1

Modern Mystics Walk Among Us

BySarahMcLean HalfofallAmericanssaytheyhadamomentaryawarenessofadeepconnectednesswiththe Divine.Haveyouhadonetoo?Itmighthavebeenasyouwatchedasunset,gazedatanight sky,feltthewarmsunonyourskinasyouwalkedalongtheseashore,orlistenedtothewater asyousatbythecreekinacanyon. Theseexperiencescancreateamysticalmomentinwhichyoufeelcarriedawayfromtheworld anditstrappings,thoughyoufeeltrulypresentandclear.Yourheartexpandsandembraces everythingwithoutquestion,andyouknowtheresmoretolifethanmeetstheeye. TheMysticalExperience Mysticalexperiencesdonthappenbecauseyoureespeciallyspiritualordeserving.Oryourein therightplaceattherighttime.Instead,theycanhappentoanyone,anytime,tothereligious andnonreligiousalike.Noarduoustraining,deepthinking,orwillpowerisrequired.Youcant wishamysticalexperienceintooccurring,andreadingorhearingaboutoneisverydifferent fromhavingone. Amysticalexperiencedefiesexplanation,butherearesomecommonreportedfeatures: Itsaspontaneousmomentofgrace. Itsamomentwhenyourheartistouchedandopened.Theresdeep contentmentandinnerpeace. Itcanbeoverwhelming,elicitingtearsandlaughteratthesametime. YoursenseofselfisovershadowedbytheexperienceoftheDivine; Itcanincludeablissfulphysicalfeeling;aheavenlysound,melody,orGods voice;abrightlightorexpandedvision;atasteofdivinenectar;orthearomaof celestialperfumes. Youloseyourawarenessofyourbody,theworld,andmaterialreality. Youmergewiththeobjectsofyourperception. Eventhoughyourproblemsandconcernsarestillpresentandyourquestions remainunanswered,everythingsuddenlymakessense. Theresarealizationoftheperfectionandintelligenceofcreation. YoufeeladeepconnectionwiththewholeuniverseanditsCreator. Anexperiencelikethiscanlastanywherefromafewsecondstoafewdays.Ifitpassesaftera secondortwo,someofusdontgiveitmuchsignificance.Wesimplyenjoyitthendismissitas anicefeeling,slippingbackintoourregularmodeofexistence.

2 Butamystic,regardlessoftheirreligiousbackgroundorbeliefs,realizesthemoments significance. TeresaofAvilacalledtheseecstaticexperiencesshehadwhileprayingatransformative union.Sheknewthemasspontaneousshecouldntmakethemhappen,ormakethemlast longerthantheydo.Theytransformandawakenamysticsheart,creatingaprofound touchstone.ThemysticembarksonapathasThomasAquinassaid,apursuitofthe experientialknowledgeofGod. Areyouamystic?Doyousomeonewhois?Youllrarelyfindamysticcallinghimselforherselfa mystic,thoughanyonewhoseekstoexperiencetheDivine,whichmanycallGod,onapersonal andintimatelevelcouldbeonthemysticspath. Thepathofamysticisoneoftheheart.Itsaninnercallforthosewhohavefalleninlovewith theCreatororcreationitself. EmbarkingonTheMysticPath ThomasAquinas,HildegardofBingen,JoanofArc,CatherineofSiena,SaintTeresa,SaintPaul thesemysticsnamesarefamiliartous,andnotbecausetheysoughtoutfameorfortune. Instead,itsbecauseafterthey'vehadthedirectexperienceofGod,theybecamemissionaries tocelebratetheDivine.It'snottheotherwayaroundforamystic. Amysticspathisfarfromformal.Itdoesntrequiregainingmoreknowledge,orthinkingyour wayintoaDivineorecstaticstate,orfakingittillyoumakeit,ordoingendlessactsofcharity.It doesntrequireyoutogetdeeplyinvolvedinyourreligiouspracticeseither. Instead,embarkingonthemysticpathsimplyrequireswalkingwithaprayerinonesheart,a prayertodeeplyknowtheDivine. Themysticspathoftenincludessocialtranscendenceasthemysticdetachesfromthe hypnosisofsocialnormsandcustoms,culturalconditioning,andworldlyinfluencesand evaluateswhatmatterstothem,theirwayofbeingintheworld,andtheirrelationshipswith others.Thismayincluderetreatingfromthelifeandrolestheyhavepreviouslybeenengaged in. Themysticspathalsoincludesselftranscendenceasthemysticislessengagedwithhisorher individualityandhisorheregoidentification.ThomasMerton,the20thcenturyTrappistmonk, describedtheegoas"theoneinsuperableobstacletotheinfusedlightandactionoftheSpirit ofGod." Whatbecomesmostimportanttothemysticistheirexpandedconsciousness,andtheirunion withcreationandCreator,astheymergewiththeCreatorthroughprayer,practices,andeven throughtheirwork.TrueSelfknowledgeandDivinecommunionaretheultimategoal.

