Many people think of mysticism or even metaphysics as anything but practical. It appears to them as ethereal, fantasy, silly, vague  or even woo-woo, that is, not to be taken seriously. They don’t see it as practical or practical mysticism at all.

I don’t see it that way. I think that mysticism as very practical if you look at it in the right way, with the right mindset. That it is very practical and works in the real world with reality. That it is robust, organic and is very relavant and a part of the real world. So this first lesson was a complete and pleasant surprise to me.

In starting my doctoral studies, I had a lot of questions. In going back and starting again they are still there? Is and can mysticism be practical? What is mysticism? What does it mean and how can it be practical to me or anyone else in the 21st century, especially with all the cynicism that people have today, who rarely, if ever think of mysticism(except those who practice it, of course? What lessons does it have for me, and can I use this every day? And finally, what does practical mysticism mean to me and how can I express it or show it to others to live a better life?

Mysticism is one of the most abused terms of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It refers to anything that is “pie in the sky”, vague daydreams of people who aren’t always living in the real world. I’m not saying they don’t mean well, but they’re a little woo-woo, and can make people feel uncomfortable. It seems to me that a lot of mysticism is full of vague daydreams and wish fulfillment, and where each person seems to think that mysticism bends to their egotistic will. It’s ridiculous! Mysticism is more than someone’s vague daydreams or what they want it to mean. It’s more complex than that because Creation is more complex.

What is Mysticism?

Mysticism is one of the most abused terms of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It refers to anything that is “pie in the sky”, vague daydreams of people who aren’t always living in the real world. I’m not saying they don’t mean well, but they’re a little woo-woo, and can make people feel uncomfortable. It seems to me that a lot of mysticism is full of vague daydreams and wish fulfillment, and where each person seems to think that mysticism bends to their egotistic will. It’s ridiculous! Mysticism is more than someone’s vague daydreams or what they want it to mean. It’s more complex than that because Creation is more complex.

Mysticism tends to be one of those subjects that tends to be dismissed or ridiculed as a general view. It tends to be derogatory when you call someone a mystic. But I don’t believe that’s true. Mysticism, and practical mysticisms are strengths, not weaknesses, and it doesn’t mean that someone uses religion to escape or avoid the real world. It does mean that someone doesn’t see things in the way most people do. This is too simple. Many of the spiritual leaders in history, Jesus included were mystics.

What is Practical Mysticism?

Practical.mysticism is different than most forms and versions of mysticism. Some that I, at least, don’t relate to because it’s so vague, it’s so far apart from real life. It’s so woo-woo, and kinda out there in left field. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of reality in most forms of mysticism. And that’s perfectly fine for most people, but for some people like me, that’s not enouigh. There needs to be some reality in our mysticism. Is it real? Does it work for me? Can I use this to not just to improve my mindset and/or life, and help others as well? Can I use mysticism in the real world? Can I demonstrate this or show others how it’s changed my life, and it can change theirs. That’s when it becomes Practical Mysticism. W, not just I get to enter metaphysics that has a real-life root and basis, and it works in the real world and gives us real-world answers to real-world questions about the world of spirituality. 

Why should we enter the World of Practical Mysticism?

There are many reasons why we should enter the world of Practical Mysticism. I can think of several. One is that we may not be satisfied with what we were taught about religion and spirituality. What worked before, we find no longer serves us or even feels wrong. We feel incomplete, we feel that maybe someone was mistaken or lied to us. We can no longer continue the way we have been going.

A second reason is that we feel a need to reconnect with the divine. With God, Goddess, or that part of the Divine that has been gifted to us by the Divine. We become aware that we need to have a closer relationship with this being. This is when it stops being “religion” and starts being spirituality, at least in my experience.

A third reason and maybe the most important reason to enter the world of practical mysticism is that we don’t just want to have a better life. We want those around us to benefit from a more positive spirituality. We want to help others, family, friends, neighbors and “strangers” alike. I mean, strangers are only people we have not met yet. We feel uncomfortable with keeping our spirituality to ourself, and don’t like to see people hurting. We want to heal them, to guide them to a better life. It’s not just us that we want to help, but others in our life or those who will one day be in our lives.

We are not really separated from the Creator

One of the things I started feeling uncomfortable with, and even awkward was the teaching that we are separte from God because we are naturally sinful and “evil” and require a sacrifice to put things right.

As someone who might have ADHD (haven’t been officially tested yet), I was familiar with the feeling of shame, of never being able to measure up to my what my family wanted, let alone God. I always felt I had to start all over from square one. You wouldn’t believe how tired I got of that! So the idea of being separated from God put me in a state of (almost) perpetual shame and the need to make unending apologies. No “vicaroius salvation” was good enough because I wasn’t good enough. I can’t believe a God of Love wanted that for anyone.

So, when I read that in spirituality and metaphysics that we weren’t really separated from God/The Divine/The Creator, it gave me a sense of relief. I felt that I was on the right path, as it were. Finally! That we could contact God directly without a pastor, without a third party, but using the religious teachers such as Jesus as a guide. This to me was not just metaphysics, not just mysticism, but practical mysticism!

Conclusion

In conclusion, I feel that I am on the right path, starting on the study of metaphysics, practical mysticism, and finding out just what metaphysics and spirituality is all about. I can finally, even though I’m in my 60’s, find my where my purpose is leading me. I can finally realize what it will take to help not just myself and others.

I know that I am on the right path. I know it in my heart, and I know that I can learn to make contact with God and become one with God someday. To evolve into a better person, and it stated with me taking my first steps into metaphysics. The important thing of course, is the second, third steps.

Thank you for listening. Feel free to leave any comments and constructive thoughts below. I hope I have inspired you.