Mysticism and Its Phenomenon in the Culture - Essay Example

I.INTRODUCTION Mysticism is an experience of a mystery (Olivera, 2003); too often a religious, and supernatural mystery, though not always. Such a mystery could be the direct seizure of God or of any deity in an affective manner, beyond the realm of the cognitive though not against it, and often transcending it. Mysticism is also defined as “direct experience of ultimate reality “(McGinn,1991 ); however, this reality is more of an experiential rather than a logical induction of events. Moreover, this “ultimate reality” can be coined in many terms such as “God”, ”Tao” ”nirvana”; thus, it is term given by a group of religious people to something that is “uncondi- tioned, independent of anything else, most existent, dependable, valuable” (Carmody, 1996). Moreover, people attached mysticism with symbolic experience as these symbols represent something that identifies them with their own culture . These symbols are “ sensuous images” that becomes an imaged reality ,which subsequently affect the human world in an effective manner ( Van Roo,1981). Thus, we cannot separate man’s constructs of a mystic God from his culture and his environment. It is always part of the package on one’s culture. A more intense argument for mystical experience is given by Loth (1981) in which he argues that mysticism is not philosophical, but a gift from God himself as represented by His son ( Jesus ) . II. ORIGINS OF MYSTICISM Historically, the active formation of religious groups or cults during the Greco-Roman era started mystic movements in which modern day Christianity can be attributed to. A closer looks at etymology of the Greek word mysterion, mystery," was derived from myein, "to close,". Fanning ( 2001 ) argued that the followers of these religious groups or cults were bound by an oath that would protect their secrets, thus, “to close”would allude to their mouths being shut so as not to reveal anything lest they be accused of sorcery or witchcraft . Mysticism is experienced by persons rooted in various cultures, of various religious heritages and at various eras in the historical record (Albright, 2001). Mysticism is a mystery at work in humans (Olivera, 2003) and mostly among those with deep religious orientation but is nonetheless not a purely human activity. The divine (God and lesser deities) and human elements coalesce and produce the mystical experiences, albeit, in varied ways among various religious beliefs and often adapted to peoples’ worldviews, cultures, genders and personality traits. In these mystical or religious experiences, a spiritual union between the divine and the human occurs. This union can be dubbed as “spiritual coitus” or “union with God” and not only unites the soul to the revealing deity but also elicits deep unity and blissful delight within itself. This way of the mystic among Christians, epitomized by Teresa of Avila in the sixteenth-century Spain, is said to lead to a deep inner calm (Albright). To mystics mystical experiences offer complete enthrallment in their souls and offer life changing and beneficent effects. Mystical experiences are a unifying activity between the divine and human, where self is lost or surrendered over to deity, although not extinguished, but transcended in profound pleasure and wonderful satisfaction. Others view the experience as also a “dark night of the soul” (a term coined by the Christian mystic St. John of the Cross). Here the mystic experience intense spiritual pain and a feeling of abandonment by deity. These dark nights of the soul is believed to be nothing else but still of God (Jasper, 2005). The effect of this painful experience ultimately is spiritually beneficial to the mystic, with deeper and stronger spiritual union with the deity. Ironically however, mystical or religious experiences among Christians both detaches and unites them (Peterson, 2002). In medieval times, Roman Catholicism tolerated the influx of mysticism, but with a suspicious and sentinel like attitude (Peterson, 2002). Within Protestantism some clasped and nurtured their peculiar brand of mystical experiences while others in disgust and trepidation attribute such activities to the realm of the demonic. As already indicated, mystical experiences are not only confined within the realm of Christianity. People from all walks of life – even anti and quasi religious ones – claim to have had some type of mystical or religious experiences. Quite obviously, no one has a monopoly on mystical and religious experiences. For example, 40 to 70 per cent of nonreligious individuals surveyed in Great Britain and in the United States claimed to have had some kind of religious or mystical experiences (Peterson, 2002). Still, those of other religious beliefs and persuasions experience mysticism at a frequent and consistent rate. It is claimed that Buddhism is perhaps the most mystical of all religions (Roger, 1996). Subscribers of Eastern religious beliefs, rituals and practices, frequently experience mystical familiarity and understanding; thus, mystical or religious experiences are not solely Christian and biblical in character pose diverse prospects and complication to those who want to delve the matter deeper. Also no mystical and religious experiences can be categorized into one single structure or basis. The complexity of categorizing mystical experiences is a gargantuan task no one even from among the scientific and religious institutions could handle and wholly understand. In particular, the causes of mystical and religious experiences may be beyond the grasp of anyone to fully comprehend. Nonetheless, much understanding and knowledge has been