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Meister Eckhart

Meister Eckhart (c. 1260–c. 1328) was a German Dominican friar, theologian, philosopher, and mystic. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential Christian mystics of the Middle Ages, whose teachings continue to inspire spiritual seekers across traditions.

Life and Background

Born in Thuringia (modern-day Germany), Eckhart entered the Dominican order as a young man and quickly rose to prominence as a teacher and preacher. He taught at the University of Paris and held various leadership roles within the Dominican order. His sermons, written in the vernacular German, made deep spiritual insights accessible to ordinary people.

Teachings and Mystical Philosophy

Meister Eckhart’s teachings center on the direct experience of God, the “ground of the soul,” and the birth of the Divine Word within each person. He emphasized the importance of detachment (Gelassenheit), inner stillness, and letting go of ego and self-will to become receptive to God’s presence.

Union with God: Eckhart taught that the soul’s deepest nature is one with God, and that spiritual realization is a process of awakening to this unity.

Detachment and Letting Go: True spiritual freedom comes from letting go of all attachments, desires, and images—even of God as an object—so that God can be born in the soul.

The Birth of the Word: Eckhart often spoke of the “eternal birth” of the Word (Logos) in the soul, a mystical process by which the divine spark is realized within.

God Beyond Concepts: He described God as “pure being” and “beyond being,” transcending all human categories and images.

Influence and Legacy

Eckhart’s bold and paradoxical teachings attracted both admiration and controversy. Some of his ideas were challenged by church authorities, and he was posthumously investigated for heresy. Despite this, his writings have had a profound impact on later mystics such as Johannes Tauler and Henry Suso, as well as on modern spiritual thinkers, interfaith dialogue, and the contemplative movement.

Today, Meister Eckhart is celebrated for his radical vision of divine presence in all things, his poetic language, and his invitation to experience God directly in the depths of the soul. His work bridges Christian mysticism, philosophy, and universal spiritual wisdom.

Selected Quotes

“The eye with which I see God is the same eye with which God sees me.”

“Let God be God in you.”

“The seed of God is in us. Given an intelligent and hardworking farmer, it will thrive and grow up to God, whose seed it is; and accordingly its fruits will be God-nature. Pear seeds grow into pear trees, nut seeds into nut trees, and God-seed into God.”