Mysticism (from the Greek μυστικός – mystikos- 'seeing with the eyes closed, an initiate of the Eleusinian Mysteries; μυστήρια – mysteria meaning "initiation"^[1]) is the pursuit of achieving communion, identity with, or conscious awareness of ultimate reality, the Other, divinity, spiritual truth, or God through direct experience, intuition, or insight. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly The Eleusinian Mysteries (Ἐλευσίνια Μυστήρια were initiation ceremonies held every year for the cult of Demeter and Persephone Initiation is a Rite of passage Ceremony marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society Mysticism (from the Greek grc μυστικός mystikos, an initiate of a Mystery religion) is the pursuit of communion with identity Reality, in everyday usage means "the state of things as they actually exist" The Other or constitutive other (also referred to as othering) is a key concept in Continental philosophy, opposed to the Same Divinity and divine (sometimes 'the Divinity' or 'the Divine' are broadly applied but loosely defined terms used variously within different faiths and belief systems — Spirituality, in a narrow sense concerns itself with matters of the Spirit, a concept closely tied to religious belief and Faith, a transcendent reality God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity.

Contents 1 Traditions 2 Terminology 3 Practice 4 The mystical perspective 4.1 Process 4.2 Ambiguities of meaning 4.2.1 Strategies 4.3 Relation to philosophy and sciences 4.3.1 Ontology, epistemology, phenomenology 5 Other perspectives 5.1 Goals sought and reasons for seeking 5.2 Types of experience 5.3 External or internal divinity 5.4 Mysticism and the soul 6 Differences of terms and interpretation 6.1 Pantheism, acosmism, dualism, non-dualism, syncretism 7 Mysticism and traditional religions 7.1 New religious movements, perennial philosophy and entheogens 7.2 In Rosicrucianism, Masonry and Golden Dawn 8 Mystical traditions 9 See also 10 References and footnotes 11 External links 11.1 Supportive 11.2 Critical

Traditions

Traditions may include a belief in the existence of dimensional realities beyond empirical perception, or a belief that a true human perception of the world goes beyond current logical reasoning or intellectual comprehension. In Philosophy, empiricism is a theory of Knowledge which asserts that knowledge arises from Experience. In Psychology and the Cognitive sciences perception is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of sensory Information. A person delving in these areas may be called a Mystic. Though the terms mystic and monk are often used interchangeably, they are not synonymous as mysticism does not necessarily entail separation from mainstream society. MONK is a Monte Carlo software package for simulating nuclear processes particularly for the purpose of determining the neutron multiplication factor or k-effective

In many cases, the purpose of mysticism and mystical disciplines such as meditation, is to reach a state of return or re-integration with the Godhead. Meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the conditioned "thinking" mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness A common theme in mysticism is that the mystic and all of reality are One. The purpose of mystical practices is to achieve that oneness in experience, to achieve a larger identity and re-identify with the all that is. The state of oneness has many names depending on the mystical system: New Thought, Illumination, Union (Christianity), Irfan (Islam), Nirvana (Buddhism), Moksha (Jainism and Hinduism), Samadhi (Hinduism), to name a few. The New Thought Movement or New Thought is a New religious movement developed in the United States during the late 19th century which emphasizes metaphysical In Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholic theology theosis (written also theiosis, theopoiesis, theōsis Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Irfan also spelt eerfan ( Arabic / Persian / Urdu: عرفان) literally means knowing. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. In sramanic philosophy Nirvana (निर्वाण| Nirvāṇa; निब्बान Nibbāna; Prakrit: णिव्वाण Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release" Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Samadhi ( Sanskrit: sa समाधि is a Hindu and Buddhist technical term that usually denotes higher levels of concentrated meditation or Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Unio Mystica is a term meaning 'Mystical Union' describing the concept common to all mystical traditions - Kabbalah, Sufism, Vedanta, Esoteric Christianity etc - that of the union of the individual human soul with the Godhead. Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف Vedanta ( Devanagari: sa वेदान्त Vedānta) is a spiritual tradition explained in the Upanishads that is concerned with the Self-realisation Esoteric Christianity is a term which refers to an ensemble of spiritual currents which regard Christianity as a Mystery religion, and profess the existence

Terminology

The term "mysticism" is often used to refer to beliefs which go beyond the purely exoteric practices of mainstream religions, while still being related to or based in a mainstream religious doctrine. Exoteric refers to knowledge that is outside of and independent from anyone's experience and can be ascertained by anyone A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos For example, Kabbalah is a significant mystical movement within Judaism, and Sufism is a significant mystical movement within Islam. Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Gnosticism refers to various mystical sects of classical / late antiquity that were influenced by Platonism, Judaism and Christianity. Gnosticism (γνώσις gnōsis, Knowledge) refers to a diverse Syncretistic Religious movement consisting of various Belief systems Platonism is the Philosophy of Plato or the name of other philosophical systems considered closely derived from it Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Some have argued that Christianity itself was a mystical sect that arose out of Judaism. Non-traditional knowledge and ritual are considered as Esotericism, for example Buddhism's Vajrayana. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Vajrayana Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayana, Mantranaya, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and Vedanta, the Naths (North India), the Natha (South India), Siddhar, Nagas are considered the several mystical branches of Hinduism. Vedanta ( Devanagari: sa वेदान्त Vedānta) is a spiritual tradition explained in the Upanishads that is concerned with the Self-realisation Siddhars are saints in India mostly of the Saivaite denomination in Tamil Nadu who professed and practised an unorthodox type of Sadhana, or spiritual practice to attain liberation Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism, being an ancient religion and a rather broad 'all-paths' embracing philosophy, has many mystical branches. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent.

Mystical doctrines may reference religious texts that are non-canonical, as well as more mainstream canon (Christian example of the former, Dark Night of the Soul, and the latter Book of Revelation), and generally require a more committed intellectual, psychological and physical approach from spiritual devotees. The Book of Revelation, also called Revelation to John, Apocalypse of John ( pronounced, from the Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰωάννου Most mystical teachers typically have some history or connection with a mainstream religious branch — controversial or otherwise, but gather followers through reinterpreting sacred texts or developing new spiritual approaches from their own unique experience. In Education, a teacher is one who helps Students or pupils often in a School, as well as in a Family, religious or

Practice

Mystics hold that there is a deeper, more fundamental state of existence hidden beneath the appearances of day–to–day living (which may become, to the mystic, superficial or epiphenomenal). For the authentic mystic, unity is both the internal and external focus as one seeks the truth about oneself, one's relationship to others and reality (both the world at large and the unseen realm). The mystic's motivation for such an arduous endeavor appears to be unique to the individual and culture, and sometimes a new religion, order or sect may be the legacy. Generally approached through the purification processes of prayer, meditation, contemplation (communion with Reality), ingestion of entheogens (to raise consciousness and loosen the ego), and a wide variety of other means, the mystic seeks to transcend any constraint to his direct experience of the divine. Meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the conditioned "thinking" mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness The word Contemplation comes from the Latin root templum (from Greek temnein to cut or divide and means to separate something from its environment and to enclose it in a sector An entheogen, in the strictest sense is a Psychoactive substance used in a religious or shamanic (or entheogenic) context

The processes/experiences undertaken to achieve unity are described variously as the path, theosis, faqr (Sufism), Makhafah/Mahabbah/Ma'rifah (fear/love/knowledge, Sufism/Egypt), fana (Sufism/Arab and Persian), enlightenment, the way, transcendence, the Fourth Way (G. I. Gurdjieff), salvation through the Christ self, satori (Zen Buddhism), dhyana or bhakti (Hinduism), wu-wei (Taoism), etc. In Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholic theology theosis (written also theiosis, theopoiesis, theōsis For PD Ouspensky's book titled 'The Fourth Way' see Fourth Way (book. George Ivanovich Gurdjieff (Գեորգի Գյուրջիև Γιώργος Γεωργιάδης Георгий Иванович Гюрджиев (or Gurdjiev) January Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. Dhyāna in Hinduism See also Dhyana in Hinduism In Hinduism dhyana is considered to be an instrument to gain self knowledge separating maya from Bhakti ( Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion. Wu wei ( is an important tenet of Taoism that involves knowing when to act and when not to act Every culture develops traditions and myths pointing the way to the transcendent heroic Self; the process may be embodied in visual symbolism (Hindu "Shiva"/Christian "Stations of the Cross") or detailed psychologically in powerful stories such as Theseus and Odysseus, etc. Stations of the Cross (or Way of the Cross; in Latin, Via Crucis; also called the Via Dolorosa or Way of Sorrows, or simply For other uses see Theseus (disambiguation Theseus (Θησεύς was a Legendary king of Athens, son of Aethra, and fathered grc-Latn Odysseus or la Ulysses ( Greek grc-Latn Odysseus; Latin: la Ulixes or more commonly Ulysses) oʊˈdɪsiəs

