What is Mysticism?

Within every single religion lies a hidden and mystical tradition. Religion is generally composed of two parts: the exoteric religion of the common Man and the esoteric religion of the mystic. Exoteric religion is the aspect of the world faiths that grants Man communication with the Divine. Man worships the Deity and communicates with "It." Mysticism, however, is to grant Man union with the Divine, that Man may know the Deity on an experiential level. It involves purification of the "self" so that God may dwell within us, losing or tranforming the personality in the process.

The mystical traditions of Islam is called Sufism. The common Muslim will simply pray to God, attend the mosque, and read the Quran. The Sufi, on the other hand, does those things too, but also does certain practices that are suppose to cause a merging or union between God and the human soul. The "whirling dirvishes" are Sufis and they get their names because they will often whirl about in circles in rythm to the beat of a drum in order to induce an altered state of consciousness whereby Man may reach above the normal levels of consciousness in order to obtain a mystical experience with the Divine. This is quite similar to many of the practices of the earth-centered faiths of the Africans and the Native Americans. The Sufi is on the path toward union with the Divine.

The Qabala is the mystical tradition of Judaism and Christianity. It involves the deeper interpretation of the Bible and the direct knowledge of G-d. The common Jew or Christian will go to the synanogue or church, read the Bible, and pray. The outward faith is communication with the Divine. In the Qabala, however, Man is to reach union with the Divine. This is the transformation of the personality. Qabala uses a central diagram called the "Tree of Life." This "World Tree" is a map of the human psyche and the forces within it. The Qabala is said to be a dangerous science because of the forces evoked within the consciousness. This is a serious transformation of the personality and many have seen the consequences of those who enter into it without the proper training that might lose their minds. This is because it is a very real and serious transformation of the consciousness, one which involves the losing of one's "self" to the Higher Nature and faculties within Man. Is it possible that within the Judeo-Christian faith is a path that leads toward union with the Divine? Indeed it is.

Hinduism as a faith is rather exoteric, as are the faiths fore-mentioned. However, the esoteric principles embody what is commonly referred to as "Yoga." Many westerners practice Yoga for the health of the body, but the physical postures and breathing are only small aspects of this religious science. Those practices are mostly utilized in order to cleanse and perfect the body in order to make it a proper and fit vessel for the soul of the Divine.

Knowing that mysticism is the deeper and often hidden aspect contained within the world religions, one might begin to wonder what the practices are. his will be the subject of many subsequent articles, as the focus is upon spirituality and different diverse paths. Union with God? Is this possible? So, instead of just speaking to God one may become one with the Deity Itself. This is the central element of every world religion (although I only mentioned four faiths here for the purpose of brevity) and is the science of self transformation. Man is to rise above what he is, or believes himself to be, in order to become a vessel for the Deity: God within the self, through which we are all "one."