• • • Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute, but may refer to any kind of or which is given a religious or meaning. It may also refer to the attainment of insight in ultimate or hidden truths, and to human transformation supported by various practices and experiences. The term 'mysticism' has Ancient Greek origins with various historically determined meanings. Renamemaestro 5.4.2 Serial here.

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Derived from the word μυω, meaning 'to conceal', mysticism referred to the biblical liturgical, spiritual, and contemplative dimensions of early and medieval. During the, the definition of mysticism grew to include a broad range of beliefs and ideologies related to 'extraordinary experiences and states of mind'. In modern times, 'mysticism' has acquired a limited definition, with broad applications, as meaning the aim at the 'union with the Absolute, the Infinite, or God'. This limited definition has been applied to a wide range of religious traditions and practices, valuing 'mystical experience' as a key element of mysticism. Broadly defined, mysticism can be found in all, from and like shamanism, to organised religions like the faiths and, and modern spirituality, New Age and New Religious Movements.

Since the 1960s scholars have debated the merits of and approaches in the scientific research of 'mystical experiences'. The perennial position is now 'largely dismissed by scholars', most scholars using a contextual approach, which takes the cultural and historical context into consideration. See also:,, and Deriving from and, mysticism is popularly known as union with God or the Absolute. In the 13th century the term unio mystica came to be used to refer to the 'spiritual marriage,' the ecstasy, or rapture, that was experienced when prayer was used 'to contemplate both God’s omnipresence in the world and God in his essence.' In the 19th century, under the influence of Romanticism, this 'union' was interpreted as a 'religious experience,' which provides certainty about God or a transcendental reality.

An influential proponent of this understanding was (1842–1910), who stated that 'in mystic states we both become one with the Absolute and we become aware of our oneness.' William James popularized this use of the term 'religious experience' in his, contributing to the interpretation of mysticism as a distinctive experience, comparable to sensory experiences. Religious experiences belonged to the 'personal religion,' which he considered to be 'more fundamental than either theology or ecclesiasticism'. He gave a Perennialist interpretation to religious experience, stating that this kind of experience is ultimately uniform in various traditions. McGinn notes that the term unio mystica, although it has Christian origins, is primarily a modern expression. McGinn argues that 'presence' is more accurate than 'union', since not all mystics spoke of union with God, and since many visions and miracles were not necessarily related to union. He also argues that we should speak of 'consciousness' of God's presence, rather than of 'experience', since mystical activity is not simply about the sensation of God as an external object, but more broadly about 'new ways of knowing and loving based on states of awareness in which God becomes present in our inner acts.'

However, the idea of 'union' does not work in all contexts. For example, in Advaita Vedanta, there is only one reality (Brahman) and therefore nothing other than reality to unite with it—Brahman in each person ( atman) has always in fact been identical to Brahman all along. Dan Merkur also notes that union with God or the Absolute is a too limited definition, since there are also traditions which aim not at a sense of unity, but of, such as and. According to Merkur, and Buddhism also emphasize. Blakemore and Jennett note that 'definitions of mysticism [.] are often imprecise.'

They further note that this kind of interpretation and definition is a recent development which has become the standard definition and understanding. According to Gelman, 'A unitive experience involves a phenomenological de-emphasis, blurring, or eradication of multiplicity, where the cognitive significance of the experience is deemed to lie precisely in that phenomenological feature'.

Religious ecstasies and interpretative context [ ]. Main articles:,,,, and Mysticism involves an explanatory context, which provides meaning for so-called mystical and visionary experiences, and related experiences like trances. According to Dan Merkur, mysticism may relate to any kind of ecstasy or altered state of consciousness, and the ideas and explanations related to them. Parsons stresses the importance of distinguishing between temporary experiences and mysticism as a process, which is embodied within a 'religious matrix' of texts and practices. Richard Jones does the same.

Peter Moore notes that mystical experience may also happen in a spontaneous and natural way, to people who are not committed to any religious tradition. These experiences are not necessarily interpreted in a religious framework. Asks by which processes experiences are set apart and deemed religious or mystical. Intuitive insight and enlightenment [ ]. Main articles:,, and Some authors emphasize that mystical experience involves intuitive understanding of the meaning of existence and of hidden truths, and the resolution of life problems. According to Larson, 'mystical experience is an intuitive understanding and realization of the meaning of existence.'

According to McClenon, mysticism is 'the doctrine that special mental states or events allow an understanding of ultimate truths.' According to James R. Horne, mystical illumination 'a central visionary experience [.] that results in the resolution of a personal or religious problem. According to Evelyn Underhill, illumination is a generic English term for the phenomenon of mysticism.

The term illumination is derived from the Latin, applied to Christian in the 15th century. Comparable Asian terms are, and in, commonly translated as, and, which all point to cognitive processes of intuition and comprehension. According to Wright, the use of the western word enlightenment is based on the supposed resemblance of bodhi with, the independent use of reason to gain insight into the true nature of our world.

As a matter of fact there are more resemblances with than with the Enlightenment: the emphasis on feeling, on intuitive insight, on a true essence beyond the world of appearances. Spiritual life and re-formation [ ].

Main articles:,,, and Other authors point out that mysticism involves more than 'mystical experience.' According to Gellmann, the ultimate goal of mysticism is human transformation, not just experiencing mystical or visionary states.

