Mysticism

Mysticism is from the Greek mystikos, related to the mystery religions of antiquity and the verb myein (to close, especially the lips of the initiate)[1]. The English term came to refer to religious life oriented toward direct, immediate, or transformative encounter with ultimate reality, beyond ordinary religious observance[2].

the term is useful but broad, so it needs careful definition in each tradition.

Mysticism appears in nearly every major religious tradition under different names and with different theological framing. Christian mysticism includes the tradition of the Desert Fathers, medieval mystics including Bernard of Clairvaux, Hildegard of Bingen, Meister Eckhart, Julian of Norwich, John of the Cross, and Teresa of Avila, and modern figures including Thomas Merton. Practices include contemplative prayer, fasting, the Jesus Prayer in Eastern Orthodox hesychasm, and various contemplative methods.

Jewish mysticism is most associated with Kabbalah, which developed in medieval Spain and Provence and flowered in the Lurianic Kabbalah of 16th century Safed. The Zohar is its central text. Hasidism, founded by the Baal Shem Tov in the 18th century, brought mystical sensibility into popular Jewish piety.

Islamic mysticism is centered in Sufism, with practices including dhikr, sama (audition), and the guidance of a sheikh. Major Sufi traditions developed elaborate theology and practice; Sufi poetry by Rumi, Hafiz, Attar, and Ibn al-Farid is among the most celebrated mystical literature in world religion.

Hindu mysticism is woven through devotional, philosophical, and yogic traditions. Bhakti mysticism in the medieval poets, Advaita Vedanta's emphasis on realization of identity with Brahman, and tantric mystical practice all develop different mystical paths. Modern figures including Ramakrishna and Ramana Maharshi continue the tradition.

Buddhist contemplative tradition is in some sense entirely mystical, with the goal of awakening understood as direct realization beyond conceptual thought. Zen, Dzogchen, Mahamudra, and various meditation paths emphasize direct experience over doctrinal understanding.

Comparative mysticism has long debated whether mystical experiences across traditions point to a common reality or whether each tradition shapes its mystical experience in ways that make cross-tradition comparison misleading[3]. Steven Katz and others have argued for the constructed character of mystical experience; Walter Stace and others have argued for common features.

Mysticism studies is a major field. Bernard McGinn's multi-volume The Presence of God is the standard history of Christian mysticism[2]. Comparative work by William James (The Varieties of Religious Experience)[4], Steven Katz, and others has built the comparative field. Recent scholarship has problematized older assumptions about a perennial common core[3].

• The Presence of Godby Bernard McGinn
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• The Varieties of Religious Experienceby William James
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