Introduction to Mysticism
Most likely we all share some experience in which the mind leads us to believe that something very unusual has taken place. Premonitions, ghostly apparitions, visions of God, they all fall into that category we vaguely define as “Mystical.” One of the better known, but almost never heard of psychic events, is the experience of feeling that one’s own finite mind has somehow merged into a vast infinite sea of cosmic mind. Whether this vision is within the universe of the Self, or the outer divinity of creation, it is reported to be ineffable, ecstatic, and unforgettable. Those individuals that have returned from near death experiences say that it has changed their lives for the better.
Although mystical experiences tend to fall into several categories, they still maintain likenesses even in difference. Theistic mysticism, oriental mysticism, and nature mysticism form the main groups, but there is a loose company of experiences that include revelations, conversions, near death experiences, and those mentioned in legends and ancient mystery cults. Strange as it might seem, our modern age has brought reports of transcendental experiences through anesthesia, mushrooms, LSD, cannabis, and to a lesser degree, even alcohol. Of course, transcendent states of this nature also parallel episodes of mania in certain individuals. Although we hear little about this aspect of mysticism today, it was popular, even a fad, during the counter-culture of the sixties. With the establishment of the Roman Catholic Church filling the void left by the crumbling Roman Empire, the lamp of knowledge continued to burn, albeit dimly, throughout the dark and middle ages. Writings from those periods give us insights into theistic mysticism; intense prayer, constant meditation, sacraments and supplications lifted their souls above and beyond even the Trinity. Theistic mysticism is introvertive, in that the Holy Presence is sought within the sanctuary of the soul. To seek union with God is to empty the mind of all content and sensations, all thought and reasoning must cease, perceptions cannot be recognized; it is through prayer and meditation, and expectation of a moment or two with the almighty that a rise or ascent begins. Certain conditions must already have been met. The soul must be cleansed. There can be nothing of sin within or without. Once union is attained, the mystic is in a state of pure bliss, and ecstasy; a state so sublime and ineffable they would spend eternity there, were it possible. Memory does remain, and they write eloquently of their experiences. Not all went well for some of the saints, their writings were considered heresy by church authorities, and many came close to feeling the flames of the Inquisition.The oriental or Eastern mystics never had this problem. In India the ancient texts taught the way to liberation and illumination. It was an integral part of their central religion. Yoga, meditation, and asceticism were practiced to cleanse and clear the mind of all thought in preparation for ascent to the Godhead. Buddha later came to teach the way of escape from the suffering of life to the realm of love, peace, and unbounded happiness. The union of Atman with Brahman–the merging of the finite self with the infinite Being of the Universe–became known as Nirvana, attained by following the eight-fold path to paradise.
Nature mysticism usually takes form in an external experience; it is something that comes to the mystic from without. Often there is little hint or expectation of its coming. It is generally an experience that happens in a moment of wonder and overwhelming inspiration; the Creator is life and love breathing within all of nature, the world, and pulsing out to the universe itself. Nature mysticism is not necessarily religious in tone, nor does God usually speak directly to the mystic. Those without any religious inclinations often come to recognize and appreciate the purpose and intentions behind religious Ideals.
Saul of Tarsus probably had an experience with nature mysticism, and only one that we know of. Something happened on the road to Damascus that changed history in a monumental way. After his conversion he became known as St. Paul. Christianity could possibly have died out had it not been for his mystical experience on that road. As Saul of Tarsus, he was very critical of Christ’s teachings, and could have impeded, or even blocked the growth of Christianity. After his conversion he became an advocate for Jesus, and traveled throughout the land preaching the gospel and establishing Christ’s church. This kind of story is not at all common among mystics; rather, they would keep to themselves, and stay as seclusive as possible; saying little for fear of reproach and condemnation.
Over many long years the world has become a very busy, even hectic, place to live. All of our activities have become vital to our everyday lives, and there seems scant little time to settle back and reflect on what it’s all about. Even after the chores and necessities are done for the day, little time is left for rest and recreation. Mysticism is an abstract mystery, and a curiosity to most of us. Who really cares; what does it have to do with anything? Why should I even be interested? Good questions. For starters, it is a huge and profound part of who and what we are. It is the seat and foundation of our existence. We live most of our lives in a state of ignorance, Plato says, the Truth deep within yearning to be free.
Plotinus
Because of the importance of Plotinus in this study, the following material is quoted from the Enneads as translated by Elmer O’Brien. The text from the McKenna translation, which is truer to the original Greek, can lead to some confusion due to the rendering of certain words. The O’Brien translation is not as true to the original Greek, but is friendlier to the reader of the English language. Plotinus remains the authority on the description of mystical states even as a proponent of psychology. As O’Brien says:
“ . . . . So acute and accurate is the introspective psychology of Plotinus that mystics, especially the introspective among them, use his language and use it gladly.” The following are excerpts from the Enneads VI, 9, 3-11. They have been edited somewhat for clarity.