According to McGinn, personal transformation is the essential criterium to determine the authenticity of Christian mysticism. History of the term [ ] Hellenistic world [ ] In the Hellenistic world, 'mystical' referred to 'secret' religious rituals The use of the word lacked any direct references to the transcendental. A 'mystikos' was an initiate of a mystery religion. Early Christianity [ ]. Main articles:,, and In early Christianity the term 'mystikos' referred to three dimensions, which soon became intertwined, namely the biblical, the liturgical and the spiritual or contemplative. The biblical dimension refers to 'hidden' or allegorical interpretations of Scriptures. The liturgical dimension refers to the liturgical mystery of the Eucharist, the presence of Christ at the Eucharist.

The third dimension is the contemplative or experiential knowledge of God. Until the sixth century, the Greek term theoria, meaning 'contemplation' in Latin, was used for the mystical interpretation of the Bible. The link between mysticism and the vision of the Divine was introduced by the early, who used the term as an adjective, as in mystical theology and mystical contemplation. Under the influence of the came to denote the investigation of the allegorical truth of the Bible, and 'the spiritual awareness of the ineffable Absolute beyond the theology of divine names.' Pseudo-Dionysius', or 'negative theology', exerted a great influence on medieval monastic religiosity. It was influenced by, and very influential in.

In western Christianity it was a counter-current to the prevailing or 'positive theology'. Theoria enabled the Fathers to perceive depths of meaning in the biblical writings that escape a purely scientific or empirical approach to interpretation. The Antiochene Fathers, in particular, saw in every passage of Scripture a double meaning, both literal and spiritual. Later, theoria or contemplation came to be distinguished from intellectual life, leading to the identification of θεωρία or contemplatio with a distinguished from discursive meditation in both East and West. Medieval meaning [ ]. See also: This threefold meaning of 'mystical' continued in the.

According to Dan Merkur, the term unio mystica came into use in the 13th century as a synonym for the 'spiritual marriage,' the ecstasy, or rapture, that was experienced when prayer was used 'to contemplate both God’s omnipresence in the world and God in his essence.' Under the influence of the came to denote the investigation of the allegorical truth of the Bible, and 'the spiritual awareness of the ineffable Absolute beyond the theology of divine names.' Pseudo-Dionysius', or 'negative theology', exerted a great influence on medieval monastic religiosity, although it was mostly a male religiosity, since women were not allowed to study. It was influenced by, and very influential in.

In western Christianity it was a counter-current to the prevailing or 'positive theology'. It is best known nowadays in the western world from and. Early modern meaning [ ]. See also:,,,, and The 19th century saw a growing emphasis on individual experience, as a defense against the growing rationalism of western society. The meaning of mysticism was considerably narrowed: The competition between the perspectives of theology and science resulted in a compromise in which most varieties of what had traditionally been called mysticism were dismissed as merely psychological phenomena and only one variety, which aimed at union with the Absolute, the Infinite, or God—and thereby the perception of its essential unity or oneness—was claimed to be genuinely mystical.

The historical evidence, however, does not support such a narrow conception of mysticism. Under the influence of, which was popularised in both the west and the east by, and, mysticism has been applied to a broad spectrum of religious traditions, in which all sorts of and religious traditions and practices are joined together. The term mysticism was extended to comparable phenomena in non-Christian religions, where it influenced Hindu and Buddhist responses to colonialism, resulting in and. In the contemporary usage 'mysticism' has become an umbrella term for all sorts of non-rational world views. William Harmless even states that mysticism has become 'a catch-all for religious weirdness'. Within the academic study of religion the apparent 'unambiguous commonality' has become 'opaque and controversial'. The term 'mysticism' is being used in different ways in different traditions.

Some call to attention the conflation of mysticism and linked terms, such as spirituality and esotericism, and point at the between various traditions. Variations of mysticism [ ] Based on various definitions of mysticism, namely mysticism as an experience of union or nothingness, mysticism as any kind of an altered state of consciousness which is attributed in a religious way, mysticism as 'enlightenment' or insight, and mysticism as a way of transformation, 'mysticism' can be found in many cultures and religious traditions, both in and.

These traditions include practices to induce religious or mystical experiences, but also ethical standards and practices to enhance self-control and integrate the mystical experience into daily life. Dan Merkur notes, though, that mystical practices are often separated from daily religious practices, and restricted to 'religious specialists like monastics, priests, and other renunciates. Shamanism [ ]. Main article: According to Dan Merkur, shamanism may be regarded as a form of mysticism, in which the world of spirits is accessed through.

According to shamanism is a 'technique of.' Shamanism is a practice that involves a practitioner reaching in order to perceive and interact with a spirit world and channel these transcendental energies into this world. A shaman is a person regarded as having access to, and influence in, the world of, who typically enters into a during a, and practices and.

The term 'shamanism' was first applied by western anthropologists to the ancient religion of the and, as well as those of the neighboring and -speaking peoples. The term is also used to describe similar magico-religious practices found within the of other parts of Asia, Africa, Australasia and the Americas. For instance,,,, and are related [ ] folk-religions with ecstatic elements. Refers to 'new' forms of, or methods of seeking visions or healing, typically practiced in Western countries. Neoshamanism comprises an eclectic range of beliefs and practices that involve attempts to attain altered states and communicate with a spirit world, and is associated with practices. Western mysticism [ ] Mystery religions [ ].