The divine realm has been expressed in any of various ways across cultures — as God/Allah/Brahma/Creator, baqa' (Sufism), the perfect goodness, ultimate reality, hal (Persian sufism), a universal presence, force or divine principle. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. Allah ( Arabic: الله, ʔalˤːɑːh) is the standard Arabic word for ' Brahma is the Hindu god ( deva) of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. The ultimate unification with the divine may be experienced by the mystic as psychological emancipation, samadhi, being born again, wahdat al-wujud(Sufism) or unity consciousness, but in practical terms it can be described as a surrendered egoless state in which the external world synchronizes with the mystic's true nature and purpose. The term, heaven/nirvana, while generally considered an after-death experience in Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism is seen by the mystic as a non-physical realm or "field" with physical effects in the eternal "now. Heaven may refer to the physical heavens the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the Universe beyond " Severe cultural alienation often accompanies this effort as the mystic turns away from the world (fasting/emptying) seeking reunion with the Creator or Godhead within.

Mysticism is usually understood in a religious context, but as William James and Ken Wilber point out, transcendent experiences may happen to anyone, regardless of religious training or inclinations. For other people named William James see William James (disambiguation William James (January 11 1842 – August 26 1910 was a pioneering Kenneth Earl "Ken" Wilber Jr (b January 31, 1949, Oklahoma City, U ^[2] Such experiences can occur unbidden and without preparation at any time, and might not be understood as religious experiences at all. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos A momentary unity may be experienced by the artist or athlete as a perceived interconnection with existence or a loss of self accompanied by feelings of euphoria, by the scientist as a spontaneous ecstatic inspiration, by an ordinary individual as a shift in physical reality after experiencing a temporary unconflicted state of mind, by a prophet as an open channel of knowledge or even dismissed as psychological disturbances in modern times. But, the authentic mystic's ultimate goal is a sustained stable state of full consciousness, wholeness/holiness through self-knowledge. First, the observer role (Seer, Watcher) must be stabilized before he/she can return to being, merge with the preexistent field — the Divine, allowing him to fulfill his purpose or realize his passion. With that in mind, the word mysticism, is best used to point to conscious and systematic attempts to gain transcendent insights/experiences through studies and practice. Possible techniques include meditation, contemplation (of causality), prayer, asceticism (fasting from the world), devotions, Dhikr, Sama, the chanting of mantras or holy names, communion with entheogens, and intellectual investigation. Meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the conditioned "thinking" mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness Causality (but not causation) denotes a necessary relationship between one event (called cause and another event (called effect) which is the direct consequence Ascetic redirects here You might also be looking for Acetic acid. This article is primarily about devotions in the Latin Rite. For devotions in the Eastern Catholic Churches, refer to the articles on the individual Churches Dhikr ذکر Plural اذكار Adhkaar ( Zikir in Turkish and Malay, Zikr in Urdu, Jikir in Bengali and Zekr Specialty Equipment Market Association ( SEMA) of the Automobile aftermarket was formed in 1963 by Roy Richter, Ed Iskenderian Willie Garner Bob Hedman A mantra ( Devanāgarī मन्त्र (or mantram is a religious or mystical syllable or poem typically from the Sanskrit language An entheogen, in the strictest sense is a Psychoactive substance used in a religious or shamanic (or entheogenic) context Mystics typically go beyond specific religious perspectives or dogmas in their teachings, espousing an inclusive and universal perspective that rises above traditional sectarian differences because they comprehend the shared basis of other religious traditions beneath the superficial. (see interdenominationalism, interfaith, and perennial philosophy). Interdenominational (also called transdenominational) Churches built for the purpose of bringing together Christians of different denominations The term interfaith or interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions (ie Perennial philosophy (Latin philosophia perennis "eternal philosophy" also Philosophia perennis et universalis) is the notion of the universal recurrence

James points out that a mystical experience displays the world through a different lens than ordinary experience. The experience, in his words, is "ineffable" and "noetic"; placed beyond the descriptive abilities of language. To say that something is " ineffable " means that it cannot or should not be expressed in spoken words (as with the concept of true love or some Taboo) Noetic theory (from Greek word noûs) is a branch of metaphysical Philosophy concerned with the study of nature the operation of Intellect While there is debate over what this implies, and whether the experience actually transcends the phenomenal or material world of ordinary perception, or rather transcends the capacities of ordinary perception to bring the phenomenal and material world into full view, it should be remembered that a complete absence of terminology — related to modern psychology, biology and physics — existed during the evolution of mankind's sacred texts and earliest attempts to communicate the unity experience. Ancient religious and mystical language may become more accessible with modern terminology and understanding in future translations and interpretations. However, mystics generally focus on the experience itself, and rarely concern themselves with ontological discussions assuming that the initiate understands, or will grasp the semantics as they progress. In Philosophy, ontology (from the Greek, genitive: of being (part One example of the opposite can be found in Meister Eckhart, the 14th century Christian mystic, who was brought before the Inquisition for heresy because his interpretation of Christ's teachings as psychological metaphors linking mind with the Real were considered dangerous to laymen. Meister Eckhart OP (c 1260–c 1328 is the most common formula used to refer to Eckhart von Hochheim, a German theologian The term Inquisition can refer to any one of several institutions charged with trying and convicting heretics within the Roman Catholic Church and A contemporary explanation of mystical phenomenon has been presented by Joseph Chilton Pearce in "The Biology of Transcendence; A Blueprint of the Human Spirit. Joseph Chilton Pearce is an author of a number of books on child development "

The mystical perspective

Process

Author and mystic, Evelyn Underhill outlines the universal mystic way, the actual process by which the mystic arrives at union with the absolute. Evelyn Underhill ( December 6, 1875 – June 15, 1941) was an English author an Anglo-Catholic, well known for her numerous She identifies five stages of this process. First is the awakening, the stage in which one begins to have some consciousness of absolute or divine reality. The second stage is one of purgation which is characterized by an awareness of one's own imperfections and finiteness. The response in this stage is one of self-discipline and mortification. The third stage, illumination, is one reached by artists and visionaries as well as being the final stage of some mystics. It is marked by a consciousness of a transcendent order and a vision of a new heaven and a new earth. The great mystics go beyond the stage of illumination to a fourth stage which Underhill, borrowing the language of St. John of the Cross, calls the dark night of the soul. For another saint who lived around the same time and area see John of Avila. This stage, experienced by the few, is one of final and complete purification and is marked by confusion, helplessness, stagnation of the will, and a sense of the withdrawal of God's presence. It is the period of final "unselfing" and the surrender to the hidden purposes of the divine will. The final and last stage is one of union with the object of love, the one Reality, God. Here the self has been permanently established on a transcendental level and liberated for a new purpose. Filled up with the Divine Will, it immerses itself in the temporal order, the world of appearances in order to incarnate the eternal in time, to become the mediator between humanity and eternity. ^[3]

Ambiguities of meaning

The mystic interprets the world through a different lens than is present in ordinary experience, which can prove to be a significant obstacle to those who research mystical teachings and paths. Much like poetry, the words of mystics are often idiosyncratic and esoteric, can seem confusing and opaque, simultaneously over-simplified and full of subtle meanings hidden from the unenlightened. To the mystic, however, they are pragmatic statements, without subtext or weight; simple obvious truths of experience. One of the more famous lines from the Tao Te Ching, for instance, reads:

My words are very easy to know, and very easy to practice;

but there is no one in the world who is able to know and able to practice them. The Tao Te Ching or Dao De Jing ( originally known as Laozi or Lao tzu ( is a Chinese classic (Legge, 70)^[4]

References to "the world" are common in mystical and religious traditions including admonitions to be separate and the call to detachment which is analogous to emptiness. One key to enigmatic expressions lies in the perspective that "the world" of appearances reflects only learned beliefs - based on the limitations of time, culture and relationships - and that unquestioned faith in those misperceptions limits one's return to the divine state. The cloaking of such insights to the uninitiated is an age-old tradition; the malleableness of reality was thought to pose a significant danger to those harboring impurities.

