Mysticism (from the Greek μυστικός, mystikos, an initiate of a mystery religion[1]) is
the pursuit of communion with, identity with, or conscious awareness of an ultimate
reality, divinity, spiritual truth, or God through direct experience, intuition, or
insight. Mysticism usually centers on a practice or practices intended to nurture that
experience or awareness. Mysticism may be dualistic, maintaining a distinction
between the self and the divine, or may be nondualistic. Differing religious traditions
have described this fundamental mystical experience in different ways:

* Nullification and absorption within God's Infinite Light (Chassidic schools of
Judaism)
* Complete detachment from the world (Kaivalya in some schools of Hinduism,
including Sankhya and Yoga; Jhana in Buddhism)
* Liberation from the cycles of Karma (Moksha in Jainism and Hinduism, Nirvana In
Buddhism)
* Deep intrinsic connection to the world (Satori in Mahayana Buddhism, Te in
Taoism)
* Union with God (Henosis in Neoplatonism and Theosis in Christianity, Brahma-
Prapti or Brahma-Nirvana in Hinduism)
* Innate Knowledge (Irfan and fitra in Islam)
* Experience of one's true blissful nature (Samadhi or Svarupa-Avirbhava in
Hinduism)

Enlightenment or Illumination are generic English terms for the phenomenon, derived
from the Latin illuminatio (applied to Christian prayer in the 15th century) and
adopted in English translations of Buddhist texts, but used loosely to describe the
state of mystical attainment regardless of faith.

Mystic traditions generally form sub-currents within larger religious traditions - such
as Kabbalah within Judaism, Sufism within Islam, Vedanta and Kashmir Shaivism
within Hinduism, Christian mysticism within Christianity - but are often treated
skeptically and sometimes held separately, by more orthodox or mainstream groups
within the given religion, due to the emphasis of the mystics on direct experience and
living realization over doctrine. Mysticism is sometimes taken by skeptics or
mainstream adherents as mere obfuscation, though mystics suggest they are offering
clarity of a different order or kind. In fact, a basic premise of nearly every mystical
path, regardless of religious affiliation, is that the experiences of divine
consciousness, enlightenment and union with God that are made possible via mystical
paths, are available to everyone who is willing to follow the practice of a given
mystical system. Within a given mystical school, or path, it is much more likely for the
mystical approach to be seen as a divine science, because of the direct, replicable
elevation of consciousness the mystical approach can offer to anyone, regardless of
previous spiritual or religious training.

Some mystic traditions can exclude the validity of other traditions. However, mystic
traditions tend to be more accepting of other mystic traditions then the non-mystical
versions of their traditions. This is based on the premise that the experienced divinity
is able to bring other mystics to their own tradition if necessary. Some mystics are
even open to the idea that their tradition may not be the most practical version of
mystic practice.

Most mystic traditions have both positive (+) and negative (-) values of mystical
experience within their own tradition. One example of this is in the New Age
tradition, which simply calls these values positive and negative energy. Another
example is in the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions, which would refer to
these as the influence of good and evil spirits, or good and evil realms - in the case of
an out of body experience.
It is amazing to me how we, the humans that roam planet earth, seek our well-being
in all the wrong places except the only one that can bring us the oneness and peace
that we seek?

We dare not look within yet fail to see that this is the only place left for us to wonder
into.  And what is more amazing is the fact that the day we do what we'll find is, that
which makes us feel alive and whole and can grant us happiness and a life of leisure!

As if we, the humans, had forgotten that within us beats the heart of an indomitable
spirit that cries out to be liberated from the bondage to which we have subjected
ourselves to!

The following pages are filled with ways and means by which you can find your
powers and make them active in your every day lives.  As always i feel indebted to
life for all its bounties and will continue to share those things that i feel have made
an impact in my life with those of you, who like myself are interested in finding a
deeper meaning to life's adventurous journey!

Rev. Rina
Mystic