Main articles:,,,, and Early Christianity [ ] The, or 'negative theology', of (6th c.) exerted a great influence on medieval monastic religiosity, both in the and (by Latin translation) in the. Pseudo-Dionysius applied thought, particularly that of, to Christian theology. Orthodox Christianity [ ] The has a long tradition of (intimate experience) and (inner stillness), in which silences the mind to progress along the path of (deification). Theosis, practical unity with and conformity to God, is obtained by engaging in, the first stage of theoria, which results from the cultivation of watchfulness ( ). In theoria, one comes to behold the 'divisibly indivisible' divine operations ( ) of God as the 'uncreated light' of, a grace which is eternal and proceeds naturally from the blinding darkness of the incomprehensible divine essence. It is the main aim of, which was developed in the thought St., embraced by the monastic communities on, and most notably defended by St.

Against the Greek philosopher. According to critics, hesychastic practice has its roots to the introduction of a systematic practical approach to. Symeon believed that direct experience gave monks the authority to preach and give absolution of sins, without the need for formal ordination.

While Church authorities also taught from a speculative and philosophical perspective, Symeon taught from his own direct mystical experience, and met with strong resistance for his approach, and his support of individual direct experience of God's grace. Western Europe [ ]. Life of by The saw a flourishing of mystical practice and theorization in western Roman Catholicism, corresponding to the flourishing of new monastic orders, with such figures as,,, the, all coming from different orders, as well as the first real flowering of among the laypeople. The saw the clash between the and, which was also a conflict between two different: on the one hand that of and on the other that of,,, and.

This period also saw such individuals as, and, the, and such books as the, and. Moreover, there was the growth of groups of mystics centered around geographic regions: the, such as and (among others); the, and; and the English mystics, and. The included, and. The later post- period also saw the writings of visionaries such as and, and the foundation of mystical movements such as the.

Catholic mysticism continued into the modern period with such figures as and. The, an ancient method of mysticism, was promoted by the twentieth century. The inspired or ' work represents a blending of non-denominational Christian and ideas. Western esotericism and modern spirituality [ ].

Main articles: and In the common era, Judaism has had two main kinds of mysticism: and. The former predated the latter, and was focused on visions, particularly those mentioned in the Book of Ezekiel. It gets its name from the Hebrew word meaning 'chariot', a reference to Ezekiel's vision of a fiery chariot composed of heavenly beings. Kabbalah is a set of esoteric teachings meant to explain the relationship between an unchanging, eternal and mysterious (no end) and the mortal and finite universe (his creation).

Inside Judaism, it forms the foundations of mystical religious interpretation. Kabbalah originally developed entirely within the realm of. Kabbalists often use classical Jewish sources to explain and demonstrate its esoteric teachings. These teachings are thus held by followers in to define the inner meaning of both the and traditional, their formerly concealed dimension, as well as to explain the significance of Jewish. Kabbalah emerged, after earlier forms of Jewish mysticism, in 12th to 13th century and, becoming reinterpreted in the Jewish mystical renaissance of 16th-century. It was popularised in the form of from the 18th century forward. 20th-century interest in Kabbalah has inspired cross-denominational and contributed to wider non-Jewish, as well as engaging its and historical re-emphasis through newly established.

Islamic mysticism [ ] Part of on and. Main article: Sufism is said to be Islam's inner and mystical dimension. Classical Sufi scholars have defined Sufism as [A] science whose objective is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God.

A practitioner of this tradition is nowadays known as a ṣūfī ( صُوفِيّ), or, in earlier usage, a. The origin of the word 'Sufi' is ambiguous. One understanding is that Sufi means wool-wearer; wool wearers during early Islam were pious ascetics who withdrew from urban life. Another explanation of the word 'Sufi' is that it means 'purity'.

Sufis generally belong to a, a circle or group, led by a Sheikh. Sufi circles usually belong to a which is the Sufi order and each has a, which is the spiritual lineage, which traces its succession back to notable Sufis of the past, and often ultimately to the last prophet or one of his close associates. The turuq (plural of tariqa) are not enclosed like Christian monastic orders; rather the members retain an outside life. Membership of a Sufi group often passes down family lines. Meetings may or may not be segregated according to the prevailing custom of the wider society. An existing Muslim faith is not always a requirement for entry, particularly in Western countries.

Mawlānā 's tomb,, Turkey Sufi practice includes •, or remembrance (of God), which often takes the form of rhythmic chanting and breathing exercises. •, which takes the form of music and dance — the whirling dance of the dervishes is a form well known in the West. • or meditation. • Visiting holy places, particularly the tombs of Sufi saints, in order to remember death and the greatness of those who have passed. The aims of Sufism include: the experience of ecstatic states ( hal), purification of the heart ( ), overcoming the lower self ( ), extinction of the individual personality ( ), communion with God ( ), and higher knowledge ( ). Some sufic beliefs and practices have been found unorthodox by other Muslims; for instance was put to death for blasphemy after uttering the phrase, 'I am the Truth' (i.e. God) in a trance.

Notable classical Sufis include,,,, and, all major poets in the., and were renowned scholars.,, and founded major orders, as did Rumi. Was the most prominent female Sufi. Sufism first came into contact with the Judeo-Christian world during the occupation of. An interest in Sufism revived in non-Muslim countries during the modern era, led by such figures as and (both in the UK), (France) and (Sweden). Sufism has also long been present in Asian countries that do not have a Muslim majority, such as and.