Readers frequently encounter seemingly open-ended statements among studies of mysticism throughout its history. In his work, Kabbalah, Gershom Scholem, a prominent 20th century scholar of that field, stated: The Kabbalah is not a single system with basic principles which can be explained in a simple and straightforward fashion, but consists rather of a multiplicity of different approaches, widely separated from one another and sometimes completely contradictory^[5]

Strategies

aphorisms, poetry, and etc. Gerschom Scholem ( December 5, 1897 &ndash February 21, 1982) also known as Gerhard Scholem, was a Jewish philosopher and

semi-artistic efforts to crystalize some particular description or aspect of the mystical experience in words

• God is Love (Christian and Sufi in particular), Atman is Brahman (Advaitan), Zen haiku, Rumi's love poems (Sufism). is a form of Japanese poetry. Previously called Over time many of these have become trite slogans, losing their core meaning as depictions of practical experience, i. e. "God is Love" - describing the power of creation inherent in pure desire/unconflicted singlemindedness of will.

koans, riddles, and metaphysical contradictions

irresolvable tasks or lines of thought designed to direct one away from intellectualism and effort towards direct experience.

• The classic "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" (Zen) or "How many angels can stand on the head of a pin?" (Christian). The question how many angels can dance on the head of a pin? has been used many times as a trite dismissal of medieval Angelology in particular of Scholasticism Sometimes these are dismissed as mere incomprehensible silliness (see humor, below); sometimes they are taken (erroneously) as serious questions whose answers would have mystical significance. In either case, the intention is lost; the point being that excessive effort in contemplating the impossible leads the initiate to give up the ego pursuit of doing/getting as opposed to the unity experience of being/having.
• The evocative Taoist phrase - To yield is to be preserved whole, to be bent is to become straight, to be empty is to be full, to have little is to possess - is another example of a metaphysical contradiction describing the path of emptying of the learned self.

humor and humorous stories

teachings which simultaneously draw one away from serious discussion and highlight metaphysical points

• Primary examples are the Nasrudin tales, many of which focus on the unreliability of perception, e. Nasreddin ( Turkish "Nasreddin Hoca", Persian ملا نصرالدین, Arabic: جحا transl g. someone shouts at Nasrudin sitting on a river bank, "How do I get across?" "You are across. " he replies; Bektashi jokes (Islam) which serve as a means of opposing the pressures put on society by Orthodox Islam, and the Trickster or Animal Spirit stories passed down in Native American, Australian Aboriginal, and African Tribal folklore. Even the familiar "Br'er Rabbit and the Tar Baby", for example, is fairly acute psychology wrapped in a children's tale. Br'er Rabbit (also spelled Bre'r Rabbit or Brer Rabbit or Buh Rabbit) is a central figure in the Uncle Remus stories of the Southern United Humor of this sort is often corrupted into mere jokes: some Nasrudin tales have a clear metaphysics built in, while others have devolved into little more than depictions of a crazy, dimwitted old man.

parables and metaphor

stories designed to teach a particular but unconventional metaphysical view of reality indirectly, by using analogy

• One familiar example - the Garden of Eden story of Adam and Eve being cast out in shame - has lost its metaphorical meaning over time; the psychological/metaphysical consequences of shame when the innocent creative ego (feminine aspect) is tempted to reach for power and subsequently enters the belief in duality (eating of the tree of good and evil) because reason (masculine aspect of mind) has yet to waken. A parable is a brief succinct story in Prose or verse, that illustrates a Moral or Religious lesson Metaphor (from the Greek: μεταφορά - metaphora, meaning "transfer" is language that directly compares seemingly unrelated subjects In the story, return to the Garden and Tree of Eternal Aliveness (divine reality) is only possible through purification of mind (the gate is protected by the lone innocent cherubim/Self wielding a flaming sword. ) Compare this to the symbols of fire, masculine/feminine unity, time, fearlessness, and ego transcendence found in images of "Shiva the Destroyer" (Hindu) where the transformational process is described by visual metaphors. Christ is well-known for his use of parables, consistently using them to teach compassion and inclusion, while many contain hidden metaphorical content for "those who have ears to hear. " In one of the most enigmatic stories from the Gospel of Thomas, he describes the Kingdom of Heaven as like an old woman returning home after a long journey, carrying all she values - a bag full of grain - on her back. The Gospel According to Thomas ( Coptic: ⲡⲉ̅ⲩ̅ⲁ̅ⲅⲅ̅ⲉⲗ̅ⲓⲟⲛ̅ ⲡⲕ̅ⲁ̅ⲧⲁ ⲑ̅ⲱ̅ⲙⲁⲥ also known as The Gospel A tear allows the grain to escape during the journey and she arrives home to discover it empty. Very Buddhist in tone, each word of the story has significance in describing the return path to the divine through a gradual emptying of earthbound value concepts and subtle internal conflicts. The old woman is a common metaphor related to the mind's creative incapacity when controlled by ego values.

These categories are, of course, intended only as guidelines; many mystical teachings cover the gamut. For instance, Yunus Emre's famous passage:

I climbed into the plum tree

and ate the grapes I found there.

The owner of the garden called to me,

"Why are you eating my walnuts?"

is humor, parable, poem, and koan all at once as it describes the human potential for timelessness and moving beyond the vagaries of perception and levels.

Relation to philosophy and sciences

To an extent, mysticism and the modern sciences appear antithetical. Mysticism is generally considered experiential and holistic, and mystical experiences held to be beyond expression; modern philosophy, psychology, biology and physics being overtly analytical, verbal, and reductionist. Reductionism can either mean (a an approach to understanding the nature of complex things by reducing them to the interactions of their parts or to simpler or more fundamental things However, through much of history mystical and philosophical thought were closely entwined. Plato and Pythagoras, and to a lesser extent Socrates, had clear mystical elements in their teachings; many of the great Christian mystics were also prominent philosophers, and certainly Buddha's Sutras and Shankara's 'Crest Jewel of Discrimination' (fundamental texts in Buddhism and Advaitan Hinduism, respectively) display highly analytical treatments of mystical ideas. Biography Early life Birth and family Plato was born in Athens Greece "Pythagoras of Samos" redirects here For the Samian statuary of the same name see Pythagoras (sculptor. SOCRATES is the European Community action programme in the field of Education. Baruch de Spinoza, the 17th c. Baruch or Benedict de Spinoza (ברוך שפינוזה Bento de Espinosa Benedictus de Spinoza ( November 24, 1632 – February 21, philosopher, while supporting the new discoveries of science and eschewing traditional Jewish concepts of God and miracles, espoused that Nature/Universe was one holistic reality with the highest virtue - the power inherent in preserving essence (being) or "conatus," and the highest form of knowledge - the intuitive knowing of the Real. These shared understandings occur again and again in the field of philosophy and yet some persist in disparaging the one over the other.

