The Life of the Spirit and the Life of To-day

What It's About

Written in the early twentieth century, this book sets out to make the spiritual life meaningful and accessible to modern readers. Underhill's central concern is that genuine spiritual experience — the kind documented across centuries of mystical and religious tradition — is not the preserve of saints or ascetics, but something relevant to ordinary human consciousness. She draws on both classical spiritual teaching and contemporary psychological thought to argue that the inner life and the outer life of the modern world are not in conflict, but can be understood as expressions of a single, unified reality.

Key Concepts

Underhill explores the relationship between psychology and mysticism, treating them not as opposites but as complementary ways of understanding human experience. She examines the nature of spiritual perception, the conditions that foster contemplative life, and the practical habits and disciplines through which the spirit develops. Throughout, she insists that spirituality must be grounded in lived reality — not escapism, but a deeper engagement with the world.

About the Author

Evelyn Underhill (1875–1941) was an English writer and mystic, widely regarded as one of the most significant figures in early twentieth-century spiritual thought. Though she came from a largely secular background, she became deeply engaged with Christian mysticism and contemplative practice, and was one of the first women to lecture in theology at Oxford.