The early Desert Fathers were inspired to live a cloistered lifestyle so their communion with God would be undisturbed by external influences. They wanted to be separated from the world to encounter deeper levels of love and to be free to enjoy God, and listen to His voice. They lived for intimate fellowship with the Lord and a living experience of heaven’s glory. These people have been identified as the mystics. A mystic is an open-hearted person who desires a deep experience of God's presence. This course will examine the history of Christian mysticism, including the practices of the mystics and the development of the monastic lifestyle.