• What is Christian Mysticism ? •

The word "mystical" means a spiritual reality or experience that is not perceived by the five physical senses. A mystical experience is different than having a belief because a mystical experience involves coming into a direct relationship with God. Feeling God, seeing God, and knowing God cannot be accomplished by belief alone. Belief in something may nudge you in the direction of finding out something or inspire you to hope for something. A belief in God may move a person towards having a relationship with God. A direct, personal experience of God is what every mystic strives to attain. Christian mysticism is the process of coming into the experience of God at the center of one's being. A mystic meditates and prays and strives to be in close relationship with God throughout the day and throughout their life. Only through a direct experience can you say you know anything for certain.

Christian Mysticism refers to the Christian approach to the experience of God within, coming under the teachings of Jesus and Mother Mary. Mysticism is at the center of every world religion and involves the seeker in a serious search for God at the center of one's being. The mystical side of Buddhism is called Zen, that of Islam is called Sufism. In Hinduism it would be called Kriya Yoga and in Judaism, Kabala. In Christianity it is simply called Christian Mysticism. Jesus was certainly a mystic, as was Buddha, Krishna, and the founders of all the major religions. All who have similarly sought to move beyond dogma and concepts into the direct experience of God and God's love are known as mystics. The mystics from any of the traditions understand one another because the inner experience is the same. There have been many mystics: St. Teresa of Avila, St. Francis of Assisi, Paramahansa Yogananda, St John of the Cross, and Rumi to name a few.

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