achieved through the study and research of this phenomenon since then. Traditions & Varieties of Mysticism That there are Christian, Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist traditions of mysticism is a fact. Each of these traditions have their peculiar ways of experiencing the mystical and the religious. For example, Buddhist tradition long has identified two distinct styles of meditation: (1) mental fixation leading to tranquillity (samatha) or concentration (samadhi) and (2) detached observation of phenomena, leading to insight (vipasyana) or wisdom (prajna) (Jackson, 1996). Christians on the other hand, in their search for spiritual development through the centuries, have observed many disciplines, and many have relied upon such classics as Thomas á Kempis’ Imitatio Christi, Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises, John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, or the matter-of-fact nineteenth-century American spiritual guidebook, The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life by Hanna Whitall Smith (Albright). Other religious persuasions too have their own ways of experiencing the divine and the mystical. Some Key Figures in Mysticism In any religion around the world, there are “mystics” who stands out from the common followers. A good definiton of a mystic was given by King ( 20001 ) referring to them as the “elect of the elect, ” or the “friends of God.” A few names under each religion are as follows: Shankara and Sri Ramakrishna in Hinduism; Augustine, William Blake, St. John of the Cross, Thomas Merton in Christianity; Al-Ghazali, Yunus Emre in Islam;Moses, Habbakuk, and Menachem Mendel Schneerson for the Jews; while Buddhist mystics are Siddhartha Gautama and Bodhidharma . It would also be worth mentioning a well-known Islamic mystic and thinker named Iqbal who integrated concepts of Science and accepted Einstein’s notions of space and time ( Schimmel, 1994 ). MYSTICISM AND NEUROETHOLOGY The other side of looking at mysticism and mystical experiences would be from the scientific viewpoint. Mystical and religious experiences can be chemically induced in the brain. The use of psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), mescaline, dimethyltryptamine (DMT) (Snyder, 2006), for example, creates hallucinatory images in the brain that could be construed as mystical or religious in nature, though not always. The use of hallucinogenic plants (e.g. certain kinds of mushrooms, etc.) (Peterson, 2002) could produce mystical like experiences in a very limited scale. Accidents and injuries resulting to brain damage (Peterson, 2002) too could stir the mind to manufacture hallucinatory images which can be described as mystical. In some mysterious way, individuals who had bouts with epilepsy (Peterson, 2002) claim to have had gone though a mystical experience. People who have experiences of Near Death Experience (NDE) also relate stories that are otherworldly in nature. Even the practice of Meditation (Peterson, 2002) can trigger mystical and religious activity in the brain and can be monitored with the use of electroencephalogram (EEG). Obviously, the possibility of having mystical experiences is not only confined to the realm of religion and within the spiritual domain of things. Purely physical and physical things can trigger mystical and religious experiences in people. Nevertheless, incorporating mysticism with drugs is a dangerous proposition. It was argued by Karuveliel ( 2000 ) that when people attempt to manufacture their own ‘religious ‘experiences using substances, it is a form of a diseases ,and thereby “ divorcing religion from its constitutive intentionality “ which is a very selfish way of putting emphasis on the feelings of euphoria, found in “both mystical and drug-induced states”. The paradox of mysticism as a mystery is seen in its dual nature. That it is a mystery signifies it is outside of human ability alone to create and manufacture, thus, outside of the realm of human discipline. But since it is an experience, and experiences can be repeated and verified (though not all experiences can be) makes it acceptable and categorized as a discipline. The human piece in this experience often centers inside the cranium. The fact that mysticism involves the brain (and the mind) implies it could be construed as a discipline and can be researched and regulated. Religious and mystical experiences may involve almost every part of the brain (Albright) and the value of the experience is dependent upon its structure and plasticity. The brain and how it works is the byproduct of four features: nature (genes, nutrition, disease, and natural law, etc.), nurture (interaction with others from infancy to childhood and throughout life), oneself (a person’s own thoughts and choices) and God (Albright). The human brain retains considerable plasticity throughout life and requires activity in order to remain healthy especially as old age approaches (Albright). More on the brain below. Mysticism as a discipline has been observed since the dawn of mankind. Man religious by nature had developed ways of knowing and experiencing the divine or supernatural. Mystics condition themselves mentally, physically and emotionally to undergo a mystical or religious experiences. That mystical and religious experience can be a discipline is no longer debatable. Countless peoples all over the world regularly experience mystical experiences. Indian and Chinese spiritual practitioners have thousands of years of experience in the techniques of altered states of mind and how to use these for spiritual encounters (Krieglstein, 2005). Often mystical experiences happen due to a