Mystical Deception Files
With a growing interest in New Age spirituality and mysticism which
is
commonplace to-day, a number of authors such as Richard Foster,
Herbert
Benson, Marilyn Ferguson, Matthew Fox, and the late Thomas Merton are
suggesting that there are mystical disciplines or techniques which
cross religious barriers and traditions. Others say doctrinal and
other
differences between the world religions have served to divide people
of
faith but to-day many are rediscovering a lost unitive mystical
awareness which may provide the philosophical foundations for global
religious unity. The following quotes, notes, and articles will
examine
this trend and hopefully will provide some *****sment and needful
discernment.
Marilyn Ferguson, in her book, "The Aquarian Conspiracy", commenting
on
the New Age movement and links mentions some of these various
techniques or "intentional triggers of transformative experiences"
as:
sensory isolation and sensory overload, biofeedback, meditation of
every description:Zen, Tibetan Buddist, chaotic, Transendental,
(mystical) Christian , Kabbalist, kundalini, raja yoga, tantric yoga,
etc., psychosysnthesis, a system that combines imagery and meditative
state, , chanting, mood-altering music, mind expanding drugs,
esoteric
systems of religious mysticism and knowledge, guided imagery,
balancing
and aligning"energies," hypnosis, body discipines...radical seminars
designed to obliterate former values, etc.
In the fall issue #8 (1984), of Common Ground Magazine in Vancouver,
B.C. in an article entitled "Religions of World, Unite!" the author
Collin Cole, urged followers of the world's religions to unite and
network to promote world peace and harmony..he mentioned many things
which divide and fragment world religions or faith groups, but added,
"However, all is not loss; there is good news. There are numerous
people within each of the distinct world faiths, some who have had
mystical or unitive experiences ...These people are open to new
perspectives and attitudes." He says, they: "attest to an inner unity
yet unseen, but with birth-pangs beginning to manifest in the world."
Sites on the internet on the subject of world mysticism such as
http://www.digiserve.com/mystic/
seems to sup****t this conviction. A
personal and well known example of this is Thomas Merton, a Trappist
Monk and Catholic Mystic who before he died saw no contradiction
between Zen and Christianity. He commended Hindu, Taoist, Buddhist,
and
Islamic mystics as "those who had experienced...union with the God of
truth and love."* - Harvey D. Clayton, S.J.,"Christian Mysticism, the
future of a tradition" p.238-241.
Quoting Jacob Needleman (p.110), "Lost Christianity", a Bantam New
Age
Book): "In the quarter of a century that Merton lived as Trappist
monk
at Gethsemani, Kentucky, he delivered a tremendous body of written
work
dealing wiht Christian mysticism, the contemplative
tradition,monasticism, and the Eastern religions, particularly Zen ,
which he felt had a crucial role to play in the West by revealing the
contemplative, mystical core of normal human life and therefore of
the
Christian tradition as well . One of Merton's last essays, "The New
Conciousness," begins:
"Christian renewal has meant that Christians are now wide open to
Asian
relgions, ready, in the words of Vatican II, to "acknowledge,
preserve
and promote the spiritual and moral goods" found among them.*
But "it is not that simple." Merton proceeds to list the strong
activistic, secular and antimystical tendencies that militate against
the recovery of contemplative Christianity in the West. Zen, to
Merton
is the best hope because it rejects all doctrinal dispute and offers
itself as something completely unclassifiable in familiar Western
theological, moral or philosophical terms. "The real drive of Buddism
is toward an enlightenment which is precisely a breakthrough into
what
is beyond system, beyond cultural and social structures, and beyond
religious rite and belief...What this means then is that Zen is
outside
all structure and forms." *(Zen and the Birds of Appetite.pp.4-5).
Zen according to Merton, offers us the pure act of seeing, pure
consciousness. It is this , Merton writes, that is the real meaning
of
knowledge in meditation and contemplation leading to salvation in
Christ."
"The deepest level of communication is not communication, but
communion
=2E . . It is beyond words . . We are already one."
-Thomas Merton
"And in the last public utterance of his life, deliverend on the day
of
his death in Bangkok, he said:
"And I believe that by openness to Buddism, to Hindusim, and to these
great Asian traditions, we stand a wonderful chance of learning more
about the potentialty of our own traditions, because they have gone,
from the natural point of view, so much deeper into this than we
have."" quote from the book, "Lost Christianity" by Jacob Needleman,
p.112.
Toward the end of his life, Merton developed an interest in Buddhist
and other Far Eastern approaches to mysticism and contemplation, and
their relation to Christian approaches. He was attending an
international conference on Christian and Buddhist monasticism in
Bangkok, Thailand, when he was accidentally electrocuted on 10
December
1968.
