Tell me about Christian Mysticism???

[Uma]

I'm glad you started this topic Nightowl. In the Catholic religion I believe there is a group called charismatics. They work with Holy Spirit energy and experiences.

Originally Posted by Uma

I'm glad you started this topic Nightowl. In the Catholic religion I believe there is a group called charismatics. They work with Holy Spirit energy and experiences.

Hey Uma,

Thanks, it is an interesting topic. Yes, there is a charismatic group within the Catholic church. Many of the Christian mystics were Catholic. I was hoping that this thread would help some who maybe didn't realize it that with in some Christian traditions, it is not just about be lead around by the nose and following set theology. There are those who are truly devoted to the Spirit and how it moves in their lives. I am not catholic but their are some fascinating beliefs within their doctrine that seem to be very esoteric in nature...

nightowl

Has anyone heard of the Kabala? Don't know if I spelt it right. It was written before the old testament.

[Xan]

Well moke... in that case it's not Christian, is it? (see the OP)

But... we want to look at history or certain writings or groups to learn about mysticism, when the capacity for mystical - direct - spiritual knowing lies within ourselves.


Xan

Originally Posted by moke64916

Has anyone heard of the Kabala? Don't know if I spelt it right. It was written before the old testament.

Yes Kabbalah is Jewish mysticism, it too is awesome in how it explains _od and the universe. It has been kind of hijacked though so if you look into make sure you research the sources first.

nightowl

Originally Posted by moke64916

Has anyone heard of the Kabala? Don't know if I spelt it right. It was written before the old testament.

Actually the Kabalah is medieval. Although if I am remembering correctly, it's based off of older mystical currents of Rabbinic Judaism. But it's not 'ancient'.

There's Christian usage of the Kabalah though. It's usually spelled 'Cabalah' instead of a K or Q to distinguish it from the Jewish and Hermetic versions.

[Uma]

The Christian saints all went through mystical experiences, as well as the apostles. St. Theresa of Avila wrote about it in The Secret Mansion. The church in her day had a hard time dealing with her levitation and blissed-out experiences. She herself had no scientific understanding of the chakras or Kundalini but she wrote from personal experience of the ascension through seven mansions using Jesus' own terminology "in my Father's house there are seven mansions". St. John of the Cross wrote a poem about his dark night of the soul, which I understand as the experience of the ego in its last leg of the journey into total surrender. The apostles were given the gift of speaking in tongues - they could speak different languages all of a sudden as they needed to spread out into the world and preach the gospels in various countries. The image for the Holy Spirit is often depicted on stained glass windows as a fiery flame, known as "yod" by the Kabbalists (you also see it in the Rider Waite Smith tarot cards - which represents a sort of mixture of mystical traditions, or expropriation).

There are some Baptist churches (I think or some other sects) where mystical experiences of the Holy Spirit are encouraged. In Sanskrit terminology these are seekers of "kryias" - energy experiences of the Kundalini which are really to purify the mental and physical bodies so more of our light can get through.

And some of the older Christian traditions, such as Greek Orthodoxy or Celtic Christianity, created hybrids using some of the pagan mystical symbolism...some of which is still incorporated.

Sorry for the history lesson but I thought these are interesting for the discussion.

Originally Posted by Uma

The Christian saints all went through mystical experiences, as well as the apostles. St. Theresa of Avila wrote about it in The Secret Mansion. The church in her day had a hard time dealing with her levitation and blissed-out experiences. She herself had no scientific understanding of the chakras or Kundalini but she wrote from personal experience of the ascension through seven mansions using Jesus' own terminology "in my Father's house there are seven mansions". St. John of the Cross wrote a poem about his dark night of the soul, which I understand as the experience of the ego in its last leg of the journey into total surrender. The apostles were given the gift of speaking in tongues - they could speak different languages all of a sudden as they needed to spread out into the world and preach the gospels in various countries. The image for the Holy Spirit is often depicted on stained glass windows as a fiery flame, known as "yod" by the Kabbalists (you also see it in the Rider Waite Smith tarot cards - which represents a sort of mixture of mystical traditions, or expropriation).

There are some Baptist churches (I think or some other sects) where mystical experiences of the Holy Spirit are encouraged. In Sanskrit terminology these are seekers of "kryias" - energy experiences of the Kundalini which are really to purify the mental and physical bodies so more of our light can get through.

And some of the older Christian traditions, such as Greek Orthodoxy or Celtic Christianity, created hybrids using some of the pagan mystical symbolism...some of which is still incorporated.

Sorry for the history lesson but I thought these are interesting for the discussion.

Uma,

Don't apologize this is a wonderful addition to the thread, thank you for sharing it. I have both The Dark Night of the Soul and The Secret Mansion. I feel strongly drawn to the Celtic Christian mysticism myself, or at least that's what I call it. I think many different beliefs have experienced the same kinds of spiritual experiences and they just describe them within their cultural context, similar experiences different names.

nightowl

[Uma]

Originally Posted by nightowl

I think many different beliefs have experienced the same kinds of spiritual experiences and they just describe them within their cultural context, similar experiences different names.

nightowl

That's my feeling too...makes sense - that's how we're all made. We have to stop arguing over whose version of the truth is best. Truth is truth!

Originally Posted by Uma

That's my feeling too...makes sense - that's how we're all made. We have to stop arguing over whose version of the truth is best. Truth is truth!

Yep!



nightowl