Review: 'Misticismo' by Simon Critchley

Simon Critchley's "Misticismo. La experiencia del éxtasis" (Mysticism: The Experience of Ecstasy) argues against the common philosophical dismissal of mysticism as mere delusion or dangerous fanaticism. Critchley, a contemporary philosopher, seeks to demonstrate what is lost when rationalist traditions ignore the profound experiences of individuals who pursued intense conviction, often to their own self-consumption.

The book revisits figures like Julian of Norwich (1342-1416), described as the first English woman known to have written a book in her native language. Julian's intense spiritual journey, marked by a request for specific divine graces and a near-fatal illness, led to visions that she later recorded. Critchley analyzes her work through the lens of paradox, examining themes of sin and salvation, fall and redemption, death and life, and pain and joy.

A central thesis of "Misticismo" is that mysticism persists within certain aesthetic experiences. Critchley draws a strong parallel between music and mystical ecstasy, noting the historical connection between ritual, ceremony, and heightened states of consciousness. He suggests that music, in its devotional practices, rituals, and revered figures, mirrors the structure of mystical experience, extending this connection to contemporary popular music and concert rituals.

The link between mysticism and art is further explored through the act of writing. Quoting Annie Dillard, Critchley posits that writing is an act of self-immolation, where the writer's life must burn within the work for it to succeed. This process of effacing the self, of "not living" to allow the subject matter to be seen clearly, is presented as analogous to the mystical goal of ego dissolution to reveal the divine. "Misticismo" ultimately invites readers to embrace intense living, grapple with the ineffable, and find glimpses of the infinite within the finite.