According to a website dedicated to Merton:
In 1968 a meeting occured in the Himalayas between the two most
influential monks of the 20th century, a meeting that would shape the
dialogue between the worlds of East and West a meeting between His
Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama and Thomas Merton. Shortly thereafter
Merton unexpectedly died prompting the Dalai Lama to commit the
remainder of his life to fulfilling Merton's wish of bringing the
worlds of East and West together in compassion. This commitment
resulted in the historic Gesthsemani Encounter in 1996 at the Abbey
of
Gethsemani, home of the late Thomas Merton, attended by His Holiness
the Dalai Lama and world leaders of the Eastern and Western religious
traditions.
Why would some mystical experiences lead individuals in an e***enical
or interfaith direction? We will try to find answer to that question.
Many mystics also claim there is no ultimate distinction between God
and the experiencer. For instance:
(Quotations from Meister Eckhart)
"It is the nature of the Holy Spirit that I should be consumed in
him,
dissolved in him, and transformed wholly into love. Whoever is in
love
and is wholly love, feels that God loves nobody other than
themselves,
and they know of no one who loves or indeed of anyone but themselves.
"(p. 148)
"You should know (God) without image, unmediated and without
likeness.
But if I am to know God without mediation in such a way, then "I"
must
become "he", and "he" must become "I". More precisely I say: God must
become me and I must become God, so entirely one that "he" and this
"I"
become one "is" and act in this "isness" as one, for this "he" and
this
"I", that is God and the soul, are very fruitful." (p. 238) .
"The seed of God is in us. Pear seeds grow into pear trees, nut seeds
into nut trees, and God seeds into God."
(Quotations from The Upanishads)
As the rain on a mountain peak runs off the slopes on all sides, so
those who see only the seeming multiplicity of life run after things
on
every side. As pure water poured into pure water becomes the very
same,
so does the Self of the illumined man or woman, Nachiketa, verily
become one with the Godhead. (Katha Up. 1:14-15, p. 92)
The separate self dissolves in the sea of pure consciousness,
infinite
and immortal. Separateness arises from identifying the Self with the
body, which is made up of the elements; when this physical
identification dissolves, there can be no more separte self. This is
what I want to tell you, beloved.
(Brihadaranyaka Up. Chapter 2, 4:12, p. 38)
Perhaps more than often the spirit encountered in the mystical state
is
not the Holy Spirit of Truth which points people to and glorifies
Christ, but likely it is "another spirit" which St. Paul warned the
Corinthians about. "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent
beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted
from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preaches
another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another
spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you
have
not accepted, you might well bear with him." (2 Corth. 11:3-4)
"I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the
most
High." -Lucifer Isaiah 14:14
For many seeking mystical enlightenment, God is no longer the
personal
infinite God who is transcendent who acts into human history,
revealed
in the person of Christ and Holy Scripture, but it is a pantheistic
and
monistic oneness that in everything. A God that is totally One with a
fallen humanity and world would be both good and evil at the same
time...this then leads to ethical relativism or a bluring of truth
and
error.
Mysticism from the East or from Western traditions relies on
techniques
such as repetitive prayers, repeating over and over a word or phrase
(mantras, which maybe names of diety), contemplations of icons or
images real or imagined, also involved are methods of emptying or
stilling the mind, extreme asceticism and in some cultures there is
the
use of hallucinagenic drugs, plants and mushrooms. Through these and
other methods the experiencer may see light, encounter entities, hear
voices, feel a state of enlightment or bliss, unity with God, etc.
Buddhist call this
state Nirvana or Satori...New Age people call it at-one-ness,
enlightment. Christian and Muslim mystics perceive they have
experienced some kind of estatic union with God or encounters with
saints or angels. Are there other explanations which point to
deceptive
possiblities. ..this is what we shall look at with the help of quotes
from mystics, scholars etc.
(Quotations from Ahmad Ibn `Ata'Allah) Sufi Mystic
The sign of the invocation's reaching the innermost Self is the
absence
of the invoker from both the invocation and the Invoked. The
invocation
of the Self is ecstacy and drowning in it. Amongst its signs is that
when you quit the invocation, it does not quit you. That is the
exaltation of the invocation in you that rouses you from absence of
mind to presence of mind. It's spiritual lights never disappear...
(pp.
47-48, 50)
=2E.. the reality of the invocation is when the Invoked takes
possession
of the heart, and He is One. Separation and multiplicity exist before
that for as long as the invoker is in the station of invoking with
the
tongue or with the heart. (p. 117)
As for those who are firmly established and are at the end of the
path,
invocation occupies their hearts at all times. (p. 100)
Let your invocation be the all-embracing Name, which is Allah, Allah,
Allah, or if you so wish, Huwa, Huwa, Huwa; and do not violate this
remembrance. Be careful lest your tongue pronounce it while
other-than-He is in your heart.