“As the soul advances towards the formless, unable to grasp what is without contour or to receive the imprint of reality so diffuse, it fears it will encounter nothingness, and it slips away. Its state is distressing. It seeks solace in retreating down to the sense realm, there to rest as upon a sure and firm set earth, just as the eye, wearied with looking at small objects, gladly turns to large ones. But when the soul seeks to know its own way–by coalescence and unification–it is prevented by that very unification from recognizing it has found The One for it is unable to distinguish knower and known. . . Because what the soul seeks is The One and it would look upon the source of all reality, namely the Good and the One, it must not withdraw from the primal realm and sink down to the lowest realm. Rather must it withdraw from sense objects, of the lowest existence, and turn to those of the highest. It must free itself from all evil since it aspires to rise to the Godhead. It must rise to the principle possessed within itself; from the multiplicity that it was it must again become one. Only thus can it contemplate the supreme principle, The One. . . . .
Do not let yourself be distracted by anything exterior, for The One is not in some one place, depriving all the rest of its presence. It is present to all those who can touch it and absent only to those who cannot. . . Having freed itself of all externals, the soul must turn totally inward; not allowing itself to be wrested back towards the outer, it must forget everything, the subjective first and, finally, the objective. It must not even know that it is itself that is applying itself to contemplation of The One. . . . .
As The One does not contain any difference, it is always present and we are present to it when we no longer contain difference. The One does not aspire to us, to move around us, we aspire to it, to move around it. Actually, we always move around it; but we do not always look. We are like a chorus grouped about a conductor who allows their attention to be distracted by the audience. If, however, they were to turn towards their conductor, they would sing as they should and would really be with him. We are always around The One. If we were not, we would dissolve and cease to exist. Yet our gaze does not remain fixed upon The One. When we look at it, we then attain the end of our desire and find rest. Then it is that, all discord past, we dance an inspired dance around it. In this dance the soul looks upon the source of life, the source of The Intelligence, the origin of Being, the cause of the Good, the root of The Soul. . . . .
We are not separated from The One, not distant from it, even though bodily nature has closed about us and drawn us to itself. It is because of The One that we breathe and have our being; it does not bestow its gifts at one moment only to leave us again; its giving is without cessation so long as it remains what it is. As we turn towards The One, we exist to a higher degree, while to withdraw from it is to fall. Life here below in the midst of sense objects is for the soul degradation, an exile, and a loss of wings. . . . .
Then of it and of itself the soul has all the vision that may be of itself luminous now, filled with intellectual light, become pure light, subtle and weightless. It has become divine, is part of the eternal that is beyond becoming. It is like a flame. If later it is weighted down again by the realm of sense, it is like a flame extinguished. . . . .
Therefore it is so very difficult to describe this vision, for how can we represent as different from us what seemed, while we were contemplating it, not other than ourselves but perfect at-oneness with us? This, doubtless, is what is back of the injunction of the mystery religions which prohibit revelation to the uninitiated. The divine is not expressible, so the initiate is forbidden to speak of it to anyone who has not been fortunate enough to have beheld it himself. The vision, in any case, did not imply duality; the man who saw was identical with what he saw. Hence he did not “see” it but rather was “oned” with it. . . . .
In that state he had attained unity, nothing within him or without effecting diversity. When he had made his ascent, there was within him no disturbance, no anger, emotion, desire, reason, or thought. Actually, he was no longer himself; but, swept away and filled with the divine, he was still, solitary, and at rest, not turning to this side or that or even towards himself. In this state he busied himself no longer even with the beautiful. He had risen above beauty, had passed beyond even the choir of virtues. . . . .
We as well transcend Being by virtue of The Soul with which we are united. Now if you look upon yourself in this state, you find yourself an image of The One. When you fall from this vision, you will, by arousing the virtue that is within yourself and by remembering the perfection that you possess, regain your likeness and through virtue rise to The Intelligence and through wisdom to The One. Such is the life of the divinity and of divine and blessed men; detachment from all things here below, scorn of all earthly pleasures, the flight of the lone to the alone.”
Although Plotinus is often considered a theistic mystic, his interpretation of union with the One is more closely allied with the Vedantists of the Upanishads. Here union is the merging of the lower self with the Clear Void, or Absolute of the Higher Self. This is a purer form of mysticism, since there is no dualism. Dualism enters the picture with entities that appear intermediate between the finite self and the Godhead, such as the idea of the Trinity.