The pursuit of knowledge in the realm of physics has been accepted for much of history as inseparable from understanding the mind of God - including the 20th c. comment by Albert Einstein that "God does not play dice," referring to the unfathomable discoveries of quantum physics. Albert Einstein ( German: ˈalbɐt ˈaɪ̯nʃtaɪ̯n; English: ˈælbɝt ˈaɪnstaɪn (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955 was a German -born theoretical The rift between mysticism and the modern sciences derives mainly from elements of scientism in the latter: certain branches of the natural sciences, broadly disavow subjective experience as meaningless, misunderstanding the limitations of the ancient languages. The term scientism can be used as a neutral term to describe the view that Natural science has authority over all other interpretations of life such as philosophical In Science, the term natural science refers to a naturalistic approach to the study of the Universe, which is understood as obeying rules or law of That said, several areas of study in biology (work of Mae Wan Ho and Lynn Margulis are two examples) and philosophy address the same issues that concern the mystic, and modern physicists now struggle to understand a multiple dimensional reality that mystics' have attempted to describe for millennia. Physicist David Bohm speaking of consciousness expressing itself as matter and/or energy would be completely understood by the mystic, whatever his cultural/religious heritage.

Furthermore, Continental philosophy tends to be concerned with issues closely related to mysticism, such as the subjective experience of existence in Existentialism. Existentialism is a philosophical doctrine which posits that individuals create the meaning and essence of their lives and that this essence follows from their existence It should be noted that while existentialism suggests a nothingness rather than a oneness, the mystic's pursuit of emptiness - despite its fear producing angst - for the sake of union with the Divine, points directly toward a potential unity between physics and psychology that does not at present exist. The mystic's attempt to describe cause and effect between one's internal state and the miraculous, hints at a close connection between psychological stability (ego transcendence) and the mysterious realm of causality quantum physicists are now deciphering - dimensional reality shifts that synchronize with states of consciousness and unconflicted choices.

Ontology, epistemology, phenomenology

While the three philosophical fields - the nature of reality, knowledge and phenomenon - would appear to all relate to aspects of mystical experience, they have not as yet been correlated in a systematic way. Traditional use of the term ontology makes it a synonym of metaphysics. In Philosophy, ontology (from the Greek, genitive: of being (part Metaphysics is the branch of Philosophy investigating principles of reality transcending those of any particular science Prior to Immanuel Kant's theoretical separation of "reality" from the "appearance of reality," with human knowledge limited to the latter, the field of ontology/metaphysics concerned itself with the overall structure or nature of reality. Immanuel Kant (ɪmanuəl kant 22 April 1724 12 February 1804 was an 18th-century German Philosopher from the Prussian city of Königsberg Afterword, philosophical and mystical approaches were seemingly separated in a permanent way. 'The general focus on experience in mysticism tends to belie ontological questions; mystical ontology is rarely stated in clear affirmative particulars. In Philosophy, ontology (from the Greek, genitive: of being (part Often, it consists of generalized, transcendent identity statements—"Atman is Brahman", "God is Love", "There is only One without a Second" — or other phrases suggestive of immanence. Immanence, derived from the Latin in manere "to remain within" refers to philosophical and metaphysical theories of the divine as existing and acting within the mind Sometimes it is stated in negative terms, from the Hindu tradition for instance, the word Brahman is usually defined as God 'without' characteristics or attributes. Buddhist teachings explicitly discourage ontological beliefs, Taoist philosophy consistently reminds that ontos is knowable but inexpressible, and certain 'psychological' schools—spiritual schools following after Carl Jung, and philosophical schools derived from Husserl—concern themselves more with the transformation of perceptions within consciousness than the connection between transformed consciousness and the external Real. Edmund Gustav Albrecht Husserl (ˈhʊsɛrl April 8 1859 – April 26 1938) was a philosopher, known as the father of

Mysticism is related to epistemology to the extent that both are concerned with the nature, acquisition and limitations of knowledge. Epistemology (from Greek επιστήμη - episteme, "knowledge" + λόγος, " Logos " or theory of knowledge However, where epistemology struggles with foundational issues—how do we know that our knowledge is true or our beliefs justified—mystics often appear more concerned with process as the means to true knowing. However, every mystical path has necessarily as its ontological purpose, the discernment between truth and illusion, and many approaches emphasize the total discarding of beliefs as the prerequisite to knowledge in the phenomenological sense. Foundational questions are generally answered, in mystical thought, by mystical experiences. Their focus, less on finding procedures of reason that will establish clear relations between ontos and episteme, but rather on finding practices that will yield clear perception. The goals therefore are the same, but the mystic's awareness of evolving levels of consciousness encompass another realm altogether. At least one branch of epistemology claims that non-rational procedures (e. g. statements of desire, random selection, or intuitive processes) are in some cases acceptable means of arriving at beliefs, while the mystic's goal is discarding said beliefs as a limit to knowledge. The term "mysticism" is also used in a pejorative sense in epistemology to refer to beliefs that cannot be justified empirically, and thus considered irrational. ^[6] According to Schopenhauer,^[7] mystics arrive at a condition in which there is no knowing subject and known object:

. . . we see all religions at their highest point end in mysticism and mysteries, that is to say, in darkness and veiled obscurity. These really indicate merely a blank spot for knowledge, the point where all knowledge necessarily ceases. Hence for thought this can be expressed only by negations, but for sense-perception it is indicated by symbolical signs, in temples by dim light and silence, in Brahmanism even by the required suspension of all thought and perception for the purpose of entering into the deepest communion with one's own self, by mentally uttering the mysterious Om. Aum (also Om) ॐ is a mystical or sacred Syllable in the Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religions In the widest sense, mysticism is every guidance to the immediate awareness of that which is not reached by either perception or conception, or generally by any knowledge. The mystic is opposed to the philosopher by the fact that he begins from within, whereas the philosopher begins from without. The mystic starts from his inner, positive, individual experience, in which he finds himself as the eternal and only being, and so on. But nothing of this is communicable except the assertions that we have to accept on his word; consequently he is unable to convince.

– Schopenhauer, The World as Will and Representation, Vol. Published in 1819 The World as Will and Representation is the central work of Arthur Schopenhauer. II, Ch. XLVIII<

The emphasis most accolytes place on the "mysteriousness" of the encounter with the divine and otherworldly transcendent goal of unity, leave most scientists and laymen behind for lack of interest in "mumbo-jumbo" - despite the seemingly causal relationship between self knowledge/accurate perception and the subsequent Real effects as described by not only the mystic, but the pychologist and philosopher as well.

Phenomenology is perhaps the closest philosophical perspective to mystical thinking, and shares many of the difficulties in comprehension that plague mysticism itself. Husserl's phenomenology, for instance, insists on the same first-person, experiential stance that mystics try to achieve: his notion of phenomenological epoché, or bracketing, precludes assumptions or questions about the extra-mental existence of perceived phenomena. [1] Heidegger goes a step beyond: rather than merely bracketing phenomena to exclude ontological questions, he asserts that only 'beingness' has ontological reality (similar to Baruch de Spinoza's suppositions) and thus only investigation and experiencing of the self can lead to authentic existence. Baruch or Benedict de Spinoza (ברוך שפינוזה Bento de Espinosa Benedictus de Spinoza ( November 24, 1632 – February 21, Christian mystics would assert that "the Kingdom of Heaven is within" references the same approach. Phenomenology and most forms of mysticism part ways, however, in their understanding of the experience. Phenomenology (and in particular existentialist phenomenology) is pre-conditioned by angst (existential dread) which arises from the discovery of the essential emptiness of 'the real' and can go no further; mystics, by contrast take the step beyond to "being" and describe the peace or bliss that derives from their final active connection to 'the Real'. Angst is a German word for Fear or Anxiety. ( Anguish is its almost entirely synonymous Latinate equivalent Those who adopt a phenomenological approach to mysticism believe that an argument can be made for concurrent lines of thought throughout mysticism, regardless of interaction[2].