variety of mental and moral problems that plague persons before their mystical encounter (Spilka, Brown & Cassidy, 1992). The nature of the mystical experience itself elicits various mental and emotional influences and impressions. The following are the common components of the mystical experience: (1) A sense of the presence of the divine; (2) Feelings of unity and completeness; (3) Impressions of reverence, sacredness and holiness; (4) Awareness of new knowledge and spiritual enlightenment; (5) Positive emotions of happiness, joy and peace; (6) A variety of strong emotional and physical reactions; and (7) Some evidence of extra sensory stimulation and possibly some hallucinatory behavior (Spilka, Brown & Cassidy, 1992). The postexperience event have varied indicators such as heightened security, the resolution of personal problems, favorable modifications in behavior, increases in religious activity and strengthened belief in extraordinary phenomena (Spilka, Brown & Cassidy, 1992). Quite obviously, the aftermath of mystical experiences are often positive, albeit not always. In mystical experiences deities reveal themselves and bequeath upon their human partners a conglomeration of pain and pleasure. Christian mystics in particular, experienced the physical agonies resulting from the experience but at the same time, reveling and exhilarating in it. In Ron Hansens novel Mariette inEcstasy (1991) in which Mariette, though banished from her convent, remains a stigmatic and Christs “lover” declares, I found myself again before Jesus, who was suffering such terrible pain. He was horrible with blood and his breathing was hard and troubled...Kneeling there below his cross, I saw that blood no longer issued from his wounds, but only flashing light as hot as fire. And all of a sudden I felt a keen hurt as those flames touched my hands and feet and heart, I have never felt such pain before, and I have never been so happy (Jasper, 2005). Projects There are those who espouse the use of mystical experience to further the development of human education and culture. The implication of this scheme is based on the facts that traditional educational systems and methodologies are inept and inadequate to fully meeting the whole person. There is more to humans than just skeletons, nerves, muscles and tissues. A wholistic approach seems necessary to meet the real and deepest needs and complexities of what it is to be human. Krieglstein for example, insinuates the use of mysticism in the educational system to equip children of different kinds of learning. Getting his ideas from certain educators, he suggests that learning institutions and educators delve on ways on how to encourage students “to live a passionate and spiritual life.” (Krieglstein, 2005). Though he merely hints of the idea, the possibility that mysticism – learning its methods and techniques – might indeed be part of the curriculum of any learning institution in the future. The probable dilemma of this scheme however is which religious persuasion will serve as the avenue or avenues for the actual learning process. That no doubt rest on the hands of the educators of the future. The ramifications of this attempt however will no doubt have gargantuan repercussions. Mystical Experiences and Its Effects on the Brain & the Mind Neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran in his paper in 1979 claimed that certain kinds of religious experience originated in the temporal lobe of the brain – variously called the “God- spot,” “God-module,” “Godectomy” respectively (Peterson, 2002). Immediately, the effect of his alleged discovery created a stir. It was asserted that it was proof that God indeed communicates with humans. But an opposite claim suggest such religious experiences could be nothing else but aberrational functioning of the brain’s neurons (Peterson, 2002). That the brain’s malfunctioning which could lead to mystical and religious experiences is already mentioned above is true, for example through the use of drugs, disease and accidents. Nonetheless studies reveal that associating mystical and religious experiences to the brain’s temporal lobe is far from being certain (Peterson, 2002). The way the brain operates, allegedly, is the cause of all the religions in the world. Two authors in particular (d’Aquili and Newberg) propose the idea that inside our brains are so-called “operators” – assemblies of neurons that fulfill specific and precise functions. These assemblies present in all normal human beings, are hardwired and force humans to think along certain lines. Because these “operators” are genetically based, people must think along certain preprogrammed lines. Thus, they cannot help but think in certain ways because the operators force them to do so. These operators are holistic operators; the reductionist operator; the causal operator; the abstractive operator; the binary operator; the quantitative operator; and the emotional value operator and these all deal with cognition. However, the specifics of their content vary with the individual’s cultural heritage and personal history (Albright, 2001). The theory of “operators” may not hold much water due to lack of deeper and more advanced research; nonetheless it provides an idea on the reality that how the mind works greatly affects the belief system of every individual. Altogether, research in religious experience remains in its infancy (Peterson, 2002), and more has yet to be learned and unlearned. Such a wide range of religious experiences may activate the brain in a variety of ways. Mystical experiences (or a sense of the divine), rituals, written records that are read, memorized or meditated and