Indian religions [ ] Hinduism [ ]. Main article: In Hinduism, various aim at overcoming ignorance ( avidhya) and transcending the limited identification with body, mind and ego to attain. Hinduism has a number of interlinked and which aim at and the acquisition of higher powers. With the onset of the British colonisation of India, those traditions came to be interpreted in western terms such as 'mysticism', drawing equivalents with western terms and practices. Is the,, and practices or disciplines which aim to attain a state of permanent peace. Various traditions of yoga are found in, Buddhism and.

The defines yoga as 'the stilling of the changing states of the mind,' which is attained in. Classical gives philosophical interpretations and commentaries of the, a vast collection of ancient hymns. At least ten schools of Vedanta are known, of which,, and are the best known. Advaita Vedanta, as expounded by, states that there is no difference between and. The best-known subschool is Kevala Vedanta or mayavada as expounded. Advaita Vedanta has acquired a broad acceptance in Indian culture and beyond as the paradigmatic example of Hindu spirituality.

In contrast -Vedanta emphasizes that Atman and Brahman are both the same and not the same, while Vedanta states that Atman and God are fundamentally different. In modern times, the Upanishads have been interpreted by as being 'mystical'. Various traditions are strongly nondualistic, such as and. Main article: Tantra is the name given by scholars to a style of meditation and ritual which arose in no later than the fifth century AD.

Tantra has influenced the,,, and traditions and to and. Tantric ritual seeks to access the supra-mundane through the mundane, identifying the with the. The Tantric aim is to sublimate (rather than negate) reality. The Tantric practitioner seeks to use (energy flowing through the, including one's body) to attain goals which may be spiritual, material or both. Tantric practice includes visualisation of deities, and.

It can also include sexual and other () practices. [ ] Sant-tradition and Sikhism [ ]. And Mysticism in the began with its founder,, who as a child had profound mystical experiences. Guru Nanak stressed that God must be seen with 'the inward eye', or the 'heart', of a human being., the fifth, added religious belonging to other religions into the that would eventually become the. The goal of Sikhism is to be one with God. Sikhs meditate as a means to progress towards enlightenment; it is devoted that enables a sort of communication between the Infinite and finite human.

There is no concentration on the breath but chiefly the remembrance of God through the recitation of the name of God and surrender themselves to Gods presence often metaphorized as surrendering themselves to the Lord's feet. Buddhism [ ]. Main article: Taoist philosophy is centered on the Tao, usually translated 'Way', an ineffable cosmic principle. The contrasting yet interdependent concepts of and also symbolise harmony, with Taoist scriptures often emphasing the Yin virtues of femininity, passivity and yieldingness. Taoist practice includes exercises and rituals aimed at manipulating the life force, and obtaining health and longevity. These have been elaborated into practices such as, which are well known in the west.

The Secularization of Mysticism [ ]. Main article: Types of mysticism [ ] distinguishes three fundamental types of mysticism, namely theistic, monistic and panenhenic ('all-in-one') or natural mysticism. The theistic category includes most forms of Jewish, Christian and Islamic mysticism and occasional Hindu examples such as Ramanuja and the. The monistic type, which according to Zaehner is based upon an experience of the unity of one's soul, includes Buddhism and Hindu schools such as and.

Nature mysticism seems to refer to examples that do not fit into one of these two categories., in his book Mysticism and Philosophy (1960), distinguished two types of mystical experience, namely extrovertive and introvertive mysticism. Extrovertive mysticism is an experience of the unity of the external world, whereas introvertive mysticism is 'an experience of unity devoid of perceptual objects; it is literally an experience of 'no-thing-ness'.' The unity in extrovertive mysticism is with the totality of objects of perception. While perception stays continuous, “unity shines through the same world”; the unity in introvertive mysticism is with a pure consciousness, devoid of objects of perception, “pure unitary consciousness, wherein awareness of the world and of multiplicity is completely obliterated.” According to Stace such experiences are nonsensous and nonintellectual, under a total “suppression of the whole empirical content.” Stace argues that doctrinal differences between religious traditions are inappropriate criteria when making cross-cultural comparisons of mystical experiences. Stace argues that mysticism is part of the process of perception, not interpretation, that is to say that the unity of mystical experiences is perceived, and only afterwards interpreted according to the perceiver’s background. This may result in different accounts of the same phenomenon. While an atheist describes the unity as “freed from empirical filling”, a religious person might describe it as “God” or “the Divine”.

Mystical experiences [ ] Since the 19th century, mystical experience has evolved as a distinctive concept. It is closely related to 'mysticism' but lays sole emphasis on the experiential aspect, be it spontaneous or induced by human behavior, whereas mysticism encompasses a broad range of practices aiming at a transformation of the person, not just inducing mystical experiences. ' is the classic study on religious or mystical experience, which influenced deeply both the academic and popular understanding of 'religious experience'. He popularized the use of the term 'religious experience' in his 'Varieties', and influenced the understanding of mysticism as a distinctive experience which supplies knowledge of the transcendental: Under the influence of William James' The Varieties of Religious Experience, heavily centered on people's conversion experiences, most philosophers' interest in mysticism has been in distinctive, allegedly knowledge-granting 'mystical experiences.' ' Yet, Gelman notes that so-called mystical experience is not a transitional event, as William James claimed, but an 'abiding consciousness, accompanying a person throughout the day, or parts of it.

