Practical Mysticism

This book examines the specific conditions of spiritual journey and quest, including the appropriate mental and psychological prerequisites prior to embarking on it, and defines forty stages along the path of spiritual journey. This book does not recommend undertaking the mystical journey to individuals, as traversing this challenging path demands special conditions that only eager and capable persons can fulfill. In writing this work, I have referred to previous works on practical mysticism. This book has been compiled based largely on personal preferences and my observations in Sufi lodges, as well as conversations with scholars and mystics and drawing upon their perspectives. For the first time, it thoroughly investigates the preliminaries required before embarking on the spiritual journey and gradually outlines the forty stages, arranged into seventy lessons. Until now, only the mystics’ initial journey in the spiritual quest has been described in books, as mystics refrain from explaining the details of their second, third, and fourth journeys. Two other prominent features of this book are the use of contemporary language and relevant verses from both classic and modern poets, including even lesser-known ones, alongside the examination and analysis of pre-journey issues. This book, “Practical Mysticism,” complements Yathrebi’s earlier work titled “Theoretical Mysticism” and aims to dispel the negative perception around asceticism, presenting a positive interpretation instead.