Let your heart be the one who utters, and your ear the one who is
attentive to this invocation until the 'speaker' emanates from your
Self (sirr).. When you feel the emergence of the Speaker within you
through the invocation, do not abandon the spiritual condition
wherein
you find... yourself..(p. 108)
St. Teresa of Avila and Catholic Mysticism:
Quoting a short biography by Caroline T. Marshall on the life of St.
Teresa of Avila:
"After a prolonged sickness that almost led to her death, Teresa was
introduced to the Third Spiritual Primer, by Francisco de Osura, a
Franciscan. De Osura followed a tradition of Christian mysticsim that
had been deeply influenced by the Sufi mystics of Islam. In this
system
emphasis is placed on prayer in which the wor****pper detaches himself
from everything except God. A sort of spiritual intutition which is
combined from memory, will, and understanding, enables the supplicant
to receive a direct experience of God, who then illumines the soul
with
knowledge of Himself. De Osura's inspiration was to be the foundation
of Teresa's mystical and spiritual life."
Is it possible that there is spiritual deception in the origins of
Islam and other religions influenced by mysticism?
Of his Mohammad's life, Anderson relates:
There is evidence in a tradition which can scarcely have been
fabricated that Muhammad suffered in early life from fits. Be that as
it may, the adult Muhammad soon showed signs of a markedly religious
disposition. He would retire to caves for seclusion, and meditation;
he
frequently practiced fasting; and he was prone to dreams...(p.54, The
World's Relegions, 1976.)
Alfred Guillaume states concerning Mohammed's call:
One night as he was asleep, the angel Gabriel came to him and said
"Recite!". He answered "What shall I recite?" The order was repeated
three times, while he felt continually increasing physical pressure,
until the angel said:
Recite in the name of thy Lord who created Man from blood coagulated.
Recite! Thy Lord is wondrous kind Whp by the pen has taught mankind
Things thy knew not (being blind).
When he woke these words seemed to be written on his heart ...Then
the
thought came to him that he must be sha'ir or possessed, he who had
hated such people that he could not bear the sight of them; and he
could not tolerate the thought that his tribesmen would regard him as
one of them - as in fact they afterwards did. Thereupon he left the
place with the intentions of throwing himself over a precipice. But
while on his way he heard a voice from heaven hailing him as the
Apostle of God, and lifting up his eyes he saw a figure astride the
horizon which turned him from his purpose and keep him rooted to the
spot. And there he remained long after his anxious wife's messengers
had returned to re****t that they could not find him (Alfred
Guillaume,
Islam, London: Penguin Books, 1954, pp.28,29)
Sir Norman Andersen discusses how Muhammad first thought he was
posssed
by the demons, or Jinn, as they were called, but later dismissed the
idea:
Jinns http://www.themystica.org/mystica/articles/j/jinns.html
In Arabian and Muslim folklore jinns are ugly and evil demons having
supernatural powers which they can bestow on persons having powers to
call them up. In the Western world they are called genies.
In the "Arabian Nights" jinns or genies came from Aladdin's Lamp.
There are five kind of jinns varying in power. The highest of the
jinns
is Iblis, formerly called Azazel , the prince of darkness, or the
Devil. The jinns were thought by some to be spirits that are lower
than
angels because they are made of fire and are not immortal. They can
take on human and animal shapes to influence men to do good or evil.
They are quick to punish those indebted to them who do not follow
their
many rules.
There are several myths concerning the home of the jinns. According
to
Persian mythology some of them live in a place called Jinnistan.
Others
say jinns live with other supernatural beings in the Kaf, mystical
emerald mountains surrounding the earth. A.G.H.
"It seems, however, that Muhammad himself was at first doubtful of
the
source of these revelations, fearing that he was possessed by one of
the Jinn, or spirits, as commonly believed to be the case with Arab
poets and soothsayers. But Khadijah (his wife) and others reassured
him, and he soon began to propound divine revelations with increasing
frequency..." (Anderson, op. cit. p.55).
These visions mark the start of Mohammed's prophetic call by Allah.
Mohammed received these visions during the following 22 years, until
his death in 632 A.D.
So is there further evidence that mystical techniques such as
meditation and mantras used to invoke the Divine can lead to
encounters
with fallen entities posing as spirit guides, dead masters, Hindu
dieties, ET's, angels or a another Jesus. Are mystical methods common
place?
=46rom a website dealing with: Western Mystical Traditions
Sufism
Prayer, in the form of constant repetition of the various names for
the
Divine, is the chief Sufi tool for such growth. This skill is first
developed with the help of a rosary but after time it can become an
integrated part of one's mental activities. So, regardless of one's
activities, silent prayer can take place. Further techniques include
fasting ( a 40 day retreat at some point is not uncommon ) and the
use
of music and movement to induce blissful trance-like, God-intoxicated
states.
The help of a teacher at this stage is vital, for the end goal is not
merely a blissful experience but rather wisdom and communion with
God.