Other perspectives

The philosopher Ken Wilber who has also studied mysticism and mystical philosophies in some depth comments that:

"There is nothing spooky or occult about this. Kenneth Earl "Ken" Wilber Jr (b January 31, 1949, Oklahoma City, U We have already seen identity shift from matter to body to mind, each of which involved a decentering or dis-identifying with the lesser dimension. . . consciousness is simply continuing this process and dis-identifying with the mind itself, which is precisely why it can witness the mind, see the mind, experience the mind. The mind is no longer a subject, it is starting to become an object [in the perception of] the observing self. And so the mystical, contemplative and yogic traditions pick up where the mind leaves off. . . with the observing self as it begins to transcend the mind. "

"The contemplative traditions are based upon a series of experiments in awareness: what if you pursue this Witness to its source? What if you inquire within, pushing deeper and deeper into the source of awareness itself? What do you find? As a repeatable, reproducible experiment in awareness? One of the most famous answers to that question. begins, There is a subtle essence that pervades all reality. It is the reality of all that is, and the foundation of all that is. That essence is all. That essence is the real. And thou, thou art that. In other words, the observing self eventually discloses its own source, which is Spirit itself, Emptiness itself. . . and the stages of transpersonal growth and development are basically the stages of following this observing self to its ultimate abode. "

Q: "How do you know these phenomena actually exist?

A: "As the observing self begins to transcend. . . deeper or higher dimensions of consciousness come into focus. All of the items on that list are objects that can be directly perceived in that worldspace. Those items are as real in [that] worldspace as rocks are in the sensorimotor worldspace and concepts are in the mental worldspace. If cognition awakens or develops to this level, you simply perceive these new objects as simply as you would perceive rocks in the sensory world or images in the mental world. They are simply given to awareness, they simply present themselves, and you don't have to spend a lot of time trying to figure out if they're real or not. "

"Of course, if you haven't awakened to [this] cognition, then you will see none of this, just as a rock cannot see mental images. And you will probably have unpleasant things to say about people who do see them". ^[8]

According to author Joseph Chilton Pearce, author of "The Crack in the Cosmic Egg" and "Evolution's End," we have transcendence itself as our biological imperative:

". Joseph Chilton Pearce is an author of a number of books on child development . . Spiritual transcendence and religion have little in common. In fact, if we look closely, we can see that these two have been the fundamental antagonists in our history, splitting our mind into warring camps. Neither our violence nor our transcendence is a moral or ethical matter of religion, but rather an issue of biology. We actually contain a built-in ability to rise above restriction, incapacity, or limitation and, as a result of this ability, possess a vital adaptive spirit that we have not yet fully accessed. "

"Historically our transcendence has been sidetracked . . . by our projection of these transcendent potentials rather than our development of them. We project when we intuitively recognize a possibility or tendency within ourselves but perceive this as a manifestation or capacity of some person, force, or being outside of ourselves. We seem invariably to project onto each other our negative tendencies. . . , while we project our transcendent potentials onto principalities and powers "out there" on cloud nine or onto equally nebulous scientific laws. . . we wander in a self-made hall of mirrors, overwhelmed by inaccessible reflections of our own mind. "

"Culture has been defined by anthropologists as a collection of learned survival strategies passed on to our young through teaching and modeling. . . as the collected embodiment of our survival ideation, is the mental environment to which we must adapt, the state of mind with which we identify. The nature or character of a culture is colored by the myths and religions that arise within it, and abandoning one myth or religion to embrace another has no effect on culture because it both produces and is produced by these elements. . . That we are shaped by the culture we create makes it difficult to see that our culture is what must be transcended, which means we must rise above our notions and techniques of survival itself, if we are to survive. Thus the paradox that only as we lose our life do we find it. "

"A new breed of biologists and neuroscientists have revealed why we behave in so paradoxical a manner that we continually say one thing, feel something else, and act from an impulse different from either of these. . . A major clue to our conflict is the discovery . . . that we have five different neural structures, or brains, within us. These five. . . represent the whole evolution of life preceding us; reptilian, old mammalian, and human. Nature never abandons a good idea but instead builds new structures upon it. . . Thus, while we refer to transcendence in rather mystical, ethereal terms, to the intelligence of life, transcendence may be simply the next intelligent move to make. "

". . . Neurocardiology, a new field of medical research, has discovered in our heart a major brain center that functions in dynamic with the fourfold brain in our head. Neurocardiology is the study of the Neurophysiological, neurological and neuroanatomical aspects of Cardiology, including especially the neurological Outside our conscious awareness, this heart-head dynamic reflects, determines, and affects the very nature of our resulting awareness even as it is, in turn, profoundly affected. "^[9]

Goals sought and reasons for seeking

Theistic, pantheistic, and panentheistic metaphysical systems most often understand mystical experience as individual communion with a God. Theism, in its most inclusive usage is the belief in at least one Deity. Pantheism ( Greek: πάν ( 'pan') = all and θεός ( 'theos') = God it literally means " God is All Panentheism (from Greek (pân "all" (en "in" and (Theós "God" "all-in-God" is a belief system God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. One can receive these very subjective experiences as visions, miracles, dreams, revelations, or prophecies, for example. Subjectivism is a philosophical tenet that accords primacy to subjective experience as fundamental of all measure and law

Going beyond "natural theology" (theologia naturalis) to direct experience of God is "mystical theology" (theologia mystica) or, as Thomas Aquinas defined it, "experiential knowledge of God" (cognitio dei experimentalis). Natural theology is a branch of Theology based on Reason and ordinary Experience, explaining the gods rationally as part of the physical world Mystical theology is the school of thought which treats of acts and experiences or states of the Soul which cannot be produced by human effort In Catholicism the mystical experience is not sought for its own sake, and is always informed by revelation (not of necessity visions or supernatural occurrences) and ascetical theology. Revelation is the act of revealing or disclosing (see etymology or in the theological perception making something obvious and clearly understood through active or passive communication Ascetical theology is the organized study or presentation of spiritual teachings found in Christian Scripture and the Church Fathers that help the faithful to more The effort being analogous to reentering a divine "field" which we misperceive we have been excluded - by sin/shame/remorse. Repentance (awareness of lower-self attachments) and ascetics (giving up the thoughts/behaviors) is the requirement for reestablishing divine communion/unity/grace.

Enlightenment is becoming aware of the nature of the self through observation. By examination of the interior thought system and emotions with detachment, one becomes aware of its processes without being controlled by them, allowing one greater creative capacity and ease of interaction with others and the environment.

Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

Sun Tzu, The art of war [3]

Terms descriptive of a desired "afterlife" include Moksha (liberation or release), Heaven (traditionally understood as a gathering place for goodly spirits, near to God and other holy beings), and Nirvana (literally extinction), but in mystical parlance these reference an experience of reality "different from the present here and now. Sun Tzu ( ("Master Sun" also called Sun Wu ( is traditionally considered to be the author of The Art of War (also simply called the The Art of War ( is a Chinese military Treatise that was written during the 6th century BC by Sun Tzu. In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release" Heaven may refer to the physical heavens the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the Universe beyond God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. In sramanic philosophy Nirvana (निर्वाण| Nirvāṇa; निब्बान Nibbāna; Prakrit: णिव्वाण " "Afterlife" is not related to an extension of life after physical death, but sought as a direct experience of the perfect, the divine reality in the present life. The goal is generally established through an "accidental" revelatory or miraculous experience such as a dimensional shift between one structure of reality to another. Once this "potentiality" has been experienced/received/observed, understanding how and why it has occurred becomes the goal of the individual and permanently stabilizing this "direct experience of God" is obsessively pursued. Because terms descriptive of the divine "goal" are defined differently - even by individuals within a given religion - and their usage within mysticism is often no less imprecise, it is extremely difficult for anyone, who has not experienced the simultaneity of the "shift in awareness/reality" to translate mystical language in a useful way.

Types of experience

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy describes three common classifications of mystical and religious experiences:

• Extrovertive – mystical consciousness of the unity of nature overlaid onto one's sense perception of the world. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP is a freely-accessible Online encyclopedia of Philosophy maintained by Stanford University.
• Introvertive – any experience that includes sense-perceptual, somatosensory, or introspective content. Introspective is the fourth Album, the third of entirely new music by the UK Electronic music group Pet Shop Boys. An experience of "nothingness" or "emptiness", in some mystical traditions, are examples of introvertive experiences. Nothing is a concept that describes the lack or absence of anything at all
• Theistic – experiences of God. Theism, in its most inclusive usage is the belief in at least one Deity. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity.

