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| Jacob's Ladder - William Blake |
I don’t know exactly where to start – it would make sense to
start with the very beginning of mysticism, but the truth is that no one can
really put a date to it. It might make sense to begin with a definition, but
even a definition is somewhat difficult because it is a broader term than one
might think. I can turn my attention to what mysticism does, and even that might be somewhat difficult to describe in
objective, pragmatic terms because of a befuddling plethora of traditions. Of
course one of my main goals is to clear away all of the mystical, magical
language and funny words associated with the subject so that anyone can
understand what it’s all about. Greater minds than mine have attempted such introductions
with the same goals – and have done a much better job than what I’m doing now –
but both time and the volume of new information have put us back in the same
situation as when these greater minds were at work. That is – gross
misunderstanding and prejudgments made from ignorance prevent many people from
taking a serious look at mysticism.
Be that as it may, ignorance isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it’s probably the
very best place to begin. If that sounds strange to you, visit my previous post on ignorance to find my explanation. Otherwise, read on for an introductory
glance at:
- The roots of the word “mysticism”
- The fundamental branches of mysticism
- What mysticism is
- What mysticism is not
So far as I can find, the words mystic, mysticism, and
mystery derive from the Greek mystes,
from the verb myein – “to shut” or
“to conceal”. I’ve also found mystes
defined as “one who is initiated” and as the root of the Greek mystikos, which is similarly defined.
These words are closely tied to the so-called “Mystery Schools” or “Mystery
Cults” of ancient Greece and Egypt. These schools dramatized the stories of the
gods to divulge the mysteries to their initiates, who were sworn to secrecy. Any uninitiated person who may have observed the dramas would not have the same understanding as a mystikos, or initiate of the school.These themes of initiation and silence continue to this day, and the words mystery and mysticism still imply information that is knowable but concealed, secret, or yet to be understood. This isn't necessarily some profound arcane knowledge from some ancient tome or a mantra, but perhaps some principle that can not be communicated through words alone - a knowledge that comes from within oneself, through effort.
For now, just keep in mind that mysticism is not about
looking for miracles, achieving instant results, bending the laws of physics or
ignoring science in favor of “supernatural” explanations for things. Rather than escaping reality, it is
about interacting with reality - through whatever means suit you - in order to
know and express your deepest self. For millennia, certain individuals have
used special methods for such self-development. The word “mystic” would be a
proper term for those individuals and their methods, but only if we remove all
of our modern connotations and prejudices from the word (and in doing so,
expose those who would exploit it). The underlying theme of any true “mystical”
tradition is primarily human transformation.
In The Tree of Life,
Israel Regardie makes the case that the cultural and spiritual atrophy apparent
in modern society are the direct result of a lack of communication with
reality, and that mysticism is the only way to get us back on track. Some might
say he’s a bit too idealistic or even moralistic in his ideas; nevertheless,
his work has proven to be invaluable to more than myself as both a practical
and academic resource. We may discuss him more in the future, but for now it is
more important to note that in The Tree
of Life, he also identified two branches of mysticism: Western magick and
Eastern Yoga. As I write this, I can’t help but to wonder how Regardie would
have classified shamanism, which (so far as we can tell) predates both magick
and yoga. Perhaps shamanism is the common root shared by these branches, but my
purpose here is to expose some of the common themes so that we may delve deeper into
these subjects and learn how they affect our daily lives.
The word “shamanism” really describes the spiritual
practices of a particular group of people in Northern Asia, but it’s become
common to apply the term “shamanism” to a diverse collection of spiritual
practices among various groups of people. “Shaman” has become a somewhat more
politically correct way to say “medicine man” or “witch doctor.” The key
elements here are that a shaman acts as an intermediary between humans and
spirits for the good of his or her community. To do this, a shaman must access
states of mind that allow him or her to interact with the spirits or the spirit
world. Specific methodologies vary, but the common ideas are that a shaman
enters different states of mind to interact with some normally unseen element
of reality in order to help the community in some way.
It might surprise you if I told you that the Roman Catholic
Church is one of (if not the) largest
modern institution that currently practices ceremonial magick. The church, however,
does not call it “magick” but mass, communion, sacrament, etc. to separate
Church practice from Paganism, Satanism, superstition, and other un-Christian
practice. Magick is now commonly spelled with a “k” specifically to distinguish
it from spiritualism and “stage magic” performed for entertainment. That factor
has done little to maintain its integrity and reputation, and interest in
ritual or ceremonial magick is not usually something one shares with his or her
“normal” neighbors and friends. In its simplest definition, magick is a means
of causing change through the application of willpower. Building on that, a
“magickal system” is a system of mnemonics in which every element of a
particular working or ceremony is intended to focus your attention,
imagination, and emotions. What’s important to note for my purposes here, is
that magick is the form of mysticism that grew within and influenced the
advancement of Western civilization.
Despite what your yoga instructor may have told you, those
yoga positions you've been learning don’t have anything to do with ancient
India. Most, if not all, of them were developed by a European guy within the
last hundred years or so (if that far back). The oldest known writings about
yoga are found in the Hindu Vedas, but there is reason to believe that yoga
predates Hinduism. Most scholars divide yoga’s history into four distinct
periods: Vedic, pre-classical, classical, and post-classical. The yoga
practiced in your local gym has its roots in yoga’s post-classical period, but
today’s yoga focuses primarily on only one or two of the eight aspects of
classical yoga.
We’ll take a more detailed look at these topics in the near
future; for now, let them sit in the back of your mind as you consider the
differences between the East and West.
Contrary to popular belief and despite what I've said so far
about magick, mysticism is not “magical thinking” nor is it denial of
scientifically-tested phenomenon. It has nothing to do with Harry Potter or
other fantasy, but it does require a degree of imagination and often draws upon
mythology. Mysticism is a system (or a blanket term for such systems) of exerting
one’s willpower to explore both inner
and outer reality, of knowing oneself and learning about the universe. It is a
system of interacting with and creating not only your experience of reality,
but reality itself. This seems outlandishly fantastical when described in such
broad terms, but it does not contradict “scientific” understanding nor is it
something reserved for ascetic yogis, secluded monks, austere shamans, and mad
men. It is not reserved for “goth” kids, vampires, Satanists, pagans, witches,
“psychics” or the “New Age” movement. Nor is it even a wholly religious
phenomenon – though it can be considered as the root of religion, one might say
that contemporary religions are in a state of degradation because they have
lost their mystical keys.
References/Further Reading:
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