To this end, the student is aided in resisting total identification
with the affects of trance--such as tears and intense love of God. By
experiencing these exalted states but creating a mental space between
them and one's awareness, gradually identification with the personal
ego ( the little "self" ) is transformed into direct spiritual
intuition of higher knowledge and being (the big "Self" ).
Mysticism - A definition from the Mystica Encyclopedia
http://www.themystica.org/mystica/articles/m/mysticism.html
This is a belief in or the pursuit in the unification with the One or
some other principle; the immediate consciousness of God; or the
direct
experience of religious truth. Mysticism is nearly universal and
unites
most religions in the quest for divinity. It can also be a sense of
mystical knowledge. Dionysius the Areopagite was the first to
introduce
the concept "unknown knowing" to the Western World. In areas of the
occult and psychic it denotes an additional domain of esoteric
knowledge and paranormal communication. Even though it is thought
that
just monks and ascetics can become mystics, mysticism usually touches
all people at least once in their lives.
The term "mysticism" comes from the classical Greco-Roman mystery
cults. Perhaps it came from myein meaning "to close the lips and
eyes,
and refers to the sacred oath of the initiates, the mystes, to keep
secret about the inner workings of the religion." In Neo-platonism
"mysticism" came to be associated with secrecy of any kind. The term
mystica appeared in the Christian treatise, Mystica Theologia, of an
anonymous Syrian Neoplatonist monk of the late fifth or early sixth
century, who was known pseudonymously as Dionysius the Areopagite. In
this work mysticism was described as the secrecy of the mind.
(note: The book of Revelations gives warning in the 17th chapter of
an
endtime emerging world system called Mystery Babylon ...mysticism as
pointed out may provide a unifing spirit for this interfaith
political
and apostate spiritual World Order.)*1
Despite the various approaches to mysticism it seems to possess some
common characteristics. Such were the findings of the philosopher W.
T.
Stace, who discovered seven common themes of mysticism when studying
Roman Catholic, Protestant, ancient classical, Hindu, and American
agnostic mystical experiences. They were (1) a unifying vision and
perception of the One by the senses and through many objects; (2) the
apprehension of the One as an inner life; (3) and objective and true
sense of reality; (4) feelings of satisfaction, joy, and bliss; (5) a
religious element that is a feeling of the holy and sacred; (6) a
paradoxical feeling; (7) and inexpressible feelings.
Altered States of Consciousness
http://www.themystica.org/mystica/articles/a/altered_states_of_conscious
ness.
html
Altered states of consciousness generally include alterations in both
the content and functioning of the consciousness, usually experienced
by an individual and observed by others watching him. The term
"state"
is not to be trivialized but denotes the states or stages of behavior
through which the individual progresses. Frequently persons in these
states appear to be in a sleeplike condition commonly referred to as
a
trance.
Among the long term effects are the radical ****fts in the perception
in
one's self and environment that result in a semi-permanent
redefinition
of one's self, world, and values. Frequently altered states of
consciousness either are induced personally or by others which may or
may not produce lasting effects. Some religious groups do seek to
induce such altered states in persons so they may derive spiritual
insight and value changes from them. The most dramatic examples of
these states are mystical experiences.
When used in occult and mysticism term trance usually denotes an
altered state of consciousness. A supreme example of a trance like
state in occultism, particularly in Neo-pagan witchcraft, is
witnessed
in the ceremony of the "Drawing Down the Moon". In an altered state
of
consciousness the high priestess assumes the spirit of the Goddess.
Within this state energy, which is believed to be the power of the
Goddess, is raised. Often it is believed that the Goddess inspiringly
speaks through the high priestess.
In a similar ceremony called "Drawing Down the Sun" or "Drawing Down
the Horned God" the Horned God is similarly invoked in a same manner
as
described in the "Drawing Down the Moon". The high priest enters an
state of altered consciousness in which he assumes the spirit of the
Horned God.
In mysticism the altered state of consciousness may be total or
partial. When partial, the state of consciousness is usually only a
feeling. Most generally this feeling is one of unity with God, or the
universe, or of enlightenment. Most mystics do not believe in the
transcendence (see Immanence) of God. They generally subscribe to one
of two theories concerning Divine Reality: emanation or immanence.
From
the emanation viewpoint the universe and everything in it is an
outflowing from God, while the immanence view holds that the universe
is not a projection from God, but rather, it is immersed in God.
The experience of being united with God or nature is called a
mystical
experience. Such experiences may be of a religious or nonreligious
nature. The nonreligious experiences derive much of their content
from
nature; although many religious mystics have been lead to God or the
Absolute through nature. However, not all transcendental experiences
with nature are mystical, but just render feelings of overwhelming
joy
or ecstasy.
