Mysticism is a spiritual
discipline aiming at direct communion with God or the ultimate truth
Mysticism, Dogma and Truth
by Edwin Harkness Spina
At a recent lecture on
Belief Systems, a student asked, "Is mysticism a religion?"
Mysticism is a spiritual
discipline aiming at direct communion with God or the ultimate
truth. It is not a religion and, in fact, all religions have
mystics. There are Christian mystics, Jewish mystics (Kabbalists),
Islamic mystics (Sufis), Buddhist and Hindu mystics. Where all the
tenets of these religions intersect is where you'll find the
mystics.
Mystics also study universal
laws, which, by definition, are always true, not merely for a
particular era or culture. These truths can be found at the heart of
every major religion and this is why a Kabbalist will have more in
common with a Sufi than he would with his mainstream Jewish
counterparts (and vice versa).
In the process of studying
and applying these universal laws a student of mysticism will begin
to unveil his or her inner senses. That is, the counterparts of his
or her objective senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell will
awaken, which are often referred to as psychic abilities. This is a
side benefit, but not the principle goal of mysticism.
After the lecture, someone
asked, "Isn't connecting with God the goal of all religions?"
In their purest form the
answer is yes. But based on the particular culture or state of
affairs, additional guidelines are tacked onto the universal laws.
These rules should be relied upon as suggestions meant to improve a
person's life, not as universal truths. At best, they are relative
truths. As an example, the doctrine of "heaven or hell" is meant to
teach that there are consequences to your actions. The universal law
underlying this principle is karma, i.e., the law of cause and
effect.
Whenever such rules become
"the only way," they become dogma. This is true whether we are
talking about religion, science or politics. If the letter of the
law is rigidly followed without consideration for the spirit of the
law, there is the danger of fundamentalist behavior. Understanding
the underlying principle would avoid uncontrolled mobs from burning
people at the stake.
Picture an extended family
getting together for a holiday dinner. The daughter, now married
with children of her own, prepares a roast for the evening meal. In
the course of her preparation, she cuts off the two ends of the
roast, places the roast in the pan and puts it in the oven. Her
child asks her why she cut off the ends of the roast. The daughter
explains that is how her mother taught her. She then asks her
mother, who explains that is how her mother, the grandmother, taught
her. Then they ask the grandmother who explains that at the time,
her roasting pan wasn't big enough to hold the entire roast and so
she always cut off the ends.
It is not necessary to cut
off the ends of a roast to cook a delicious meal. Similarly, the
additional rules most religions offer are not necessary to connect
with God. Religions play a vital role in encouraging virtuous
behavior to the benefit of all, but rigid adherence to these rules
to the exclusion of the main goal of communing with God is
counterproductive and can lead to separation and intolerance. The
Golden rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," is
universally accepted by every major religion. Any action that
violates this universal truth can ultimately lead to war.
Early on, mystics are taught
how to attune with God by contacting the Master Within, i.e., the
divine aspect at the heart of every individual. The Master Within
should be consulted whenever an important decision needs to be made.
This is the single best source of direction for anyone.
Imagine God as a bright
light covered with various veils. As you peal away these veils,
which represent various beliefs and ideas, the light brightens. Your
goal should be to connect with this bright light directly. This is
your right and reward as a spiritual being living on earth. To the
mystic this represents the ultimate goal: illumination.
Edwin Harkness Spina is
the author of the award-winning spiritual thriller Mystic
Warrior. Receive a free copy of Mystic Secrets Revealed,
when you sign up for the Mystic Warrior Newsletter at
http://www.MysticWarrior.us/newsletter.html
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