For that reason, it might be better to speak of mystical consciousness, which can be either fleeting or abiding.' Most mystical traditions warn against an attachment to mystical experiences, and offer a 'protective and hermeneutic framework' to accommodate these experiences. These same traditions offer the means to induce mystical experiences, which may have several origins: • Spontaneous; either apparently without any cause, or by persistent existential concerns, or by neurophysiological origins; • Religious practices, such as,, and -repetition; • Entheogens (psychedelic drugs) • Neurophysiological origins, such as temporal lobe epilepsy. The theoretical study of mystical experience has shifted from an experiential, privatized and perennialist approach to a contextual and empirical approach. The experientalist approach sees mystical experience as a private expression of perennial truths, separate from its historical and cultural context. The contextual approach, which also includes constructionism and attribution theory, takes into account the historical and cultural context. Neurological research takes an empirical approach, relating mystical experiences to neurological processes.

Perennialism versus constructionism [ ] The term 'mystical experience' evolved as a distinctive concept since the 19th century, laying sole emphasis on the experiential aspect, be it spontaneous or induced by human behavior. Perennialists regard those various experience traditions as pointing to one universal transcendental reality, for which those experiences offer the proof. In this approach, mystical experiences are privatised, separated from the context in which they emerge. Well-known representatives are William James, R.C. Zaehner, William Stace and Robert Forman. The perennial position is 'largely dismissed by scholars', but 'has lost none of its popularity.'

In contrast, for the past decades most scholars have favored a constructionist approach, which states that mystical experiences are fully constructed by the ideas, symbols and practices that mystics are familiar with. Critics of the term 'religious experience' note that the notion of 'religious experience' or 'mystical experience' as marking insight into religious truth is a modern development, and contemporary researchers of mysticism note that mystical experiences are shaped by the concepts 'which the mystic brings to, and which shape, his experience'. What is being experienced is being determined by the expectations and the conceptual background of the mystic. Richard Jones draws a distinction between 'anticonstructivism' and 'perennialism': constructivism can be rejected with respect to a certain class of mystical experiences without ascribing to a perennialist philosophy on the relation of mystical doctrines. One can reject constructivism without claiming that mystical experiences reveal a cross-cultural 'perennial truth'. For example, a Christian can reject both constructivism and perennialism in arguing that there is a union with God free of cultural construction. Constructivism versus anticonstructivism is a matter of the nature of mystical experiences while perennialism is a matter of mystical traditions and the doctrines they espouse.

Contextualism and attribution theory [ ]. Main articles: and The contextual approach has become the common approach. Contextualism takes into account the historical and cultural context of mystical experiences. The attribution approach views 'mystical experience' as non-ordinary states of consciousness which are explained in a religious framework. According to Proudfoot, mystics unconsciously merely attribute a doctrinal content to ordinary experiences. That is, mystics project cognitive content onto otherwise ordinary experiences having a strong emotional impact. This approach has been further elaborated by, in her.

She incorporates both and cultural approaches in the study of mystical experience. Neurological research [ ]. See also: Neurological research takes an empirical approach, relating mystical experiences to neurological processes. This leads to a central philosophical issue: does the identification of neural triggers or neural correlates of mystical experiences prove that mystical experiences are no more than brain events or does it merely identify the brain activity occurring during a genuine cognitive event? The most common positions are that neurology reduces mystical experiences or that neurology is neutral to the issue of mystical cognitivity. Interest in mystical experiences and psychedelic drugs has also recently seen a resurgence.

The seems to be involved in mystical experiences, and in the change in personality that may result from such experiences. It generates the feeling of 'I,' and gives a feeling of familiarity or strangeness to the perceptions of the senses. There is a long-standing notion that epilepsy and religion are linked, and may have had (TLE). The may be involved in, a strong feeling of certainty which cannot be expressed in words, which is a common quality in mystical experiences. According to Picard, this feeling of certainty may be caused by a dysfunction of the, a part of the brain which is involved in, self-reflection, and in avoiding uncertainty about the internal representations of the world by 'anticipation of resolution of uncertainty or risk'. Mysticism and morality [ ] A philosophical issue in the study of mysticism is the relation of mysticism to.

Albert Schweitzer presented the classic account of mysticism and morality being incompatible. Arthur Danto also argued that morality is at least incompatible with Indian mystical beliefs. Walter Stace, on the other hand, argued not only are mysticism and morality compatible, but that mysticism is the source and justification of morality. Others studying multiple mystical traditions have concluded that the relation of mysticism and morality is not as simple as that. Richard King also points to disjunction between 'mystical experience' and social justice: The privatisation of mysticism – that is, the increasing tendency to locate the mystical in the psychological realm of personal experiences – serves to exclude it from political issues as social justice. Mysticism thus becomes seen as a personal matter of cultivating inner states of tranquility and equanimity, which, rather than seeking to transform the world, serve to accommodate the individual to the status quo through the alleviation of anxiety and stress. See also [ ].

• Note that Parmenides' 'way of truth' may also be translated as 'way of conviction.' Late sixth or early fifth century BC), in his poem On Nature, gives an account of a revelation on two ways of inquiry. 'The way of conviction' explores Being, true reality ('what-is'), which is 'What is ungenerated and deathless,/whole and uniform, and still and perfect.' 'The way of opinion' is the world of appearances, in which one's sensory faculties lead to conceptions which are false and deceitful.

Cook's translation 'way of conviction' is rendered by other translators as 'way of truth.' • The term 'mystical experience' has become synonymous with the terms 'religious experience', experience and experience.