Mystical experiences
http://www.themystica.org/mystica/articles/m/mystical_experiences.html
Mystical experiences tend to be experiences felt or experienced
beyond
the realms of ordinary consciousness. Occasionally they are referred
to
as states of altered consciousness (see Altered States of
Consciousness). Such states may involve ineffable awareness of time,
space, and physical reality. Mystical experiences often defy physical
description, and can best be only hinted at.
Such experiences are universal and share common characteristics,
despite the culture or religion in which they occur. They are
invariably spiritual, yet they may not be religious; that is, they
are
not limited to monks or priests. However, all personal religious
experiences are rooted in mystical states of consciousness, and all
mystical experiences are part of religions.
Although mystical experiences are common in occurrence, they occur
unbidden to a person perhaps once or twice in a lifetime, if at all.
According to a survey in 1987 conducted by the National Opinion
Research Center in Chicago, 43 percent of adult Americans said they
had
some type of mystical experience. In British polls published in 1978
and 1979 in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 56
percent of churchgoers claimed they had such an experience. Those
within this group who had more experiences were older; better
educated,
and attended church more.
William James, psychologist and philosopher, identified four general
characteristics of mystical experiences:
1. Ineffability, Mystical states are more like states of feeling than
intellect, subtle shaded with fine nuances that are difficult to
convey
in their im****t and grandeur to another. Consequently, much mystical
literature is filled with paradoxes and symbolism.
2. Noetic quality, Mystical experiences are states of knowledge,
insight, awareness, revelation, and illumination beyond the grasp of
the intellect. There is awareness of unity with the Absolute, of
immorality of the soul, of great truths. Time and space are
transcended.
3. Transiency, mystical experiences are fleeting in linear time,
though
they seem to be eternal. Most last a few seconds, some perhaps up to
ten minutes. It is rare to sustain a mystical state for more than a
half-hour, or perhaps one to two hours at best. Eastern adepts are
able
to sustain prolonged periods of samadhi, a mystical state of
one-pointed concentration; and some re****tedly are able to sustain
the
highest states of nirvana (satori in Zen) and even the rarely
attained
nirodh.
4. Passivity, The individual feels swept up and held by a superior
power. This may be accompanied by a sensation of separation from
bodily
consciousness (similar to an out-of-body experience [OBE]), trance,
or
such phenomena as automatisms, mediumistic trance, healing powers,
visions, and voices. Such phenomena are regarded in Eastern thought
as
states of pseudo-enlightenment, partway up to the real thing, but not
quite there.
According to James and others mystical experiences vary in intensity.
In their simplest form they appear to the individual as a sudden
burst
of intelligence or insight; similar to the way the significance of a
maximum or formula becomes clear, to a person, which causes him to
express an aha! James also classed deja vu as a simple mystical
experience. Other insights have increased meaning such as the bursts
of
truths that are accompanied by dreamy states and reveries, and then
there is the maximum state when the individual experiences the
ecstasy
of being in union with the Absolute, or God (see Mysticism).
As discussed in mysticism, the union with the Absolute may be sought
either as monistic mysticism or theistic mysticism. In the fist
category both unity and identity with God is sought, while in the
latter only unity is sought. However, others have defined this
maximum
state of mysticism as being aware of the "cosmic consciousness," or
being aware of the consciousness of the cosmos and of the life and
order of the universe.
Some mystical experiences, which are in the minority, occur
spontaneously. They usually occur when the person is alone and in a
relaxed mental state. Many things can produce mystical experiences
such
as dreams, words, phrases, music, art, sounds, smells, daydreaming,
the
play of light upon land and sea, nature, or a near-death experience
(NDE).
Other techniques including hypnosis, autohypnosis, floatation tanks
and
sensory deprivation, sleep deprivation, fasting, chanting, dancing,
breath control, ***ual rites, yoga, and meditation are used to
produce
mystical experiences. Most are caused for spiritual and/or religious
reasons. Various cultures, religions and sects have their own similar
and diverse reasons for wanting to attain mystical experiences.
As it is controversially argued that mystical experiences achieved
through the use of alcohol and psychedelic drugs have no lasting
value,
it might also be argued that self-induced mystical experiences serve
little purpose. It might be prudent to examine such instances on a
case-to-case basis to determine both the cause and legitimacy of the
experience. For example, one person might join in the use of a
psychedelic drugs so he might experience seeing colors differently,
which has a profound effect on him because he has experienced a
difference sphere of vision that he does not forget. Another person
may
experience a similar experience but receives no profound effect
because
he feels the experience just places him in the same status as his
peers.
The basis for determining the legitimacy or value of a mystical
experience seems to be the after effect. Frequently this is seen by a
change in the lifestyle of the person who had the mystical
experience.
After the experience the individual is filled with a sense of
well-being, joy, and optimism. Such ecstasy, claim some Christian
mystics, can reach such heights that it becomes almost unbearable
when
changing into torment and pain.
