Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 6 minutes ago
James Harpur’s new book, "Dazzling Darkness: The Lives and Afterlives of the Christian Mystics", begins with an account of a mystical experience that happened to him - “an implosion of light”, as he describes it. That led to his book, Dazzling Darkness, in pursuit of the path that leads to ultimate reality: God.
Mark Vernon’s new book, "Awake! William Blake and the Power of the Imagination", is the result of Mark’s engagement with his local mystic, William Blake, as well as practices based on encounters and texts including The Cloud of Unknowing.
In this conversation they explore the nature of mystical experience, as well as the mystics that speak powerfully to them, from Saint Columba to William Blake, via Marguerite Porete and Teresa of Avila, Ramana Maharshi and Krishnamurti.
For more on James’s book, Dazzling Darkness - hurstpublishers.com/book/dazzling-darkness
For more on Mark’s book, Awake! - hurstpublishers.com/book/awake
0:00 Two books on mysticism!
01:55 James’s mystical experience
07:00 Mark’s encounter through contemplative practice
11:58 The Irish mystics that speak to James
18:00 Living the porous life
22:49 Mysticism after monasticism
29:30 Church life and mystical life
32:01 Seeking spiritual directors
33:00 The voice of Krishnamurti
40:32 The presence amidst the diversity
42:30 What happens after the ecstasy?
52:00 Sustaining the double vision
James Harpur’s new book, "Dazzling Darkness: The Lives and Afterlives of the Christian Mystics", begins with an account of a mystical experience that happened to him - “an implosion of light”, as he describes it. That led to his book, Dazzling Darkness, in pursuit of the path that leads to ultimate reality: God.
Mark Vernon’s new book, "Awake! William Blake and the Power of the Imagination", is the result of Mark’s engagement with his local mystic, William Blake, as well as practices based on encounters and texts including The Cloud of Unknowing.
In this conversation they explore the nature of mystical experience, as well as the mystics that speak powerfully to them, from Saint Columba to William Blake, via Marguerite Porete and Teresa of Avila, Ramana Maharshi and Krishnamurti.
For more on James’s book, Dazzling Darkness - hurstpublishers.com/book/dazzling-darkness
For more on Mark’s book, Awake! - hurstpublishers.com/book/awake
0:00 Two books on mysticism!
01:55 James’s mystical experience
07:00 Mark’s encounter through contemplative practice
11:58 The Irish mystics that speak to James
18:00 Living the porous life
22:49 Mysticism after monasticism
29:30 Church life and mystical life
32:01 Seeking spiritual directors
33:00 The voice of Krishnamurti
40:32 The presence amidst the diversity
42:30 What happens after the ecstasy?
52:00 Sustaining the double vision
