What is a mystic, anyway? And why have I titled the website “Little Known Mystic?” “Mystic,” besides being a river in eastern Massachusetts flowing southeast into Boston Harbor, is defined by Merriam-Webster for English learners as “a person who tries to gain religious or spiritual knowledge through prayer and deep thought : someone who practices mysticism.” Perhaps taking a zig where there should have been a zag, Merriam-Webster lists some synonyms as magic, magical, numinous, occult, weird. And I say maybe that this is a detour—to lump mystic and mystical with the occult or religious or, well downright weird? Moving back up-hill the roots of mystic are intertwined with the word mystery. So here we have descriptions such as “secret,” “unexplained,” unknown;” including the phrase “not understandable by the application of human reason alone.” Ok, so we just don’t know. From a logical scientific exercise we can go circularly (exchanging word for word — example being the definition or meaning of “mystery”). Life, existence, being is a mystery. A very cool non-secular definition of mystic was provided by Evelyn Underhill (in 1915!). “Mysticism is the art of union with Reality. The mystic is a person who has attained that union in greater or less degree; or one who aims at and believes in such attainment.” See Practical Mysticism. An example of a contemporary writing in blog format, examining the traits of a mystic is available here: Am I a Mystic. One thing perhaps left out, according to my even lesser known mystical friend, is willingness or desire to let go or try and let go of your ego, and your attachments.
The term “Mysticism” seems to have been primarily been used by writers of non-Asian countries, but the fundamental essence applies both in the East and West and we could say that the Buddha was a mystic and certainly many of the yogis/holy men of India. Finally, I am blown away at finding this super discussion of Mysticism on the Wiki. Please read on.
So this little discussion has exposed a lovely can of worms with them all wiggling around asking more questions! The snake biting its tale. But as the intro blog stated, how can some eastern thought such as the Buddhist tradition be translated to the west? The western culture seems so rational, but even William Shakespeare in As You Like it has his character narrate: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages.” Going further according to Hindu and Yogic traditions life is merely lila or Devine play. If this kind of thought makes you uncomfortable –that life is simply illusion or perhaps pre-destined, it does the same for me. Sometimes a tree is just a tree. And for sure, if it is falling and you are in the way, the consequences will be significant. We will do some more examination. Stay mindful!
Little Known Mystic 