In this wide-ranging and beautifully illustrated paperback, Bruno Borchert, a European theologian and member of the Carmelite order, surveys the stunning variety of mysticism from the ecstatic experiences of shamans in prehistoric times to the contemporary smorgasbord of mystical quests. He charts the essential ingredients of mystical experience and its links to love, creativity, paradox, visions, and the emotions. He mines the experiential riches of Eastern mysticism and discusses how in the West mysticism has been a constant tug od war between contemplation and action. Best of all, this paperback shows the complex traditions which lie behind the mystical paths of the present day.