Common physiological changes in prolonged mystical states which are
common experienced are decreased breathing, pulse, circulation, and
brain waves; also the person loses awareness of the body. In such a
state of rapture described by Christian mystics, the body seems to be
on the verge of extingui****ng. St. Teresa of Avila wrote in The
Interior Castle that in the orison of union, the soul "is utterly
dead
to the things of the world, and lives solely in God=8AI do not know
whether in this state she has enough life left to breathe. It seems
to
me she has not; or at least that if she does breathe, she is unaware
of
it."
There appears to be similar descriptions of sensations expressed by
both Eastern and Christian mystics. The rise of the powerful
kundalini
energy, which in yogic literature resides at the base of the spine
and
under certain conditions of spiritual discipline rises to the crown
chakra, is re****ted cross-culturally. St. Theresa (1873-1897; not to
be
confused with St. Theresa of Avila) was re****ted to have sometimes
experienced the heat, energy, spontaneous body movements and pain
characteristic of the yogic kundalini awakening. The same phenomena
is
re****ted among the !Kung bushmen of Africa, and in Sufism, Taoism,
Buddhism, and shamanism. In a nonreligious context, the kundalini
awakening is called a "spiritual emergence" or "spiritual emergency."
Such experiences are not limited to members on the Christian and
Eastern religions. Members in neo-Pagan Witchcraft also re****t having
similar experiences. High priestesses who participated in the Drawing
Down the Moon ceremonies frequently that for days afterwards they
still
feel the presence of the Goddess.
Other Witches have re****ted similar experiences. Robert while walking
home from a coven meeting looked up into the night sky. While looking
into the cosmos he speculated upon the atomic theory. He thought of
the
atoms in the human body shaping a microcosm of the universe; and the
atoms of the universe formed a macrocosm of the body. This for his
was
a mystical experience because it coincided with his Witchcraft
beliefs,
and he truly felt in unit with Nature.
Christian Mysticism -a brief summary from a web site promoting it.
Devotion, concentration ( through prayer ), and surrender play the
key
roles in conventional...Thus it is that this mystical style has much
in
common with the Hindu paths of Bhakti and Karma Yoga.
Eastern meditation techniques have only recently been discovered and
the acceptance is still fledgling. Nevertheless, many a Christian
mystic has achieved deep levels of communion with the Divine. And in
fact, the constant remembrance of a transpersonal level of being is
not
unknown to this tradition.
Repetition of a prayer is analogous to recitation of a mantra ( which
is essentially, a short prayer ). The best known prayers and mantras
from all of the world's traditions are charged with a spiritual
energy
and power well beyond the scope of ordinary words and phrases.
This charging effect occurs due to the fervent practice with these
prayers by countless humans throughout history. Two of the better
known
Christian short prayers are the
Jesus Prayer from the Eastern Orthodox tradition:
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me, a sinner.
and Hail Mary, from the Roman Catholic tradition:
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou
amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary,
mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
This prayer to Mary is repeated over and over as rosary beads are
counted during the Rosay.*
The following is from a website http://chrmysticaloutreach.com/mentor/
promoting Mystical comtemplation methods such as mantra-like
prayers...it is a question from someone having doubts about the
mystical path:
Question: Thank you so much for answering my e-mail so promptly. One
more question I would ask of you. Ever since this started in 1991, I
have felt as if I am now sharing my physical body with someone else.
I
can actually feel it. Sometimes It feels like hands inside of me,
sometimes like a s****, sometimes like an animal or insect. It only
stops when I am asleep. It scares me so much that at times I think it
must be a demon or evil spirit. Other times I think it is part of the
dark night of the soul. Can you enlighten me on this matter. Thank
you,
Here is the answer:
Every single thing you have mentioned, over the years, I have felt.
Feel blessed not cursed or possessed. It is the Holy Spirit flowing
through your nervous system. It sometimes takes a long time to become
accustomed to the flowing of it. Have you ever gotten a spider web
caught in your face and your whole face feels creepy and tingly. It's
like that. Your nerves have a reaction to the sensation of the web
against your face. Same thing with the flowing of the Spirit. As the
Spirit opens up new path ways within you, you are going to feel
movements of energy throughout your nervous system exactly as you
describe. It is a good sign that the Spirit is continuing to work
with
you. Be grateful whenever the Spirit works with you. It is a
blessing.
Yours in the Spirit, even when it feels creepy, -lmr
Contrast this with what St. Paul says is the fruit of the Holy Spirit
in his letter to believers in Galatia:
Galatians Ch 5
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now
the
works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft,
hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the
which
I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they
which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no
law.
It is clear that the fruit of the Spirit is not creepy and is not the
author of heresies and idolatry which clutters the mystical path we
have examined.
