2009 March:

2009 February:

2009 January:

2008 March:

2007 December:

You become a mystic by waking up. You awaken from normal day-to-day awareness into the mystical.


Definition


Mysticism is more a series of progressive spiritual awakenings than it is a study or philosophy. The educational and philosophical aspects of mysticism are important and fascinating, of course, but their purpose is to assist and facilitate the wondrous awakenings of mystical life. The chief value of mystical study is not how many years you have studied but what you have spiritually realized and the person you've become.

You become a mystic through awakening. Just as you find release from a dream by opening your eyes and shifting consciousness from sleep to the world around you, you become mystical by shifting from the normal waking state to a higher level of awareness.


Example
mountain reflected in a lake

For example, you may be having the nightmare that a shark is attacking you. The shark seems very real and terrifying to you. You may, in your dream state, try to swim as fast as you can, kicking your legs and flailing your arms in panic. As the jaws snap closed on your torso, do you die? No. You wake up; you shift your awareness to your quiet, safe bedroom. Immensely relieved, you happily realize, "It was just a dream." You dismiss the shark's jaws and the terror which filled you only a minute before.

In another dream, you are showing your great masterpieces to the leaders of the world, presidents and celebrities. All of them give you awards and want to hear your opinions. But suddenly, the clock radio sounds and you let go your eminent companions to shower quickly, drink coffee, and drive to your job. Here again, you wake up. You switch awareness from a dream state, which seemed so real, back to your daily life and its circumstances. As you proceed along the freeway to your office, you may reflect, "That was a great experience. Too bad I was only dreaming."




A Mystic Act

To know, to get into the truth of anything, is a mystic act...

—Thomas Carlyle, ON HEROES (1841)



Every time you waken from a dream, you are using your amazing ability to shift consciousness from one state to another: dream to wakefulness to dream to wakefulness to dream.... We go on doing this for a lifetime.