• William James: 'This is the everlasting and triumphant mystical tradition, hardly altered by differences of clime or creed. In Hinduism, in Neoplatonism, in Sufism, in Christian mysticism, in Whitmanism, we find the same recurring note, so that there is about mystical utterances an eternal unanimity which ought to make a critic stop and think, and which bring it about that the mystical classics have, as been said, neither birthday nor native land.' • Blakemore and Jennett: 'Mysticism is frequently defined as an experience of direct communion with God, or union with the Absolute, but definitions of mysticism (a relatively modern term) are often imprecise and usually rely on the presuppositions of the modern study of mysticism — namely, that mystical experiences involve a set of intense and usually individual and private psychological states [.] Furthermore, mysticism is a phenomenon said to be found in all major religious traditions. Blakemore and Jennett add: '[T]he common assumption that all mystical experiences, whatever their context, are the same cannot, of course, be demonstrated.' They also state: 'Some have placed a particular emphasis on certain altered states, such as visions, trances, levitations, locutions, raptures, and ecstasies, many of which are altered bodily states.

Margery Kempe's tears and 's ecstasies are famous examples of such mystical phenomena. But many mystics have insisted that while these experiences may be a part of the mystical state, they are not the essence of mystical experience, and some, such as Origen, Meister Eckhart, and John of the Cross, have been hostile to such psycho-physical phenomena.

Rather, the essence of the mystical experience is the encounter between God and the human being, the Creator and creature; this is a union which leads the human being to an ‘absorption’ or loss of individual personality. It is a movement of the heart, as the individual seeks to surrender itself to ultimate Reality; it is thus about being rather than knowing. For some mystics, such as Teresa of Avila, phenomena such as visions, locutions, raptures, and so forth are by-products of, or accessories to, the full mystical experience, which the soul may not yet be strong enough to receive.

Hence these altered states are seen to occur in those at an early stage in their spiritual lives, although ultimately only those who are called to achieve full union with God will do so.' • Gelman: 'Examples are experiences of the oneness of all of nature, “union” with God, as in Christian mysticism, (see section 2.2.1), the Hindu experience that is (that the self/soul is identical with the eternal, absolute being), the Buddhist unconstructed experience, and “monistic” experiences, devoid of all multiplicity.' Compare, who argued that The One is radically simple, and does not even have self-knowledge, since self-knowledge would imply multiplicity. Nevertheless, Plotinus does urge for a search for the Absolute, turning inward and becoming aware of the 'presence of the intellect in the human soul,' initiating an ascent of the soul by or 'taking away,' culminating in a of the One. • Merkur: 'Mysticism is the practice of religious ecstasies (religious experiences during alternate states of consciousness), together with whatever ideologies, ethics, rites, myths, legends, and magic may be related to them.' • Parsons: '.episodic experience and mysticism as a process that, though surely punctuated by moments of visionary, unitive, and transformative encounters, is ultimately inseparable from its embodied relation to a total religious matrix: liturgy, scripture, worship, virtues, theology, rituals, practice and the arts. • Larson: 'A mystical experience is an intuitive understanding and realization of the meaning of existence – an intuitive understanding and realization which is intense, integrating, self-authenticating, liberating – i.e., providing a sense of release from ordinary self-awareness – and subsequently determinative – i.e., a primary criterion – for interpreting all other experience whether cognitive, conative, or affective.' Jetzt Helfe Ich Mir Selbst Vw Polo 6n Download Chrome.

• McClenon: 'The doctrine that special mental states or events allow an understanding of ultimate truths. Although it is difficult to differentiate which forms of experience allow such understandings, mental episodes supporting belief in 'other kinds of reality' are often labeled mystical [.] Mysticism tends to refer to experiences supporting belief in a cosmic unity rather than the advocation of a particular religious ideology.' • Horne: '[M]ystical illumination is interpreted as a central visionary experience in a psychological and behavioural process that results in the resolution of a personal or religious problem. This factual, minimal interpretation depicts mysticism as an extreme and intense form of the insight seeking process that goes in activities such as solving theoretical problems or developing new inventions. • Original quote in 'Evelyn Underhill (1930), Mysticism: A Study in the Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness. • Underhill: 'One of the most abused words in the English language, it has been used in different and often mutually exclusive senses by religion, poetry, and philosophy: has been claimed as an excuse for every kind of, for dilute, vapid, religious or aesthetic sentimentality, and bad. On the other hand, it has been freely employed as a term of contempt by those who have criticized these things.

It is much to be hoped that it may be restored sooner or later to its old meaning, as the science or art of the spiritual life.' • Gellman: 'Typically, mystics, theistic or not, see their mystical experience as part of a larger undertaking aimed at human transformation (See, for example, Teresa of Avila, Life, Chapter 19) and not as the terminus of their efforts. Thus, in general, ‘mysticism’ would best be thought of as a constellation of distinctive practices, discourses, texts, institutions, traditions, and experiences aimed at human transformation, variously defined in different traditions.' According to, mysticism is 'the science or art of the spiritual life.' • According to Waaijman, the traditional meaning of spirituality is a process of re-formation which 'aims to recover the original shape of man, the image of God. To accomplish this, the re-formation is oriented at a mold, which represents the original shape: in Judaism the, in Christianity, in Buddhism, in the.' Waaijman uses the word 'omvorming', 'to change the form'.