3 NecessitiesontheMysticPath Themysticpathrequiresfaithasthemysticmustsurrenderwithoutaplanforwherethepath mightlead.ItrequiresthefaithtofollowyourinnerGPS,heedyourinnerknowing,andknow thattheDivineiswithinreach.Italsorequirespatiencebecausethepathisnotlinearandthere isnoknowingthetimingofthefruitsofthemysticpath. Alsoessentialonthemysticspatharesilence,aninwardfocus,presentmomentawareness, andarefinednervoussystem. Thesilencerequiredisntanexternalhushinthephysicalrealm.Itsaninnersilence,adeep stillnessoftheheartandofthemind.Thisinnersilencebecomesestablishedandcanevenbe maintainedinthemidstofphysicalnoiseifnecessary.Thoughtheecstasyofthemysticalunion canbeexpressedthroughdanceandmusicasisfoundonthe13thcenturySufipoetRumis path,RumitellsusthewaytheDivinespoketohim: Secretlywespoke,thatwiseoneandme. Isaid,Tellmethesecretsoftheworld. Hesaid,Shhh...Letsilencetellyouthesecretsoftheworld. RobertAdams,thelateAmericanmystic,whooncelivedinSedona,said: "Truesilencereallymeans goingdeepwithinyourselftothatplacewherenothingishappening,whereyoutranscendtime andspace.Yougointoabrandnewdimensionofnothingness.That'swhereallthepoweris. That'syourrealhome.That'swhereyoureallybelong,indeepsilencewherethereisnogood orbad,noonetryingtoachieveanything.Justbeing,purebeing....Silenceistheultimate reality." SaidRalphWaldoEmerson,Letusbesilent,thatwemayhearthewhispersofthegods." Alongwithcultivatingsilence,itsalsoessentialtoturnyourattentioninwardanddetachfrom theconstantactivityandsensoryinputoftheworld.JohnoftheCross,theSpanishCarmelite priestofthe16thcentury,remindsusofthisinhiswriting: Creationforgotten, Creatoronlyknown, Attentionturnedinward, InlovewiththeBelovedalone. AndTeresaofAvilagavethisadvicetoherSisters:Somebooksonprayertelluswhereone mustseekGod.Withinoneself,veryclearly,isthebestplacetolook. AmysticalsoknowsthatthecommunionwiththeDivinecanonlyoccurwhentheirattentionis anchoredinthepresentmoment,asthemomentofcommunionisthepresentmoment.

4 Meditation Moreoftenthannot,meditationandprayerareamysticspracticesofchoiceforestablishing theinnerfocus,presentmomentawareness,andarefinementofthenervoussystem. Meditationtakespracticeandpatience,becausemanyofusareuncomfortablewithsilence. Wearentconditionedtohaveaninnerfocus,andarentusedtoattendingtowhatisgoingon inthepresentmoment. Modernmeditationpractices,suchasamantrameditation,naturallycreatesilenceinthemind, anopenheart,expandedawareness,andatranscendenceofselfimage.Ivebeenteachingand practicingmeditationfor20years.Mydailymeditationpracticebeganasawaytorelievethe buildupofstressinmymindandbody.Ididittofeelgood.Ihadadifficultchildhoodfilled withemotionalturmoil,workedabusyschedule,wasconcernedaboutimpuritiesinthe environment,andwasinconflictwiththevaluesoftheWesternworld.Thebuildupofstress mademereactivetomyenvironmentandkeptmefromhavingharmoniousrelationshipswith myselfandthosearoundme. Stresscanbefoundeverywhere.Sometimesstressiscausedbyincompletelydigestingones food,notgettingagoodnightssleep,ignoringthewisdomofyourbody,ornotfeeling emotionswhentheycomeup.Sometimesitscausedbynotsayingwhatyoumeanandfeel bynotlivinginyourintegrity.Stresscreatesphysicalimpactsthatweveallheardabout,butit canalsotriggeremotionalormentalreactivityasitdidinme.Reactivitycanlimityour awarenessofthepossibilitiesineachmoment. AsIcontinuedmymeditationpractice,thestresswaslessened,andIfoundthatmeditation tookmeonajourneytowardamorebeautifullife.IaminaweofthisworldasIrealizedeeply theinterweavingoflifeandnatureandtheelements.Ifollowmyintuitionandfeelsupported bynatureandtheDivineFemininewithinme.Ifeelcleareraboutmypurposeandmore confidentandpeacefulinmybeing.MyhearthasopenedandIfeeltrulyconnectedtothe DivineFeminine,whichcausesmetofeelmorecompassiontowardmyselfandalllivingbeings. Stresscangetinthewayofyourrealizationofthisinnerpeaceandspaciousness,anditcandim yourexperienceofthesweetnessoflife.Thestress,asIseeit,veilsandobscuresthebeautyof theheart,theradianceofthesoul,therealityoflife,andtheawarenessoftheDivine.With stress,onecanmisinterpretwhatisspirituallypresent. ThepoetWilliamBlakewrote,"Ifthedoorsofperceptionwerecleansedeverythingwould appeartomanasitis,infinite.Formanhasclosedhimselfupandseesallthingsthrough narrowchinksofhiscavern."Thechinksofthecavernhewasreferringtoarethe misperceptionsthatstresscreates. Weveallheardmeditationreleasesstress.Butyoucanthinkofitanotherway.Meditation cleansesthedoorsofyourperceptionbydissolvingthestresslayerthatcanbuildupifnotdealt

