What is Mysticism?

[Guest guest]

Considering the variety of definitions of mysticism, it may be helpful

to know what mysticism is NOT. Some people confuse the word mysticism

with anything that is mysterious, misty, foggy, or difficult to

understand. Others mistakenly include under the umbrella of mysticism

all kinds of ESP, psychic and occult powers. Although such powers may

have manifested themselves quite spontaneously or through deliberate

effort in some mystics, the cultivation or existence of such powers

alone is not sufficient to call someone a mystic. In fact, many

spiritual masters and genuine mystics saw the pursuit of such powers

as a detour—a waste of time—on the true mystic path.

A friend, who is both a scholar and a mystic, phrased this quite

nicely. Intuitive or occult, abilities, e.g., clairvoyance, clairaudience,

clairsentience, these are simply a small calming of the sea of

Samsara. They are part of the journey, and happen quite naturally

but certainly are not ends in and of themselves. They are small

and of the talents of mystics, the smaller talents.

If used unwisely and with ego, they ultimately become an

obstacle on the path. But with humility, they are simply

part of the journey, a small part.

Love and Light,

Playing in the Leela Garden

[Guest guest]

True mystic should sooner or later experience the elimination of a

personal ego, not its strengthening—and the development of humility

and love, not pride and a sense of power.

Sooner, otherwise one falls back. L*L*L :-)

[Guest guest]

WHAT IS MYSTICISM?

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by Ivan Frimmel

 

 

The attempts to define mysticism are as many and varied as the

mystics themselves.

 

Majority of writers on mysticism would define it as the efforts of an

individual to find union, oneness with God. Hindu mysticism (Yoga),

Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah, Hassidism), some forms of Christian

mysticism and Islamic mysticism (Sufism) would neatly fit this

category. Thus a mystic aspirant would be a person who believes that

the chasm (duality) between man and God can be overcome through

various practices, such as fasting, prayer, contemplation,

meditation, etc. and engages himself in such practices, in order to

achieve this union with God.

 

This, however, is not true of all mysticism. For example the Nature

mystics and Taoists would simply strive for a sense of harmony and

oneness with Nature (Tao); Advaitists (Hindu nondualists) and

pantheists would deny that any such chasm or duality exists at all—

and many Hindus (e.g. impersonalists) and most Buddhists would rather

attempt the release, moksha (liberation) from our present state of

ignorance and suffering, without ever mentioning God, or any other

supernatural Being. Jnana Yoga (the Yoga of Knowledge) also prefers a

purely intellectual and philosophical approach towards the

realisation of the Ultimate Reality, impersonal Brahman, Cosmic

Consciousness…

 

Some forms of mysticism, for example Bhakti Yoga (the Yoga of

Devotion), emphasise the element of feeling rather than rationality.

Ramakrishna, a well-known Hindu mystic of the last century, would not

disagree with Goethe, who said: `Mysticism is the scholastic of the

heart, the dialectic of the feelings'. Ramakrishna could fall into a

state of mystic absorption (Samadhi) at the mere sight of the icon of

Kali, a Hindu deity, or through contemplation on Jesus Christ.

 

Finally, if we accept Evelyn Underhill's definition of mysticism

as `the art of union with Reality' and of "mystic" as `a person who

has attained this union' then we would be logically obliged to call a

mystic also any self-realised / self-actualised and psychologically

healthy individual who achieved true and unshakeable insights into

the depths (or heights) of his/her reality, as well as any

enlightened scientist who developed deep insights into the reality of

the Universe.

 

Some of the characteristics of true mystical experience are: a sense

of unity, nonduality, oneness; transcendence of time and space, even

if only for an instant; positive sensations of love, joy, bliss,

harmony, peace, inner or outer light, enlightenment; inability to

adequately describe the experience, resulting in paradoxical or

poetical expressions, or silence; sense of certitude; and transience:

the experience does not last, but has a profound and lasting effect

on the person's life.

 

True mystic is a person who had some or all of such an experiences,

often called revelatory or conversion experiences, enlightenment,

transcendence, divine love and union with God / Self / Nature /

Ultimate Reality, and gained some genuine insights into the nature of

Reality, including an unshakeable knowledge of who he/she truly is.

 

Considering the variety of definitions of mysticism, it may be

helpful to know what mysticism is NOT. Some people confuse the word

mysticism with anything that is mysterious, misty, foggy, or

difficult to understand. Others mistakenly include under the umbrella

of mysticism all kinds of ESP, psychic and occult powers. Although

such powers may have manifested themselves quite spontaneously or

through deliberate effort in some mystics, the cultivation or

existence of such powers alone is not sufficient to call someone a

mystic. In fact, many spiritual masters and genuine mystics saw the

pursuit of such powers as a detour—a waste of time—on the true mystic

path. True mystic should sooner or later experience the elimination

of a personal ego, not its strengthening—and the development of

humility and love, not pride and a sense of power.