External or internal divinity

From the inner light of the Quakers to the Atman of the Hindu, many have found a soul or other essential essence within themselves to be a center of focus. Inner Light is a concept which many Quakers members of the Religious Society of Friends, use to express their faith and beliefs The Ātman ( IAST: Ātman Sanskrit: आत्मन्‍ is a philosophical term used within Hinduism and Vedanta to identify the Soul A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical The soul, according to many religious and philosophical beliefs is the self-awareness, or Consciousness, unique to a particular living Even the buddhist who seeks Buddhahood through anatta places a great deal of emphasis on their inner world. In Buddhism, buddhahood ( Sanskrit: buddhatva. Pali: buddhatta. In Buddhist philosophy, anatta ( Pāli) or anātman ( Sanskrit) refers to the notion of "not-self"

In contrast some (particularly some gnostics and dualists) see the learned self (as opposed to essence) as wicked and deserving of punishment or extreme neglect through asceticism, with positive values placed only upon the transcendent true self. Gnosticism (γνώσις gnōsis, Knowledge) refers to a diverse Syncretistic Religious movement consisting of various Belief systems In Philosophy of mind, dualism is a set of views about the relationship between mind and matter which begins with the claim that mental phenomena are in some In Philosophy, the adjective transcendental and the noun transcendence convey three different but related primary meanings all of them derived from the word's literal

Mysticism and the soul

Abrahamic religions conceive of a soul that lies within each individual, which is of great spiritual significance. The soul, according to many religious and philosophical beliefs is the self-awareness, or Consciousness, unique to a particular living However, Judaism, placing more focus on this world than others, has resulted in multiple views . . . that man is a partner in God, all the way to the mystical esoteric knowledge of numerology and the Kabbalah. Numerology is any of many Systems Traditions or Beliefs in a mystical or Esoteric relationship between Numbers and physical Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism.

Christian mysticism has diverse takes on the relationship between God and the soul with purification and reunion the goal and the soul synonymous with the Christ Self or one's true God-given nature. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings In Catholicism, saints and other beatific individuals are sometimes said to have received the Holy Spirit — Who grants them miraculous, prophetic, or other transcendent abilities — and this belief is taken up in certain charismatic and evangelical faiths that seek out testaments to divine revelation through spontaneous speaking in tongues, faith healing, the casting out of demons, etc. However, the practice is generally unrelated to a disciplined mystical approach.

In the Quaker view, the soul is inner light, an inherent presence of God within the individual. Inner Light is a concept which many Quakers members of the Religious Society of Friends, use to express their faith and beliefs Other Christian traditions, such as Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, hold a more distinct division between the individual soul and God, given the traditional belief that the salvation of the soul and union with God will occur only at the resurrection after physical death, but these faiths generally hold that righteousness is possible and necessary during life. Righteousness in this article refers to the important theological concept in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Christian mystics seek this unity state of the soul while in the body, variously, through intense prayer, ascetism (purification), contemplation and meditation, to achieve resurrection of the Christ Self/nature in this life.

The Jainist view of soul is perceivable non-matter which has the ability to connect to infinite knowledge but cannot receive that knowledge without removal of the blanket of karma, but as self knowledge is gained, the hold of karma is loosened, everything can be seen clearly and nirvana(salvation) is achieved. Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. The soul, according to many religious and philosophical beliefs is the self-awareness, or Consciousness, unique to a particular living Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्म, kárman - "act action performance" Pali: kamma) is the concept of "action" In sramanic philosophy Nirvana (निर्वाण| Nirvāṇa; निब्बान Nibbāna; Prakrit: णिव्वाण The pure soul — divine unity — is accomplished when all the power of karma is destroyed.

Islam shares this conception of a distinct soul, but with less focus on miraculous powers; the Muslim world emphasizes remembrance (dhikr, zikr): the recalling of one's original and innate connection to Allah's grace. Dhikr ذکر Plural اذكار Adhkaar ( Zikir in Turkish and Malay, Zikr in Urdu, Jikir in Bengali and Zekr In traditional Islam this connection is maintained by angels, who carry out God's will — returning the soul to one's authentic origin — though only prophets have the ability to see and hear them directly. In Islam the mystical path is incorporated within Sufi and the Self/Soul is embattled (jihad) with the infidel/ego. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف Sufism holds that God can be experienced directly as a universal love that pervades the universe. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف Remembrance, for Sufis, explicitly means remembrance of the soul's love/purpose or returning to one's original divine state, and Sufis are particularly noted for the artistic turn their forms of worship often take.

Eastern philosophies, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism are concerned with the individual soul's dissolution of ego (moksha) into transcendent reality (generally Brahmanor Ishvara). Eastern philosophy refers very broadly to the various philosophies of Asia, including Indian philosophy, Chinese philosophy, Persian In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release" Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism. Ishvara ( Sanskrit: Īśvara sa ईश्वर Malay: Iswara, Thai: Phra Isuan) is a philosophical concept in Hinduism In the mystical aspects of the Vedic tradition Atman (something not entirely different from the western conception of the soul) is believed to be identical with Brahman. The Ātman ( IAST: Ātman Sanskrit: आत्मन्‍ is a philosophical term used within Hinduism and Vedanta to identify the Soul Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism. Hindu mystical practices aim for God-consciousness and loss of lower self.

Buddhist teaching holds that all suffering (dukkha) in the world comes from craving, aversion and ignorance ('raga', 'dosa', 'moha'), and that freedom from suffering comes from the extinction ('nirodha') of these poisons which are the source of mental defilements ('klesha'), through the development of insight and equanimity. The doctrine of 'anatta' suggests that the perception of an unchanging and cohesive self (the 'me'), is itself a mere mental construct ('vijnana') to which one may be attached, and is thus also a major source of suffering. While Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhist schools invoke various deities and venerated beings, the mystical sects of Buddhism are generally not concerned with, and even overtly deny, the existence of a permanent or unchanging self, or of a permanent or unchanging deity. There is no term equivalent to the Christian idea of 'soul' in the Buddhist lexicon however belief in rebirth is assumed throughout the Buddhist world.

Taoism is largely unconcerned with the soul. Instead, Taoism centers around the tao ('the way' or 'the path'). Tao ( 道, Pinyin Dào) is a metaphysical concept found in Taoism, Confucianism, and more generally in ancient Chinese philosophy The human tendency, according to Taoism, is to conceive of dualisms; the Taoist mystical practice is to recapture and conform with that original unity (called te, de, which is translated as virtue). The Tao Te Ching or Dao De Jing ( originally known as Laozi or Lao tzu ( is a Chinese classic Virtue ( Latin virtus; Greek) is moral Excellence. Personal virtues are characteristics valued as promoting individual

Regardless of particular conceptions of the soul, a common thread of mysticism is the experience of a collective peace, joy, compassion or love.

Differences of terms and interpretation

Pantheism, acosmism, dualism, non-dualism, syncretism

Pantheism means "God is The All" and "All is God". God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. It is the idea that natural law, existence, and/or the universe (the sum total of all that is, was, and shall be) is represented or personified in the theological principle of 'God'. Natural law or the law of nature ( Latin: lex naturalis) is a theory that posits the existence of a law whose content is set by Nature and that In common usage existence is the world of which we are aware through our senses but in Philosophy the word has a more specialized meaning and is often contrasted with The Universe is defined as everything that Physically Exists: the entirety of Space and Time, all forms of Matter, Energy The Absolute Infinite is Mathematician Georg Cantor 's concept of an " Infinity " that transcended the Transfinite numbers Cantor Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective

In contrast Acosmism denies the reality of the universe, seeing it as ultimately illusory (maya), with only the infinite unmanifest Absolute as real. Acosmism, in contrast to Pantheism, denies the Reality of the Universe, seeing it as ultimately illusory, (the prefix "a-" in Reality, in everyday usage means "the state of things as they actually exist" The Universe is defined as everything that Physically Exists: the entirety of Space and Time, all forms of Matter, Energy An illusion is a distortion of the senses revealing how the Brain normally organizes and interprets sensory stimulation Maya ( Sanskrit sa माया māyā) in Indian religions, has multiple meanings Infinity (symbolically represented with ∞) comes from the Latin infinitas or "unboundedness The unmanifested is the Absolute, the pure and formless ground of being from which creation and manifestation arise Absolute may mean Philosophy Absolute (philosophy, a concept in philosophy Moral absolutes, the belief that there are absolute

