upon to lead us along the way are notable figures from Quaker history like Margaret Fell, authors of Pendle Hill pamphlets, or writers like Thomas Kelly. The lessons are familiar, but Smith recontextualizes this wisdom to provide something new, even for those well-versed in Quaker history and tradition: a contemporary vision of the combination of Quaker faith and activism that Howard Brinton called “ethical mysticism.”
While the path Smith describes can be undertaken by an individual, this book would also be beneficial for a group, perhaps read over several sessions in a Quakerism 101 program. Still, Holistic Mysticism is not just for those already at home in the Society of Friends. It can serve as an introduction to the Quaker faith for those looking for a vision of Christianity different from the one they were raised in, as well as a connecting bridge for other seekers who consider themselves spiritual (or mystical) but not religious. In any case, the markers Smith uses to line his trail provide history and context for the path of practice he lays out, and a reading list at the end points to new territory for those who wish to explore further.
Elizabeth Dale is a writer and historian living in Chicago, Ill. She attends online meetings for worship through Pendle Hill study center in Wallingford, Pa.
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