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Agony and ecstasy: the lives of mystics

Simon Critchley explores the sainthood and suffering of mystics across the centuries – and what it can reveal about the human experience

Published: January 31, 2025 at 7:30 AM

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From medieval mystic Julian of Norwich to countercultural figures of the 1960s, various individuals down the centuries have felt they have access to spiritual forces beyond human understanding. But what drives these transcendent – and often ecstatic – sensations? And how were people with a deep connection to the divine regarded by wider society? In today's episode, philosopher and author Simon Critchley speaks to Charlotte Hodgman about his new book On Mysticism: The Experience of Ecstasy.

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Simon Critchley is the author of On Mysticism: The Experience of Ecstasy (Profile Books, 2024)

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Authors

Charlotte HodgmanHead of video operations

Charlotte Hodgman is head of video operations at HistoryExtra

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