There are also dualist conceptions, often with an evil (though existent) material world of the ego competing with a transcendent and perfect spiritual plane aligned with the true self/essence. Dualism denotes a state of two parts The word's origin is the Latin duo, "two". The spiritual or (to Indian Theosophists atmic or (to Greek Theosophists 1st - 3rd Logoic planes or pneumatic planes (or Dimensions or n-spaces Gnosticism is a term for various mystical initiatory religions, sects and knowledge schools which were most active in the first few centuries of the Christian/Common Era around the Mediterranean and extending into central Asia. Gnosticism (γνώσις gnōsis, Knowledge) refers to a diverse Syncretistic Religious movement consisting of various Belief systems A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos In the Sociology of religion a sect is generally a smaller religious or political group that has broken off from a larger group for example from a These systems typically recommend the pursuit of special knowledge (gnosis) as the central goal of life. Gnosis (from one of the Greek words for Knowledge, γνώσις is the spiritual knowledge of a Saint or mystically enlightened human being They also commonly depict creation as a dualistic struggle between competing forces of light and dark, and posit a marked division between the material realm, which is typically depicted as under the governance of malign forces, and the higher spiritual realm from which it is divided. Dualism denotes a state of two parts The word's origin is the Latin duo, "two". As a result of these traits, dualism, anticosmism and body-hatred are sometimes present within Gnosticism. Dualism denotes a state of two parts The word's origin is the Latin duo, "two". Acosmism, in contrast to Pantheism, denies the Reality of the Universe, seeing it as ultimately illusory, (the prefix "a-" in There is, however, variety, subtlety, and complexity in the traditions involved.

Mysticism is often found in common with nondual worldviews and many mystics, from whichever religion or tradition they originally came, also describe in many ways a non-dual view of existence. Nondualism implies that things appear distinct while not being separate Ramesh Balsekar comments on nonduality and mysticism, that it is in order for phenomenae to occur, that the illusion of personal existence and doer-ship (ego) is present, and explains mysticism and nonduality in fairly accessible (conventional) terms:

"Consciousness-at-rest is not aware of Itself only the force around it. Ramesh S Balsekar (born May 29 1917 is a disciple of the late Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, a renowned Advaita master It becomes aware of Itself only when this sudden feeling, I-am, arises, the impersonal sense of being aware. And that is when Consciousness-at-rest becomes Consciousness-in-movement, Potential energy becomes actual energy. They are not two. Nothing separate comes out of Potential energy becoming the one true being. . . That moment that science calls the Big Bang, the mystic calls the sudden arising of awareness. . . "^[10]

Related to syncretism, mystics of different traditions report similar experiences of a world/reality outside conventional perception, although this does not infer an abandonment of knowledge understood through normal means. Syncretism consists of the attempt to reconcile disparate or contradictory beliefs often while melding practices of various schools of thought Mystics describe the same unity experience across history, culture and religion - despite the extreme individuality of the experience. If the attempt of religion, philosophy and science to describe reality is comparative to the fable of five blind men attempting to define an elephant by describing its parts, the mystic of every religion and culture sees the elephant despite the individuality of approach and differences in culture and language. Elements of mysticism exist at the core of all religions and in many philosophies, including those where the majority of the followers have no awareness of this. Some mystics perceive a common thread of divine influence in all religions and philosophies. The Vedic tradition is inherently mystic; the Christian apocalyptic Book of Revelation is clearly mystical, as with Ezekiel's or Daniel's visions of Judaism, and Muslims believe that the angel Gabriel revealed the Qur'an in a miraculous manner. This article discusses the historical religious practices in the Vedic time period see Hinduism and Indian religions for details Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings The Book of Revelation, also called Revelation to John, Apocalypse of John ( pronounced, from the Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰωάννου According to religious texts Ezekiel ((יְחֶזְקֵאל Yehezkel, jəx Daniel (; Persian: دانيال, Dâniyal or Danial, also Dani, داني; Arabic: دانيال Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Gabriel ( Latin: Gabrielus; Greek:, Gabriēl; Arabic: جبريل Jibrīl or جبرائيل The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran Indigenous cultures also have cryptic revelations pointing toward a universal flow of love or unity, usually following a vision quest or similar ritual. A vision quest is a Rite of passage in some Native American cultures. Mystical philosophies thus can exhibit a strong tendency towards syncretism. Syncretism consists of the attempt to reconcile disparate or contradictory beliefs often while melding practices of various schools of thought

Mysticism and traditional religions

Conventional religions by definition, are marked by strong institutional structures. A religion will generally include most or all of the following:

• an established hierarchy
• a definitive creed
• a set of approved central texts
• regular public services
• an accumulation of rites, rituals, and holy days
• a clearly stated ethical code or set of moral laws

Adherents of the faith are expected to respect or follow each of these closely. Most mystical paths arise in the context of some particular religion but tend to set aside or move beyond these institutional structures, often believing themselves to be following the 'purest' or 'deepest' representations of that faith. Thus, to the extent that a mystical path has a hierarchy, it is generally limited to teacher/student relationships; to the extent that they use a central text or ethical code, they view them as interpretable guidelines rather than established law. Conventional religious perspectives towards mystics varies between and within faiths. Sometimes (as with the Catholic church and Vedantic Hinduism) mystics are incorporated into the church hierarchy, with criteria set up for validation of mystical experiences and veneration of those who achieve that status. In other cases, mystical paths follow a separate but parallel course. Traditionally, Buddhist monks were closely interwoven into the fabric of village life through most of Asia, but had no authoritative position in the community; almost all the traditional Islamic 'orthodox' scholars, however, were Sufis, including Al-Shafi'i, Imam Nawawi, and Al-Ghazali.

Some systems of mysticism are found within specific religious traditions and do not relinquish doctrinal principles as a part of mystical experience. In some definite cases, theology remains a distinct source of insight that guides and informs the mystical experience. Christian Science, based on the mystical experience and writings of founder Mary Baker Eddy is one such example. Christian Science is believed by its supporters to be a system of spiritually scientific truths which are summed up in the two commandments having one God one Mind one Life Truth Mary Baker Eddy (born Mary Morse Baker July 16, 1821 &ndash December 3, 1910) was the founder of the Christian Science Some faiths—including most Protestant Christian sects—find mystical practices disreputable; so called mystic "practices" and beliefs generally restricted to specific sects, such as the Society of Friends or certain Charismatic groups, which have implicitly incorporated them. The term charismatic movement describes the adoption from the early twentieth century onwards of certain beliefs typical of those held by Pentecostal Christians — specifically

The mystic's disregard of religious institutional structures often lends a quasi-revolutionary aspect to mystical teaching, and this occasionally leads to conflict with established religious and political structures, or the creation of splinter groups or new faiths. The relation of mysticism to ethics and morality is more complex than is usually assumed. Mystical experiences do not guarantee that mystics will be compassionate or moral, nor on the other hand is a mystical state incompatible with being morally concerned with others. Rather, a given mystic's ethics will depend on the factual beliefs and values espoused in that mystic's religious tradition. . ^[11]

New religious movements, perennial philosophy and entheogens

The late 19th century saw a significant increase of interest in mysticism in the West that combined with increased interest in Occultism and Eastern Philosophy. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus (clandestine hidden secret referring to "knowledge of the hidden" Eastern philosophy refers very broadly to the various philosophies of Asia, including Indian philosophy, Chinese philosophy, Persian Theosophy became a major movement in the popularization of these interests. This article is about the philosophy introduced by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky Madame Blavatsky functioned as a central figure of the theosophy movement. Elena Petrovna Gan (Елена Петровна Ган also Hélène, Yekaterinoslav, Ukraine, Russian Empire — May 8 1891 London) better This trend later became absorbed in the rise of the New Age movement which included a major surge in the popularity of psychological self-awareness groups such as EST and many others. New Age ( New Age Movement and New Age Spirituality) is a Social Collective Phenomenon and a Spiritual Nature The term Large Group Awareness Training ( LGAT) refers to training offered by some groups in what some call the Human potential movement. At the end of the twentieth century books like A Course in Miracles (purported to be a channeled course of study dictated by Jesus) and Conversations with God (in which the author describes his direct communication with God) became popularized. A Course in Miracles (also referred to as ACIM or the Course) written by Dr Conversations with God (CwG is a sequence of nine books written by Neale Donald Walsch, written as a dialogue in which Walsch asks questions and God answers