followed, understanding doctrines and defending them, practicing morality and ethics, listening to testimonies, closeness with fellow believers of one’s faith, indulging in beauty related activities, serving others, the seeking of God’s will through religious routines, knowing the meaning of one’s life in the light of one’s belief system, and so on and so forth, all can affect the brain (Albright). The Role of Mysticism in Culture, Ethics and Philosophy Physicist Murray Gell-Mann once remarked that “religion is the DNA of culture.” Religious belief serves to organize human cultures and individual human consciousness at a very deep level, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. We influence our cultures, and they, in turn, influence us (Albright). Religious experiences are products of culture, which is why Buddhist monks do not have visions of the Virgin Mary and Catholic nuns do not go on visions quests. There is certainly evidence that cultural conditioning can play a significant role in the formation and interpretation of religious experiences (Peterson, 2002). Moreover , in the present day, the proliferation of universals spirituality through various cultures carry with its roots of mysticism. In fact , Teasdale (1997 ) was right in his assertion that “mysticism if the ultimate ground of spirituality”. The good news is that religions bring with them ethics that permeate the beliefs and actions of a follower or practitioner, let’s say, a Christian. A Christian when fully realizing his spirituality may adhere to the Ten Commandments; thus, this serves as guideline for his moral actions that would manifest in his daily living. Although a person may commit mistakes, he is still in that awareness which will hopefully act as a corrective mechanism when he is planning to get involved in something against his beliefs. The role mysticism plays in a culture, the way people view life and behave is deeply ingrained in peoples’ psyche that eradicating them is simply very impossible. Contrary to the expectations of many secular thinkers, religious beliefs not only failed to disappear but even experienced something of a resurgence in the late twentieth century (Peterson, 2002). Mysticism has implications too in the area of philosophy; thus, it cannot be severely dismissed as something subjective and replete with experiences and emotions. In fact, scientists, philosophic naturalists , theologians (considered as philosophers ) also embrace mysticism. In a seminal book on Mysticism and philosophy , Sterniotte (1959) discussed that not everything in this world can be explained by logical propositions, thereby the mind is always trying to make a connection or complete the picture by tapping into into things that are not visible, familiar, and rational. As a conclusion, mysticism is already ingrained in man’s culture as history reveals. The effects of mysticism in different aspects of our lives cannot be denied. In some ways, these mysticism can be an authentic experience , for some, it can just be a fiction of imagination, a broken pathway of the neurons, or product of substance abuse. Nevertheless, whatever mystical realities each of us have , it cannot be denied that it exists and man is always trying to put the puzzle together in order to solve its mystery. References Albright,Carol. Religious Experience, Complexification, and The Image of God. Unknown publish date. Albright,Carol. ( 2001). Neuroscience in Pursuit of the Holy: Mysticism, the Brain and Ultimate Reality. Zygon, Vol.36. Bernard McGinn.(1991) in The Presence of God: A History of Western Christian Mysticism, vol. 1, The Foundations of Mysticism. New York: Crossroad. 265-343. Carmody ,John Tully. Carmody, Denise.(1996 ) Mysticism: Holiness East and Oxford University Press. New York.. Page 10. Fanning, Steven. ( 2001 )Mystics of the Christian Tradition. Routledge: London. Page 6. Jackson, Roger R. (1996 ) . How Mystical is Buddhism? Asian Philosophy. Vol. 6 ( 2 ), p147. Jasper, David. Unknown publish year .The Erotic and the Mystical in Postmodernity. Theology & Sexuality 11(2) 71-76] Karuvelil,George.( 2000) Constructing God: A Contemporary Interpretation of Religion. , HeyJ XLI, pp. 25–46. King, Ursula. ( 2004 ) Christian Mystics: Their Lives and Legacies throughout the Ages. Publisher: Routledge. London. Page no. 15. Krieglstein, Werner. (2005 ) Compassion: The Focal Point of Any Future Philosophy. Dialougue and Universalism.No. 1-2. Larson, Gerald James. (1973) Mystical Man in India. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. Scientific Study of Religion. Louth, Andrew. ( 1981). The Origins of the Mystical Traditions: From Plato to Denys. Oxford: Clarendon. Pp.215 Olivera, Bernardo (2003) Toward a Renewed Cistercian Mysticism. Cisterian Studies Quarterly. 38.1. EBSCO publishing. Peterson, Gregory R. (2002 ) Thinkpieces: Mysterium Tremendum.Vol.37.No.2 Schimmel,Annemarie. (1994) Sun and Midnight: Despair and Trust in the Islamic Mystical Tradition.Diogenes, No.165. Vol.42/1. Snyder, Solomon H. ( 2006 ) Commentary on: Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance by Griffiths et al. Psychpharmacology 187:287-288 Spilka, Bernard., George A. Brown & Stephen A. Cassidy. The Structure of Religious Mystical Experience in Relation to Pre- and Postexperience Lifestyles. Stiernotte, Alfred P.(1959) Mysticism and the Modern Mind. Liberal Arts Press. Place of Publication: New York. Page Number: 160. Teasdale ,Wayne .(1997).The Interspiritual Age: Practical Mysticism for the Third Millennium. Journal of Ecumenical Studies. Volume: 34. Issue: 1. 74. Van Roo, William. (1981). Man the Symbolizer. S.J. Rome Gregorian University L.1200.p.344. Read More