Different translations are possible: transformation, re-formation,. Waaijman points out that 'spirituality' is only one term of a range of words which denote the praxis of spirituality. Some other terms are 'Hasidism, contemplation, kabbala, asceticism, mysticism, perfection, devotion and piety'. • McGinn: 'This is why the only test that Christianity has known for determining the authenticity of a mystic and her or his message has been that of personal transformation, both on the mystic's part and—especially—on the part of those whom the mystic has affected. • Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos: 'Noetic prayer is the first stage of theoria.' •: 'The contemplative mind sees God, in so far as this is possible for man.'

• Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos: 'This is what Saint Symeon the New Theologian teaches. In his poems, proclaims over and over that, while beholding the uncreated Light, the deified man acquires the Revelation of God the Trinity.

Being in 'theoria' (vision of God), the saints do not confuse the hypostatic attributes. The fact that the Latin tradition came to the point of confusing these hypostatic attributes and teaching that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son also, shows the non-existence of empirical theology for them. Latin tradition speaks also of created grace, a fact which suggests that there is no experience of the grace of God. For, when man obtains the experience of God, then he comes to understand well that this grace is uncreated. Without this experience there can be no genuine 'therapeutic tradition.'

' • Catholic Encyclopedia: 'But it was Simeon, 'the new theologian' (c. 1092; see Krumbacher, op.

Cit., 152–154), a monk of Studion, the 'greatest mystic of the Greek Church' (loc. Cit.), who evolved the theory so elaborately that he may be called the father of Hesychasm. For the union with God in contemplation (which is the highest object of our life) he required a regular system of spiritual education beginning with baptism and passing through regulated exercises of penance and asceticism under the guidance of a director.

But he had not conceived the grossly practices of the later Hesychasts; his ideal is still enormously more philosophical than theirs.' • 'Representation-only' or 'mere representation.' • Oxford reference: 'Some later forms of Yogācāra lend themselves to an idealistic interpretation of this theory but such a view is absent from the works of the early Yogācārins such as Asaṇga and Vasubandhu.' • Yogacara postulates an advaya (nonduality) of grahaka ('grasping,' cognition) and gradya (the 'grasped,' cognitum). In Yogacara-thought, cognition is a modification of the base-consciousness, alaya-vijnana.

According to the and the schools of Chan/Zen Buddhism, this unmodified mind is identical with the, the 'womb of Buddhahood,' or Buddha-nature, the nucleus of Buddhahood inherent in everyone. Both denoye the potentiality of attaining Buddhahood.

In the Lankavatara-interpretation, tathagata-garbha as a potentiality turned into a metaphysical Absolute reality which had to be realised. • Extending to physical immortality: the Taoist pantheon includes, or immortals. • Compare the work of. • The term 'mystical experience' has become synonymous with the terms 'religious experience', experience and experience. • See also References [ ]. Retrieved 2013-11-06.

WordReference English-Greek Dictionary. Retrieved April 24, 2016. Strong's Concordance.

Retrieved April 24, 2016. Strong's Concordance. Retrieved April 24, 2016. • ^ • ^ • ^ • ^ Peter Fenwick (1980).. Wrekin Trust. Retrieved 14 November 2015. Further reading [ ] Religious and spiritual traditions • Idel, Moshe; McGinn, Bernard, eds.

(2016), Mystical Union in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: An Ecumenical Dialogue, Bloomsbury Academic • McGinn, Bernard (1994), The Presence of God: A History of Western Christian Mysticism. Volume 1–5, Crossroad • Poor, Sara S.; Smith, Nigel (2015), Mysticism and Reform, 1400–1750, University of Notre Dame Press • Magee, Glenn Alexander (2016), The Cambridge Handbook of Western Mysticism and Esotericism, Cambridge University Press • Shipley, Morgan (2015), Psychedelic Mysticism: Transforming Consciousness, Religious Experiences, and Voluntary Peasants in Postwar America, Lexington Books • Komarovski, Yaroslav (2015), Tibetan Buddhism and Mystical Experience, Oxford University Press Constructionism versus perennialism • Katz, Steven T.

(1978), Mysticism and philosophical analysis, OUP USA • Forman, Robert K., ed. (1997),, Oxford University Press CS1 maint: Extra text: authors list () Contextual approach • Merkur, Dan (1999), Mystical Moments and Unitive Thinking, SUNY • Taves, Ann (2009), Religious Experience Reconsidered, Princeton: Princeton University Press Philosophical issues • Jones, Richard H. (2016), Philosophy of Mysticism: Raids on the Ineffable, SUNY Press Classical • James, William (1982) [1902], The Varieties of Religious Experience, Penguin classics •.. 1911 • Stace, Walter Trence (1960), Mysticism and Philosophy • Zaehner, RC (1961), Mysticism sacred and profane: an inquiry into some varieties of praeternatural experience, Oxford University Press External links [ ] Wikiquote has quotations related to: Wikimedia Commons has media related to. Has the text of the article. Encyclopedias • • • • Specific • The Jewish History Resource Center, The • • Article from the.

Sumi Loundon Jack Kornfield.The Urban Dharma Reading List.by Don Morreale Don Morreale has managed to compile a database of over a thousand Buddhist meditation centers throughout the United States and Canada, including for each a capsule description, address, phone, e- mail, lineage, spiritual head, date established, facilities, publications, meditation program, and retreats offered. And it is more than just a yellow pages of American Buddhism. Morreale has gathered together numerous essays by masters and by regular practitioners to get their take on this specific Zen center or that particular sangha.

