Mysticism is a lifelong journey of learning and contemplation. Identifying a spiritual practice or tradition that resonates with you and begins to answer your questions is the first step. But then the real work begins. If you want to establish a personal connection with the spiritual realm as a mystical thinker, you can learn the basics of contemplation, prayer, and meditation, and discover how to deepen this practice into a serious understanding. Are you ready to accept this challenge?
Mystical Thinking
Step 1. Feel the presence of a guiding hand.
Feel the presence of a guiding hand. Whether you consider yourself a deeply spiritual person or not, a mystic is someone who seeks to find order in chaos and gather evidence of that order. If you are the type of person who sees every strange coincidence, every elegant metaphor, or every beautiful rainbow as a sign of something greater, you may begin to feel the presence of a guiding hand that you trust.
- Religious mystics believe in a higher power, a mighty being that creates and governs the world and the people within it. Sometimes, as in Zen Buddhism, there is also a belief that asceticism and meditation are the true ways to understand the world.
- Mystics are not always religious, although they often are. The works of quantum physicists and Jungian psychologists often border on mysticism, the deeper they delve. Whatever system, being, or practice you believe in—believe in it!
Step 2. Observe the interconnectedness of things around you.
Observe the interconnectedness of things around you. Strive to find order and balance in the world, rather than emphasizing differences and discrepancies. Seek what you have in common with your adversaries.
- Regardless of your spiritual or religious leanings, it would be beneficial to explore a wide range of mystical works across various disciplines and doctrines. Christian writer Thomas Merton devoted a great deal of time to studying Zen Buddhism.
Step 3. Pay special attention to experience.
Pay special attention to experience. What is mysticism? What distinguishes a Christian mystic from an ordinary Christian or a Buddhist mystic from an ordinary Buddhist? In various practices, disciplines, and cultures, mystics share one thing in common: a deep personal and spiritual connection with their belief system. For a mystic, personal experience of spirituality is always stronger and more significant than what they read or hear. It is not enough for a mystic to simply attend church.
- Avoid ostentatious material attributes in some religions. You do not need an expensive rock garden, a koi pond, or a meditation mat to be a Buddhist mystic. You do not need a 13th-century crucifix to be a Christian.
Step 4. Be present in the moment.
Be present in the moment. A mystic must center themselves and be fully present in the here and now at all times. Mystics cannot be distracted by electronic devices, stress, or a complicated daily schedule. Instead, a mystic must focus completely on one thing at a time. When you eat, just eat. Fully concentrate on nourishing your body, take your time, and enjoy what you eat. When you read the news, focus on the information, the words, and understanding the concepts. Immerse yourself in each task.
- This may prove surprisingly difficult, and it won't happen right away. Text message alerts and the constant noise of the 21st century can be very distracting to slowing down and concentrating. Try to simplify your life as much as possible. Start small. Put your phone away and use it only when you actively need to make a call or send a message.
Step 5. Question everything.
Question everything. Mystics seek personal connections with the spiritual world and their own essence, rather than accepted narratives. Common wisdom and clichés are meant to be questioned by mystics. If you want to develop your mystical connection to the world, both seen and unseen, start asking the important questions. Whatever your religious or spiritual preferences may be, learn to ask the crucial questions:
- Why are we here?
- What does it mean to live a good life?
- Who am I?
- What happens when we die? What does death mean for me?
Step 6. Trust your intuition.
Trust your intuition. It is not only important to ask significant questions but also to trust your instincts that will lead you to the answers you seek. Trust yourself. Develop your intuition and confidence in your abilities. Cast aside your doubts and believe that you have enough faith to find what you are looking for.
Establish a Mystical Foundation
Step 1. Read the works of mystics from your tradition.
Read the works of mystics from your tradition. Studying mystical writings and texts is a primary way to learn about the lives of mystics. Each tradition has many different mystics and various doctrines, so it's important to gain some understanding of the essence of different writings. Everything begins to seem interconnected and more similar than different:
- Thomas Merton, "No Man Is an Island"
- Augustine of Hippo, "Confessions"
- "The Cloud of Unknowing," author anonymous
- Julian of Norwich, "Revelations of Divine Love"
- Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, "Introduction to Zen Buddhism"
- The Stories of Nasreddin from the Sufi tradition
Step 2. Identify the core aspects of your practice.
Identify the core aspects of your practice. Mystical practice is a combination of meditation and contemplation along with certain tenets of your religion or other practices. Each religious life will be unique because each religious person is unique. The decision about what will be most important for you and your practice is a decision that only one person can make: you.
- For some Christian mystics, the most important aspect of practice is living a life as closely aligned with the life of Jesus as possible. For others, spreading the Gospel holds great significance. Both mindsets can lead to mysticism and a profound understanding of the spiritual world.
Step 3. Make spiritual practice a top priority.
Make spiritual practice a top priority. There are no part-time mystics. No matter how deep your connection to religion and important questions may be, it must be your top priority in life. Not work, not family, not hobbies. Your connection to the cosmos should be your greatest commitment.
- For many, being a mystic means leading a fully ascetic lifestyle. Most mystics had reasons to become monks. If you want to be a mystic, it will not be easy to go out and have fun on Saturday night. Are you ready to commit?
Step 4. Embrace mystery.
Embrace mystery. Part of Zen meditation is letting go of all worries and embracing emptiness. For a mystic, this emptiness should be a space of being. Trusting your instincts and delving into the most important questions tends to lead to more answers than questions. It may be frustrating or liberating to realize that you may never know what happens to you after you die, or whether you are truly seeing the world in the "right" way.
Dive Deeper
Step 1. Develop a system of deep beliefs with prayer and contemplation.
Develop a system of deep beliefs with prayer and contemplation. Whatever religion or belief system you associate with, or even if you do not identify with any organized religion, you need to carve out time in your schedule for deep contemplation and meditation. Pray, meditate, and constantly contemplate.
- To start praying, focus less on specific questions like "yes/no" and more on feelings. What feelings arise within you when you connect with the higher power you believe in? How do conversations with your God affect your soul?
- Some monks dedicate equal time to reading great books, meditating, and contemplating, feeling the peace. Make it a general rule not to spend more time in prayer than you do studying religious texts, and vice versa.
Step 2. Cultivate awareness through meditation.
Cultivate awareness through meditation. Meditative practice has no specific goal or outcome. You do not necessarily emerge from meditation feeling like you learned something or found the solution to the big problems you were seeking. Instead, focus on tranquility and enhancing awareness, and then carry these with you into the world.
- To begin meditating, learn to calm your thoughts and observe them as they float through your consciousness without actively recognizing them. Simply sit, focus on your breath, and fix your gaze on emptiness.
- Try to maintain a meditative state of mind for as long as possible throughout the day. Pay attention to the little things. Do not rush.
Step 3. Let go of unnecessary beliefs.
Let go of unnecessary beliefs. A popular Zen saying compares Zen to a boat. You use it when you need to cross to the other side of the river, but you do not take it with you. Learn to leave Zen on the shore when it becomes unnecessary. Religion, meditative practices, and other aspects of your mystical experience should serve your understanding of the world, not burden it.
Step 4. Surround yourself with mystical people.
Surround yourself with mystical people. It is very important to spend time with like-minded individuals who take their practice of mysticism seriously. Learn by observing and conversing with people from your church, organization, or other religious groups. Share ideas and interpretations with each other. Learn as much as you can.
- In some traditions, seeking a teacher, mentor, or guru is an integral part of practicing one's own mysticism and developing mystical thinking. If you are ready to commit to a serious practice, consider finding a personal teacher.
