Over the last 5,000 years, inspired leaders and saints of all the great spiritual traditions have produced a rich collection of writings describing the transcendent states they have experienced. They have used poetry, prose, and sacred art to illuminate their experiences. This book draws on all the great traditions, from Taoism to Christianity, from Sufism to Judaism, to describe the psychology of humankind's deepest spiritual encounters. It identifies ten distinct psychological states common to all religious experience. A study of the specific characteristics of each state reveals that sages from widely different theologies, times and cultures have experienced God's love in remarkably similar ways. Their words show us what intimate encounters with "the Great Beloved" feel like, and how we can cultivate these mystical unions in our own lives. The compassionate wisdom in the pages of this book are a moving testament to the majesty, variety, and splendor of the direct experience of God's love.
