The Mystic Christ [Paperback]

Ethan Walker III (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2003

The Mystic Christ is an ancient tale of mystic union, salvation, and enlightenment. It is the careful uncovering of a lost treasure of immeasurable value, long buried in the suffocating darkness of conventional orthodoxy on one side, and blind fundamentalist extremism on the other. From the viewpoint of the world s mystical religious traditions, the brilliant light of the Master s way is revealed as a penetrating radical non-duality unifying all people and all of life. His path to this all-embracing unity is the spiritual practice of pure selfless love. Love God intensely, love our neighbor as our own Self, bless those that curse us, and pray for those that mistreat us. Love has been lost, becoming nothing more than a word in the dictionary and, yet, it remains the foundation of Jesus message.

The Mystic Christ is also a compelling story of the ego, the personification of ignorance, and how it has distorted and subverted the sublime sayings of the Master, twisting reality into unreality and light into darkness. The ego is the Antichrist in this ancient drama that has gripped every culture for all time in its talons of self-centered perception. The ego is anti-love.

Adam and Eve were not the first people, the nature of man is good, scripture is not infallible, Jesus is one of the ways, all religions are paths to God, reincarnation is in the Bible, the resurrection as a personal spiritual awakening, and the error of eternal damnation are all carefully and lovingly revealed in the life and sayings of Jesus.

The Mystic Christ is thoroughly punctuated with quotes from Buddha, Krishna, Lao Tzu and other masters of the mystical traditions. But, most importantly, over 230 scriptural references from the Old and New Testament are used to illustrate the harmony that exists between the life and teachings of Jesus and the world s great religions.

The Mystic Christ removes 2000 years of ego-centered bindings that have hidden the brilliant light of the Master from the world. The Mystic Christ is at once profoundly fascinating, deeply historic and electric with the vibration of the mystical experience.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The Mystic Christ is a masterful presentation of deep spiritual principals that are clearly explained in simple terms. The book demonstrates the common thread that runs through the life and teachings of Jesus and other great teachers such as Buddha, Krishna, Mohamed and the author's own teacher Amma. Love and compassion are the antidote for the delusional ego. The nature of the ego is thoroughly explored in this book and it is revealed as the compelling negative force in orthodox religion today. Love is the answer; love is the way. --Mindy Longhorn, Devi Press, August 3, 2003

About the Author

Walker was a practicing counter-culture hippie in 1967 at the age of 18 when he began to explore eastern philosophy and the European mystery schools. He spent two years in the Rosicrucian Order followed by four years under the tutelage of Mark Prophet, the founder of The Summit Lighthouse. He studied, lived and worked at that organization as a renunciate. After the death of Mr. Prophet, Walker had an intense spiritual experience while studying the teachings of Ramana Maharshi. This prompted him to dedicate himself to the philosophy of advaita or non-duality and the practice of atma vichara or meditation on the formless Self. This culminated in a deep understanding of the nature of the ego. A strong desire to be permanently rid of the ego followed. Shortly thereafter, Walker met his guru, Mata Amritanandamayi or Amma, the hugging saint, in 1988.

Amma advised that practicing non-duality alone is dry, like eating stones. She directed him to practice the devotional path. She explained that non-duality is the goal and devotion is the means. WalkerÂ’s devotional practices began with the Divine Mother as the point of concentration. At this stage he saw her as a benign, loving and compassionate Mother Mary figure. This continued for several years until he began to focus on the Divine Mother in the form of the goddess Kali who wields the compassionate sword of liberation. As his devotional meditations continued, he developed a close relationship with and absorption in Mother Kali. After several years of this, he began to see the Divine Mother in everyone and everything.

Throughout this 35-year spiritual journey, Walker has also maintained a deep interest in Buddhism with particular fondness for the Zen master Suzuki Roshi and the Tibetan tradition. Walker is greatly influenced by the Indian saints Ramakrishna and Nisargadatta Maharaj. Later in his practice, he pursued the study of Jesus, his life and teachings, and experienced deep devotion to the Master. Inspired by the similarity between JesusÂ’ life and teachings and the path of the eastern masters, Walker spent five years researching and writing The Mystic Christ.

Walker is the author of two other books. Soft Moon Shining is a collection of 230 devotional poems and 60 illustrations that revolve around his relationship with the Divine Mother. Finding GodÂ’s Love is a how-to book exploring the theory and practice of the path of love and devotion.

Walker is also an accomplished musician, singer and composer.

Product Details

• Paperback: 267 pages
• Publisher: Devi Press (July 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972931708
• ISBN-13: 978-0972931700
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #395,946 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the Christianity that appeals to all religions, December 21, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Mystic Christ (Paperback)

I very much appreciate these writings on Jesus the Christ, by Ethan Walker. It takes a lot of research, a gathering of many facts, dispelling a lot of propoganda generated and manipulated over ages by the existing religious order. I grew up a Hindu in India, studying in a Jesuit school and always wondered why the missionaries were so hell bent on saying their way was the only way (Jesus never said that) and realize that the greatest lesson I have learned is that Ego (being proud of only your religion is also a sign of the ugly EGO at play) is what inhibits love and peace. I think this book makes it clear that there are many paths to Love (our Father or heaven) and that seeing God evident in all his creation and in your neighbor is the only doctrine that really matters.

This is a Jesus that I can believe in. Ethan's book will do more good for Christianity and other faiths than centuries of evangelism. God bless.

49 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally. . ., October 15, 2003

By 

R. Sparks "middle_path" (Norman, Oklahoma United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mystic Christ (Paperback)

The grace and wit with which Mr. Walker writes would be welcome, regardless of the subject. However, as a Buddhist I must say that there are very (VERY) few volumes of Christian literature that have actually deepened my appreciation of not only the mystic aspects of Christianity, but Christianity as a whole as much as The Mystic Christ.

This book is informative, without being preachy. It is witty, without being sarcastic. And it is honest, without prosyletizing.

I own a small gift shop in a small-ish Oklahoma town, and we go through about a dozen copies a month. It is possibly our best selling single volume.

Thank you, Mr. Walker, for your insightful and interesting product.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Mystic Christ, November 10, 2003

By 

Jeffrey B. Lynn (Beech Grove, IN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Mystic Christ (Paperback)

The Mystic Christ is simply the best book on Mystic Christianity that I have ever read. I can ask no more of a book, than to change the way I perceive or experience life, "The Mystic Christ" has done both.

The Mystic Christ is written in a very easy to read verbiage while it discusses some very weighty matters. Reading the book not only changed the way I think, but actually made me re-think my behaviors and how I interact with others in my personal day to day life.

This book offers a plethora of lessons on wisdom, love and compassion. I wish that I could share this book with the world. I plan on giving this book out as Christmas presents this year. It literally a gospel, filled with Good News, and I would feel ashamed if I did not share it with all those that I love.

You will not be disappointed in any sense by purchasing this book.