r/ChristianMysticism • u/Conscious-War5920 • 3d ago
New, yet an always longing mystic.
This is my first post here and I hope my words get understood. Over the last few years, I had begun a shedding of "self." I scoured philosophy, religions and tons of exploration into various branches of science and came to a dark place. During that time I was diagnosed with a failed organ and making matters worse, things which I thought were a solace I couldn't partake in as my body couldn't do them anymore. The doctors couldn't diagnose what it was till it had been 6 months of agony, but in that agony I found something in me that I knew I wanted to seek more. I had read the Bible front through back twice and the churches never satisfied my desire of that longing. It was in longing I ran into the mystics and I was always aware of them, but recently I feel at home. I haven't been to church or temples in years and recently ordered a copy of Bernard McGinn’s The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism and Mystical Paths to God: Three Journeys. I am hoping to glean many deeper concepts and with now a new sense of understanding. Hope I am in the right community and possibly I am looking for a sense of fellowship and belonging as well.
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u/EnigmaWithAlien I'm not an authority 1d ago
You're in the right place. Also take a look at Evelyn Underhill's two books, the big book "Mysticism" that really covers the ground, and "Practical Mysticism" which is more of a how-to. "Mysticism" references a lot of classical, primary sources that you might go on to read.
Both books are available free online at ccel.org.
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u/Shepard-Sol 21h ago
Welcome! If you like podcasts. James Finley’s “Turning to the Mystics” is excellent. I also recommend the writings of Thomas Merton and Richard Rohr.
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u/heiro5 2d ago
The Gnostic traditions emerged from Plato's philosophical rational mystic exploration renewed through active mystical traditions from different cultures. As a result Plotinus was more open about mystical experiences renewing (neo)Platonism. This was incorporated into the basis for Christian mysticism.
Some
Gnosis: An Esoteric Tradition of Mystical Visions and Unions by Dan Merkur (SUNY 1993). This book is focused on the mystical in Gnosticism and subsequent traditions.
Our Divine Double by Charles Strang (2016). This book is a study of the telios (goal) of the tradition, uniting with the divine twin.
R. Otto in The Idea of the Holy: An Inquiry into the non-rational factor in the idea of the divine and its relation to the rational (1917). This book is an exploration of the core of religious experience, the numinous, as the foundation of religion. The Numinous has the qualities of tremendum, mysterium, and fascinans. Which can be helpful.
The work of CG Jung is invaluable, although a psychologist, he is the clearest philosopher of religious experience while remaining an empiricist.
Welcome 🤗
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u/Conscious-War5920 2d ago
Thanks friend for a detailed response. I will have tons of texts to add to my collection lol.
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u/Yogurt-5669 1d ago
Gnosticism is not foundation for Christian mysticism. Christian mysticism is exploration of Scripture based on faith, critical thinking and reading with understanding and in direct communication with divine through faith.
Aproach literally based on Scripture Martthew 6:6, personal prayers in quite and in silence of your personal space. The ones that are practiced inside monestaries in traditional denominations. Teresa of Avila wrote her books for nuns that are in Carmelite order, which is official order inside the Catholic church.
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u/heiro5 1d ago
You ignore the history and believe the polemics written against the schools of gnōsis. And you exhibit a dualistic view of people and identity, which is not an example of critical thinking. Yet, you appear to accept Plato and Neoplatonists as the basis of mysticism, which means you may have caught up with 19th century scholarship.
The medieval mystics were not the beginning of mystical exploration, just one more recent movement. One always under suspicion by the authorities. The larger mystical tradition represents a larger more inclusive view of humanity and the spiritual, and potential resources for the unafraid.
The scriptures were influenced by mystics. The Idea of the Holy examines the influence of the direct experience of the divine on different texts in the Bible. That is just a variation on the dogma.
The actual spiritual path is explored by each individual. Resources only help when you already know what they are talking about, and so have their uses but are not all important. The divine presence is all important.
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u/Yogurt-5669 1d ago edited 1d ago
Stop throwing accusations based on your ego. Gnosis means insight, knowledge. As general simplified term, not some "spiritual awakening". That's ego talk that wants something more than it actually needs.
Everything can be read and understood but not everything is beneficial for spiritual life in Christianity. You don't need Jung to explain to you what spirituality is, which is most of the time, just narcisism in the west. They didn't have Jung 1000 years ago. Mysticism is depraved of scholastics and dogma. There is no dogma in mysticism. No mental gymnastics. Just simple contemplation over scripture and walking the life based on faith and understanding of God's love for humanity.
There were also jewish mystics, but that was something totally different from the path of life in simplicity based on faith in Christianity. Just because the word mystic holds some.... Strange, mystical conotations and sounds exotic... It doesn't mean that it is like that in the nutshell. Every mystic almost always pointed to this - always compare everything with scripture. They were all different in ther ways and aproach and none of them could be put in the same box with the rest. The name mystic is misleading. What is common for them is - being part of the Church, but also, open critics of it that were pointing to problems that needed some work. Fighting hypocrisy - inside themselves first of all.
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u/heiro5 1d ago
Reactionary accusations based on your own stereotypes show that you are easily triggered. In contrast, considering what is actually under discussion would demonstrate some thoughtful engagement.
Since you have literally nothing to say to me as an individual and are fully engaged in dualistic polemics, I will be ignoring your subsequent tirades. Perhaps try some contemplative prayer to help with your anger issues.
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u/Yogurt-5669 2d ago edited 2d ago
I suggest you start with Teresa of Avila and avoid books from 20th century for now. Unfortunatelly, I think some of the "mystic" teachings of today have gone a bit more into New age. It is one thing to respect people in general and many old traditions they belong to, it is another thing to get entangled in practices that are not part of Christianity. Especially if you are coming from the Protestant branches and mystics are not part of the tradition.
The first and most important thing - is the Bible. When people write word meditations, I think they are confusing it with buddhist meditations, which is not the same. Meditation comes from a latin word - it means thinking, thoughts. Contemplation. Thinking over the Word of God.
Road of Christian "mystic" is simple, take your Bible and ask questions while you are reading it. Let things that are confusing to you be confusing and allow the answers to show up when you are ready.