Another example:
Question: Why did the One ever separate into the Many? I can never
seem
to come close to a satisfying explanation of why the fall. Why the
illusion of Maya (This is an Eastern term for illusionary nature of
the
field of primordial matter in all manifest creation, including the
heavens, represented in the bible by Satan, the bejeweled angel)
though
there is no question to me this is what's going on.
Answer: You are asking the ultimate question. What is the nature of
Divine Consciousness (God) and why does it do what it does. All of
the
great mystics say that the answer can only be understood when
directly
experienced. A relative answer would be that It does what It does
because this is Its' nature. Beyond this, there seems to be an innate
impulse in Divine Consciousness to manifest itself as each and all
that
we know and more that we may never know. The only thing I can suggest
is that you allow the Holy Spirit to take you to the direct
experience
of God as Self. It is the unity spoken of by the Christian saints,
the
enlightenment of the Hindu, the bliss of the Sufi, the nirvana of the
Buddhist. lmr
Question : I just finished your wonderful lessons in contemplative
prayer, and it seems to me that your prayer method is yoga. I
practice
Yoga as well as Catholicism, and to me there doesn't seem to be a
difference. However Catholics are suspicious of yogis and vice versa.
How do you reconcile the two?
Answer: There is really nothing of conflict to be reconciled. Yoga is
not a religion. It is a grouping of different methods to achieve
unity
in God. (enlightenment) Anyone who is doing anything to find God is
practicing yoga whether they know it or want to admit it. There are
Christian yogis, Buddhist yogis, Hindu yogis etc. and none may call
themselves yogis at all. There is one eternal truth (Santana Dharma)
that those who call themselves yogis teach. But in truth there is
only
one eternal truth that encomp***** everything and everyone no matter
what religion we look at this truth through. lmr
Also notice the same mystical theology from ex-Dominican priest
Matthew
Fox who is now an e***enical and interfaith Episcopalian minister.
=46rom an interview with Matthew Fox.
"Catholicism, going back to its medieval mystical tradition has a
rich
heritage of spirituality which it needs to recapture. But I am
interested in deep e***enism. I think that the deeper you go into
your
own tradition in terms of spirituality, the closer you come to the
living waters of wisdom. In this image, God is a great underground
river. There are many wells into this river: there's Buddhism,
Taosim,
Judaism, Sufism, the Goddess, Native traditions and Christianity.
To connect with the great river (of mysticism), we all need a path,
but
when you get down there, there's only one river. What I'm doing is
connected with the East. I have a Hindu from India teaching Shakta
yoga
in my program. We teach T'ai Chi and Aikido. We have Sufis,
Buddhists,
Jews, Catholics and Protestants and witches. (laughter) So the future
of religion is interdenomination."
Now compare this answer to a quote from Jesus of Nazareth
1. Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in
me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I
would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go
and
prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye
know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not
whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto
him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me. (Gospel of John Ch 14: )
Christ is saying here that we must go to God through Him. Why is
this?
The Gospels tell us we who are not holy cannot approach a God who is
Holy and pure on the bases of imperfect human effort or
righteousness.
The Books of Romans and Galatians written by the inspiation of the
Holy
Spirit clearly teaches this. However the Old Testament prophets like
Isaiah and David predicted that God would send a Messiah who would be
called Immanuel which means "God with us" who would lay his life down
to atone for the world. Those that hear and believe this gospel would
by grace inherit eternal life.
This is in stark contrast to the mystics who say any religious or
mystical path is ok. The mystical path sought by many depends on
gaining merit through prayers, fastings, chanting of names of God or
dieties, spiritual excercises or disciplines etc. Christ says this
not
the way to approach God he states:
"I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold,
but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2
But
he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To
him
the ****ter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his
own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4 And when he putteth forth
his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for
they
know his voice. 5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee
from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 6 This parable
spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were
which he spake unto them.
7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I
am
the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and
robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if
any
man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find
pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and
to
destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might
have
it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd
giveth
his life for the sheep".
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the
sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and
fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The
hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the
sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of
mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I
lay
down my life for the sheep.
The Holy Spirit is not spirit of fear and darkness but is the
Comforter
and Spirit of Truth promised not to the world but to those who have
received the gospel (Good News) and now love Christ and follow Him.
15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the
Father,
and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you
for
ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive,
because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for
he
dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. - Jesus quoted in the gospel
of
John.
Contrast this with:
- an address at Prestatyn (UK) in 1988, where Tony Campolo expressed
his "Jesus is in everyone" philosophy:
"One of the most startling discoveries of my life was the realization
that the Jesus that I love, the Jesus who died for me on Calvary,
that
Jesus, is waiting, mystically and wonderfully, in every person I
meet.