5 with,sothemindandbodycanbeinbalance.Meditationisalsoapracticetodirectly experiencetheDivine,butitsidealtohaveabalancednervoussystemtodoso. Inmeditationyougentlyattendtoyourbreath,oramantra,orsomeotherfocus,andthis practicedisengagesyourattentionfromthehabitsoftheegomind.Thishappensbecauseyour nervoussystemsettlesdown,andyouexperiencesubtlerandsubtlerlevelsofthoughtuntil yourawarenesstranscendsthought,yourbody,yourbreath,andanythinglimitedbyspaceand time.Youreleasestressandsettledownsomemore. Youthendirectlyexperiencethesourceofthoughttherealyou,whichsomecallyoursoul. Becausethesoulhasnodimension,youwontexperienceitasyounormallywould:youdont feel,see,taste,touch,orsmellitasyouwouldobjectsofyourperception.Instead,youllbe communingwithit,immersedinitanditssource:theDivine. Likeamysticalexperience,youcanttrytomaketranscendencehappen.Itsanaturalresultof theeffortlessmeditationprocess.Anditcanbehappeningevenifyoudontthinkitis. Inmeditation,asyougoinandoutofthetranscendentexperience,yournervoussystem becomesmoresubtleandrefined.Youcultivateaninternalstillnessandpresentmoment awareness.Aswithamysticalexperience,youbecomemoreenlightenedtoaworldbeyond yoursenses,awarethatallisone.Yourealizealliswell.Theresadeepinnerpeace,coupled withafeelingofinclusivityandreverence. Thistranscendenceexperienceinmeditationistheeverydayrealityofthemystics.Andwith faith,patience,andgrace,itwilleventuallybecomeapartofyoureverydayexperience.You knowtheresaDivineplanforyourlifeandthatyouareontherighttrack.Wheneachofus walksinthisway,wewalkthemysticspath. Amoderndaymystic,Ammachi,thehuggingsaint,describesthetranscendentunionwiththe Divineinthisway: Everythingseemspermeatedwithdivinity.Everybladeofgrassandeverysandparticle arefilledwithDivineenergy.Theawakenedonehastheattitudeofdeepreverenceand humilitytowardsallofcreation,becauseonceyougobeyondtheego,youare nothingyouareinfinitenothingnessfilledwithDivineconsciousness.Whenyouhave theattitudeofconstantlybowingdownwithafeelingofhumilitytowardsallof existence,thatexistenceflowsintoyou.Youexperiencethateverythingispartofyou, nothingisseparate. WalkingintheWorld Amysticseesthingsclearlyfromanewperspective.Often,oncetheyveawakenedtothe Divine,theyengageintheeverydayworldtoimpartthiswisdomintheirownuniquefashionto thecultureoftheirtime.Mysticsarepeacemakers,pioneers,scientists,discoverers,religiousor

6 socialreformers,artists,poets,ornationalheroesorheroineswholivebetweentwoworlds: turninginwardindeepsilencebornoutofpracticeandlovingadorationofGod,andexpressing theirrealityintheworld. WhetherthroughtheirlovepoemsandsongsasHafiz,Mirabai,Rumi,andHildegardof Binghamdid,orthroughcompassionateactionasMaryMagdalene,FrancisofAssisi,Joanof Arc,HelenKeller,MotherTeresa,Ammachi,andThichNhatHanhdid,theyseeGodineveryone andeverything.AsKhalilGibran,LebanesepoetandauthorofTheProphet,wrote,their"work islovemadevisible." Mysticsarecreative,fearless,powerful,intuitive,andclearlyseetherealitiesoftheculturethat surroundsthem.Theyhaveboundlessenergytoserveasamediatorbetweenhumanityand Divinity.Theywalkinthisworldwithagreatsenseofreverence,wonder,delight,humility, inclusiveness,andcompassionateactionastheyteach,share,andbearwitnesstolifeandthe Divineinitsentirety.TheyrevealandawakentherealityofourownrelationshiptotheDivine. Themystics...theywalkamongus.