-----------.by Gary Gach, Michael Wenger Gary Gach is like that teacher you always wanted--easygoing, full of information, able to communicate in humorous and meaningful ways, and a little bit wacky. So he's the perfect author for The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Buddhism. In this trademark easy-to-read format, Gach introduces us to a very human Buddha, along with the rules for living that make a Buddhist a Buddhist.by Damien Keown This accessible volume provides information about both the teachings of the Buddha and the integration of Buddhism into daily life. What are the distinctive features of Buddhism?

Who is Buddha, and what are his beliefs? How has Buddhist thought developed over the centuries, and how can contemporary dilemmas be faced from a Buddhist perspective? It is clear, concise, accurate, and respectful.by Donald W. Mitchell Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience focuses on the depth of Buddhist experience as expressed in the teachings and practices of a wide array of its religious and philosophical traditions.

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Also included are a number of new selections on the role of women in early Buddhism.Edited by Jean Smith The selected writings draw fairly equally from the three major branches of Buddhism represented in the US today (Theravada, Zen and Tibetan) giving the reader a broad, balanced picture. -----------.by Ayya Khema Ayya Khema is a meditator's meditator, a real expert, as clear about the nuts and bolts of technique as she is about the basic sanity and profound peacefulness that is the goal of all technique. Who Is My Self? Is a truly astonishing book. It discusses, the well-known eight stages of absorption, based not on textual sources but on personal experience.by Joseph Goldstein This is a book of gentle westernized Buddhist philosophy and rightful thinking. Stressing simple, easy to understand and follow instructions and thoughts. It is not filled with ponderous sayings.

Simply mind healthy practices easily incorporated into daily life.Nyanaponika Thera The book is subdivided into three parts: the first explains what Insight meditation is about, the second part is a text taken from the 'Collection of Long Discourses' of the Buddha, and the third part is a set of various classical texts illustrating the principles explained in the previous parts.by Larry Rosenberg A must read for anyone who wants to take their meditation practice further. Larry Rosenberg explains indepth how to use the breath to be in the moment. ------------.Howard Cutler In this guide toward personal happiness, His Holiness the Dalai Lama offers daily meditations and stories to aid listeners in regaining lost happiness in their daily lives. Working closely with him is Dr. Cutler, a renowned psychiatrist and neurologist, who takes a closer look at the psychology of our happiness and blocks that may keep us from it.by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana Bhante Henepola Gunaratana has summarized all of the Buddha's path to happiness, everything we know about affecting change in our lives, and everything that psychology teaches us about healthy living into a single, easy to read, easy to apply manual for happiness. This book is a gem!by Sharon Salzberg, Jon Kabat-Zinn Sharon Salzberg, a meditation teacher and the founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts, focuses on a Buddhist practice that emphasizes feelings of love, happiness, and compassion.by Shantideva The Bodhicharyavatara is a manual for the practice of compassion. It regards compassion, the foremost quality of a bodhisattva, as beneficial for both the recipient and the giver.

By unselfishly aiding others, the giver not only improves the lives of others but his action helps him eliminate his own miseries. No doubt that it is hard to extend love in our society, but Shantideva anticipates the practitioner's reservations by providing several exercises that allieviate the dread of exploitation by others.

-----------.by Bhikkhu Nanamoli Nanamoli was one of the best Pali translators and has produced an authentic and lucid account of the Buddha's life based on the Pali Cannon.by Nyanaponika Like Jesus's apostles.the main disciples of the historic Buddha were transformed by his awe-inspiring spiritual force!by Ven. Rewata Dhamma Includes a history of the Buddha's life, background on Buddhism, and a contemporary translation of and commentary on the Four Noble Truths that explain how to become free from suffering and gain insight into the truth of enlightenment.by Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa The most esteemed commentary in all of Pali literature, the Path of Purification (or Visuddhimagga) is a systematic examination and condensation of Buddhist doctrine and meditation technique. The various teachings of the Buddha found throughout the Pali Canon are organized in a clear, comprehensive path leading to the final goal: Nibbana, the state of complete purification.by Matthew Flickstein This book offers the reader gentle and illuminating guidance to the Path of Purification.

Matthew Flickstein's style of writing is simple, yet direct. In the tradition of the great Buddhist teachers, he offers insightful and meaningful explanations of the important teachings contained in the Path of Purification in a timeless and relevant manner.by Maurice Walshe Maurice Walshe was not only a master of languages but a practicing Buddhist -- and it certainly shows. This particular product of his knowledge and his faith is one of the most inspiring and elucidating volumes of Buddhist text available to the English-speaking reader.by Bhikkhu Nanamoli, Bhikkhu Bodhi If there is one book in English that all Buddhists should read, this is the one. The Majjhima Nikaya (Middle-length Discourses) is, along with the other nikayas of the Pali Canon, probably as close as we can come today to reading the actual words of the Buddha.by Bhikkhu Bodhi With painstaking care, the eminent Buddhist scholar monk, Bhikkhu Bodhi, has translated the 2889 discourses of the Buddha. No one is better qualified. Collected into their different themes, The Connected Discourses point the way to enlightenment.

This book serves as one of the finest resources available for insight into the human condition. The Buddha addresses issues such as body/mind, daily life realities, suffering and joy, awareness and meditation. ___Free Buddhist e-Books___ 'e-books are PDF files. Click on the links below to read or free download the e-books to your computer.' ____________ (287 KB) From Vulnerability to Virtuosity: Buddhist Reflections on Responding to Terrorism and Tragedy — Peter D.

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