The term perennial philosophy, coined by Leibniz and popularized by Aldous Huxley, relates to what some take to be the mystic's primary concern:

[W]ith the one, divine reality substantial to the manifold world of things and lives and minds. Perennial philosophy (Latin philosophia perennis "eternal philosophy" also Philosophia perennis et universalis) is the notion of the universal recurrence Aldous Leonard Huxley (26 July 1894 &ndash 22 November 1963 was an English writer and one of the most prominent members of the famous Huxley family. But the nature of this one reality is such that it cannot be directly or immediately apprehended except by those who have chosen to fulfill certain conditions, making themselves loving, pure in heart, and poor in spirit. ^[12]

Some mystics use the term to refer to a manner wherein the mystic strives to plumb the depths of the self and reality in a radical process of meditative self-exploration, with the aim of experiencing the true nature of reality. Self is broadly defined as the essential qualities that make a person distinct from all others

In some cultures and traditions, mind-altering substances—often referred to as entheogens—have been used as a guide; the Uniao do Vegetal being a notable modern example. An entheogen, in the strictest sense is a Psychoactive substance used in a religious or shamanic (or entheogenic) context União do Vegetal ( Centro Espírita Beneficente União do Vegetal or UDV) is a Christian religion based on the use of Hoasca (or Ayahuasca --the

It is important to note that many of the self-styled mystical belief systems arising in recent decades essentially differ from mysticism proper in that they rely on the individual seeker's power and will, whereas in the mystic traditions, the states cannot be initiated by the seeker himself, but only by the Ultimate Being. Hence the term mystikos.

In Rosicrucianism, Masonry and Golden Dawn

The Rosicrucian Order is a legendary and secretive Order publicly documented in the early 17th century. The term Rosicrucian (symbol the Rose Cross) describes a secret society of mystics allegedly formed in late mediaeval Germany, holding a doctrine "built on It is associated with the symbol of the Rose Cross, which is also found in certain rituals beyond "Craft" or "Blue Lodge" Freemasonry. A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge in Books of Constitutions is the basic organisation of Freemasonry. The Rosicrucian Order is viewed among earlier and many modern Rosicrucianists as an inner worlds Order, composed of great "Adepts. In Metaphysics and Esoteric cosmology, a plane, other than the Physical plane, is conceived as a subtle state of Consciousness that transcends " When compared to human beings, the consciousness of these Adepts is said to be like that of demi-gods. The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception or Mystic Christianity is a Rosicrucian text written by Max Heindel (ISBN 0-911274-34-0 Western Wisdom Teachings This "College of Invisibles" is regarded as the source permanently behind the development of the Rosicrucian movement.

Freemasonry is a worldwide fraternal organization. Members are joined together by shared ideals of both a moral and metaphysical nature and, in most of its branches, by a constitutional declaration of belief in a Supreme Being. Morality (from the Latin la moralitas "manner character proper behavior" has three principal meanings Metaphysics is the branch of Philosophy investigating principles of reality transcending those of any particular science The term Supreme Being is often defined simply as " God " and it is used with this meaning by theologians of many religious faiths including but not limited to Freemasonry is an esoteric society, in that certain aspects of its internal work are not generally disclosed to the public,^[13] but it is not an occult system. The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus (clandestine hidden secret referring to "knowledge of the hidden" The private aspects of modern Freemasonry deal with elements of ritual and the modes of recognition amongst members within the ritual. Recognition (re+ Cognition) is a process that occurs in Thinking when some event, Process, Pattern, or object recurrs A ritual is a set of actions often thought to have Symbolic value the performance of which is usually prescribed by a Religion or by the Traditions ^[14][15]

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (or Golden Dawn, as it is commonly referred to) is a tradition of magical theurgy and spiritual development, probably the single greatest influence on twentieth century western occultism and many other traditions, including Wicca, Thelema and other forms of magical spirituality popular today. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (or more commonly the Golden Dawn) was a magical order of the late 19th and early 20th centuries practicing a form of Thelema is a philosophy of life based on the rule or law "Do what thou wilt By the mid 1890s, the Golden Dawn was well established in Great Britain, with membership rising to over a hundred from every class of Victorian society. In its heyday, many cultural celebrities belonged to the Golden Dawn, such as actress Florence Farr, Arthur Machen, William Butler Yeats, Evelyn Underhill, and Aleister Crowley. Florence Beatrice Emery ( Née) Farr (7 July 1860— 29 April 1917) was a British West End leading actress composer and director Arthur Machen (ˈmækən ( March 3, 1863 &ndash December 15, 1947) was a leading Welsh Author of the 1890s Evelyn Underhill ( December 6, 1875 – June 15, 1941) was an English author an Anglo-Catholic, well known for her numerous Aleister Crowley, born Edward Alexander Crowley (ˈkroʊli (12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947 was a British Occultist Writer, mountaineer Many men and women of the 19th century Fin de siècle social culture were members of the Golden Dawn.

Mystical traditions

Examples of major traditions and philosophies with strong elements of mysticism are:

• Bahá'í Faith
• Christian mysticism
• Ego death
• Divine Science
• Faith healing
• The Fourth Way
• Ghost Dance (Nineteenth Century Native American)
• Gnosticism (Christian)
• Hesychasm (Eastern Orthodox)
• Kabbalah (Judaism, Christianity, Occult)
• Mystery religions
• National mysticism
• Nazi mysticism
• Near-death experience
• New Thought
• Occult
• Psychedelic experience
• Religious Science
• Religious Society of Friends
• The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception (Rosicrucian)
• Sufism (Islam)
• Taoism
• Theistic Satanism
• Thelemic mysticism (Thelema)
• Tibetan Buddhism
• Transcendentalism (Unitarianism)
• Unity
• Vedanta (Hinduism)
• Wicca
• Yoga (Hinduism)
• Zen (Buddhism)

See also

• Negative theology
• Interconnectedness
• List of spirituality-related topics
• Mantra
• Meaning of life
• Meditation
• Religious Experience
• Synchronicity
• Spiritual awakening
• Western mystery tradition
• Quantum metaphysics
• Ego death
• gnosis

References and footnotes

External links

Supportive

• Mysticism: A Study in Spiritual Consciousness by E. Underhill
• Resources > Medieval Jewish History > Jewish Mysticism The Jewish History Resource Center, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• "Mysticism", Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• "Mysticism", Encyclopedia of Religion and Society
• ChristianMystics.com includes many short essays covering various aspects of Christian mysticism
• Islam Way Online - Your Religion and Spirituality Portal Books on Life and Faith, Mankind and the World (Sufi)
• Planet Baha'i Mysticism Resources A look at mysticism in the Bahá'í Holy Writings, its relationship to mystical elements religions, and its impact on the lives of individual Bahá'ís. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (האוניברסיטה העברית בירושלים الجامعة العبرية في القدس abbreviated HUJI) is The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP is a freely-accessible Online encyclopedia of Philosophy maintained by Stanford University. The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind

Critical

• "Introduction to Mysticism", Mysticism Volume 1 "The Origin of World Religions" Wade Cox Mysticism published World Conference Christian Churches of God 2004,2005. See also the site History of Religion [4]
• "A Brief Analysis of Mysticism" - a skeptical analysis by Hamed Vahidi
• "Buddhism and Mysticism" from Atheists United
• Mysticism - Part 1 in Think On These Things by Gary Gilley - parts 2 through 5 linked at bottom of page

The New England Skeptical Society (NESS is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to promoting science and reason

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