Mysticism: The Enduring Flame of Educator Holism

Authors

  • Paul Michalec University of Denver

Keywords:

Mysticism, Holism, Education, Personal narrative

Abstract

Mysticism is often perceived as access, by a few special individuals, to a Divine presence. Furthermore, the mystical is experienced only after years of practice, discipline, and hermit-like behavior. This article argues, as others have, that mysticism can be democratized and is available to all educators. Through personal narrative the author chronicles his experiences as a holistic educator with the three levels of mysticism described by Ruth Underhill. Throughout the article the author articulates practices consistent with a pedagogy of healing, wholeness, and humanization of self, others, and the world.

Author Biography

Paul Michalec, University of Denver

Paul Michalec is a Clinical Professor and Chair of Teaching and Learning Sciences at the University of Denver. He teaches courses in the social foundations of education and teacher preparation. His primary area of research is teacher formation and spiritual development, drawing from the fields of philosophy, ecology, and theology. He holds a Master of Theological Studies from the Iliff School of Theology. 

*I want to express thanks and appreciation to Dr. Julie Todd. The core of this paper was developed in her course Mysticism and Activism at the Iliff School of Theology. Her encouragement and feedback were instrumental to my understanding the potential of mystic-educators as healers to form and reform the practices of teaching and learning in higher education classrooms.

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Published

2024-12-07

How to Cite

Michalec, P. (2024). Mysticism: The Enduring Flame of Educator Holism. Holistic Education Review, 4(2). Retrieved from https://her.journals.publicknowledgeproject.org/index.php/her/article/view/3012

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 2 (2024): Fall 2024

Section

Community Voices: Applications of holistic education worldwide