Mysticism isn’t something out of the ordinary. Mystical experience is part of day-to-day life. Is it time to recognize the mystic that you already are?
The following is a text version of this blog posting.
What does it mean to be a mystic? According to dictionary.com, a mystic is, “a person who claims to attain, or believes in the possibility of attaining, insight into mysteries transcending ordinary human knowledge, as by direct communication with the divine or immediate intuition in a state of spiritual ecstasy.” In looking at other definitions online, I discovered the same sentiments.
I’ve read and studied the works of mystics from the Christian, Jewish, and Sufi traditions. I’m not sure that any of them would fit into this definition. They would agree that mysticism is an experience. But mystics are not Gnostics. Gnostics are people who believe they have special knowledge that’s hidden from others. Instead, mystics are people who experience the Divine as an active part of their daily lives.
In addressing mysticism, I’m thinking of the works of Teresa of Avila, Meister Eckhart, Abraham Heschel, Hafiz, and Rumi among others. I don’t find these great mystics of the ages to portend to have gained insights that transcend ordinary human knowledge. It’s quite the opposite. They convey a sense that the mystical experience is what all people should experience as part of their spiritual practice and prayer.
It’s a mistake to think that mysticism is a form of Gnosticism. Gnosticism is the belief that some people have access to secret knowledge from spiritual realms. The word “Gnosticism” is taken from the Greek word, gnosis, or knowledge. Gnostics believe that they are able to know things that are hidden from ordinary people. But mystics believe that everyone is capable of experiencing union and communion with the Divine, to experience God as an active part of their lives. From this perspective, mysticism is part of our spiritual growth. Mysticism is also part of daily life.
Mysticism is both transcendent and immanent. It is transcendent in that mysticism draws us beyond ourselves into the experience of the Divine, the experience of Spirit, the experience of the Mystery of Life. Deep within ourselves, we find resonance with something greater than ourselves. Mysticism is immanent in that it is rooted in our everyday experiences.
The writings of St. Gertrude contain a wonderful passage where she records going to the garden one morning after prayer and seeing all the beauty in the garden. She reflected in her journal that she realized that the beauty of the garden led her to experience something of the wonder of God. In that, she was drawn to deep contemplation of the Divine.
As we nurture the contemplative dimension of our lives, we find that we encounter mystical moments in our daily activities. This becomes an extension of the time we spend in meditation and other contemplative practices. For example, there are times when I walk out of my front door and up the driveway to the mailbox to just pick up the mail. I’ll look up into the sky and be struck with awe as I take in how large and how beautiful the sky and clouds are from my little spot on the planet. I’ll pause and take in that sense of awe. That’s part of mysticism in daily life.
But it’s not just nature. Hafiz, the Persian Sufi, writes of how his encounters with the Divine led him to dance all night. He uses metaphors of lovemaking and singing in taverns and the connections among people to explore the experience of union with the one he calls “his Beloved.” Hafiz finds this mystical dimension of life in all of his activities, including relationships with friends and strangers, playing with animals, or being in the marketplace. It’s mysticism in daily life.
We begin to understand mysticism in daily life as we begin to live more mindfully, being aware of each and every moment, and recognizing that at this moment we have the possibility of encountering the Divine. We nurture mysticism in daily life through our time in meditation and other contemplative practices that draw us to deep quiet. For the mystics, the Divine Spirit is waiting to embrace and to kiss our human spirit.
Mysticism is not about some special out of the ordinary spiritual path. It’s for all of us.