Roads of Excess, Palaces of Wisdom: Eroticism and Reflexivity in the Study of Mysticism

by Jeffrey J. Kripal and J.J. Kripal

Book Overview

William Blake once wrote that "The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom." Inspired by these poetic terms, Jeffrey J. Kripal reveals how the works of scholars of mysticism are often rooted in their own mystical experiences, "roads of excess," which can both lead to important insights into these scholars' works and point us to our own "palaces of wisdom."

In his new book, Kripal addresses the twentieth-century study of mysticism as a...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0226453790
• ISBN13: 9780226453798
• Release Date: December 2001
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Nexus of Objectivity and Subjectivity

The aspect of Kripal's book that I enjoyed the most was seeing the realities of the academic pursuit. These various scholars of mysticism, by virtue of the very nature of academic engagement with the material, were working at the point of convergence of objectivity and subjectivity. And it is this placement at the nexus that invigorated and enlived their research. If one is interested in mysticism, or religious studies, this is an excellent book to read in order to get a glimpse of true scholars at work.

Enlightening and Unique Study

I had the opportunity of studying with Professor Kripal and using the proof of this book as the text. The lives described within this text are fascinating, the analysis penetrating, and the personal details of his own path bring the whole thing home for the reader. I don't know that there is another book like it anywhere and I learned an incredible amount from Kripal about mysticism, as well as analytical methodology. Warning: it is for academics, the lay person will get lost in the language.