I find Jesus everywhere. The difference between a Christian and
non-Christian is not that Jesus isn't in the non-Christian--the
difference is that the Jesus who is within him is a Jesus to whom he
will not surrender his life. You say, 'Are you saying that Jesus is
present in everybody?' I am only telling you what it says in John
1:9;
He is the light that lighteth every man, every woman that cometh into
the world. The minute you start saying that God isn't in some people,
you're on the verge of Fascism. Why? Erich Fromm saw that. The minute
you can look at somebody and say God isn't in him -- he is only in
Christians -- that person is pure demon."
- From his book, Partly Right, Campolo states:
"We affirm our divinity by doing what is worthy of gods, and we
affirm
our humanity by taking risks only available to mortals. God had to
become one of us before He could become heroic ... Robert Schuller
affirms our divinity, yet does not deny our humanity ... isn't that
what the gospel is? Isn't God's message to sinful humanity that He
sees
in each of us a divine nature of such worth that He sacrificed His
own
Son so that our divine potentialities might be realized? ... The hymn
writer who taught us to sing 'Amazing Grace' was all too ready to
call
himself a 'wretch' ... Forgetting our divinity and over-identifying
with our [Freudian] anal humanity [Freud is responsible for a host of
maladies that plague our contem****ary society] ... Erich Fromm, one
of
the most popular psychoanalysts of our time, recognized the
diabolical
social consequences that can come about when a person loses sight of
his/her own divinity ..." [Fromm, author of the book " Ye Shall Be As
Gods"
Some may ask ...Isn't there a need for more tolerance and love
between
faith groups? What is wrong exploring common ground or promoting
world
pluralism in a world full of hate and war? After all did not Christ
call us to love everyone even our enemies?
Yes, the the commandement to love is the fullfillment of the moral
law.. love should guide our conversation and dealings with
others...But, love does not mean saying that truth does not matter or
cruellty or deception is ok...When we reduce God through mysticism
and
pantheism to an impersonal ground of all being ...then truth or
morals
eventually have no meaning ...even love has no meaning as the
impersonal Oneness is silent. All one is left with is the whispers of
fallen masquerading entities and doctrines of men and demons.
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some
shall
depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines
of devils;" 1 Timothy 4:1
Matt.18
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of
love, and of a sound mind." -2 Timothy 1:7
":But when you pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for
they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not
therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have
need of, before ye ask him." Jesus -Mathew 6: 7-8
In the book of Revelations, Christ's disciple John saw a
woman riding a beast called, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT.
is John seeing future one world apostate religious
system
or unity of religions based on unitive mysticism? *1
And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and
talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee
the
judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and
the
inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her
fornication.
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw
a
woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy,
having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked
with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her
hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE
GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with
the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered
with
great admiration.
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will
tell
thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her,
which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of
the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the
earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life
from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that
was,
and is not, and yet is.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven
mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the
other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short
space.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is
of
the seven, and goeth into perdition.
12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have
received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with
the beast.
13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto
the beast.
14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome
them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are
with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. 15 And he saith unto
me,
The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples,
and
multitudes, and nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which thou
sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her
desolate and ****d, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree,
and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall
be
fulfilled. 18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city,
which
reigneth over the kings of the earth.
( - Book of Revelations ch 17)
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come,
except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be
revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself
above
all that is called God, or that is wor****pped; so that he as God
sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Remember
ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And
now
ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For
the
mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will
let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be
revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth,
and
shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose
coming
is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying
wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that
perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they
might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong
delusion,
that they should believe a lie:s That they all might be damned who
believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2
Thessalonians 2:3-12
In conclusion:
Mysticism as described by many researchers is a human attempt to
achieve unity with God or the divine.
Techniques including hypnosis, autohypnosis, floatation tanks and
sensory deprivation, sleep deprivation, fasting, chanting, dancing,
breath control, ***ual rites, yoga, and meditation are used to
produce
mystical experiences. Most are caused for spiritual and/or religious
reasons. - from the Mystica Encyclopedia on the net.
However the Bible clearly states as we have seen that human
disciplines, techniques etc. are not the appropriate way to approach
God, gain salvation, or to gain spiritual incite or power. Instead of
human effort God has provided another way -which is through the
atoning
and finished work of His Son the Messiah who is the sacrificial Lamb
of
God, who we may approach by faith and is based on historical and and
biblical revelation. When we accept Christ as the Way to the Father
and
seek to follow Him alone as Saviour who died in substitution for us,
we will then receive the promise of his Holy Spirit which produces
the
fruit and power in our lives to be His children.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made
that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light ****neth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it
not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all
men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into
the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world
knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the
sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor
of
the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,(and we beheld his
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of
grace
and truth.
15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I
spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was
before me.
16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus
Christ.
18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is
in
the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (the Gospel of John
Ch.
1)
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in
me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would
have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and
receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and
how
can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from
henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. (-from the Gospel of John
chapter 14.)
For more information and articles on mystical deception please
check:
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/contemplativespirituality.htm
or http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/
-Noah's Dove
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