A Course in Mysticism and Miracles: Begin Your Spiritual Adventure
320
A Course in Mysticism and Miracles: Begin Your Spiritual Adventure
320Paperback
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Overview
Both informative and inspirational, A Course in Mysticism and Miracles can motivate us to do the work required to develop a contemplative life. Its insights reveal that peace is available to us all.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781578636013 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Red Wheel/Weiser |
| Publication date: | 03/01/2018 |
| Pages: | 320 |
| Sales rank: | 1,086,040 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
Mysticism and Miracles
Wholeness heals because it is of the mind. All forms of sickness, even unto death, are physical expressions of the fear of awakening. They are attempts to reinforce sleeping out of fear of waking. This is a pathetic way of trying not to see by rendering the faculties for seeing ineffectual. "Rest in peace" is a blessing for the living, not the dead, because rest comes from waking, not from sleeping. Sleep is withdrawing; waking is joining.
T–8.IX.3:1–6
No one becomes a mystic by reading a book. Reading a book doesn't hurt, however. A Course in Miracles is, in the first instance, a book. The right book can turn our minds and start the gears moving in a "wholly" new direction. Reading a mystic's writings helps us remember what we already know and provides a link to other mystics. Reading about mysticism is not the same as being a mystic, but it is a clear indication that our feet are on the path. With a little luck, we may be inspired to do the work required to develop a contemplative life. Mohammad said: "A scholar who writes about mysticism without mystical eyes is like a donkey carrying a load of books." Mysticism is available to all — including, or sometimes especially, children. You may not know how close mysticism is to you while driving your car, listening to music, taking a walk in nature, or sharing deeply with a loved one — but it is there.
Almost nothing brings me greater joy than listening to mystics describe their experiences. Mystics naturally enjoy meeting and being with other mystics. They do so freely and in a relaxed manner, being appreciative of whatever gifts their companions bring. Mystics may have any career: teacher, salesman, computer operator, car mechanic — you name it. They can be found among poets, writers, musicians, nature lovers, artists, healers, ministers, philosophers, psychologists, and craftspeople of all sorts. Libraries are filled with mystical poetry and stories, mystical philosophies, and studies on mysticism.
Mysticism is an experience. It is something we live, not something we study or describe or investigate. These experiences can be found everywhere — in profound contemplation or in everyday life. Jeff Mills, a student of the Course, describes this simple mystical experience, which came to him as he was leaving his barber after getting a haircut.
I had not taken ten steps when I saw an elderly woman pass by who reminded me of my mom. All a sudden, I was overcome with an incredible sense of Oneness. I felt a spreading warm feeling in my chest. For a brief moment, it occurred to me to turn around and tell the barber about it, but what would I say? I leaned against the brick building while tears welled up in my eyes. I don't know whether coming across the woman triggered the event or whether it was coincidental, but I felt an incredible sense of connection — that all of us are connected to our Source and to each other. I realized there is nothing to fear because there is absolutely nothing outside of us. I felt so safe and joyful. After a couple of minutes, I headed to my car with a deep peace flowing through me.
Tell somebody who has never fallen in love what it's like to fall in love. You can try, but you can't really explain it — precisely because it is an experience. Magnify that experience tenfold and you may begin to understand something of what a mystical experience is. You may get just a glimmer of it. The Taoists tell us: "The Tao which can be described is not the Tao." The Buddhists put it this way: "The finger pointing to the moon is not the moon." How can you freeze the infinite? Although mystical experiences may fade, however, they are never forgotten; something consistently pulls us Home.
Mystical knowledge is not secret. It is a revelation — a "recognition" — of what already is. The word "mystic" derives from myste, meaning "to close the lips and eyes." Unlike the word "esoteric," which means "secret or hidden," the word mystical refers to knowledge that is not hidden, but simply not available to someone who is "sleeping" — unawakened or unaware. Mysticism is thus both an experience and an ongoing developing awareness. Mahavira, Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammad, as well as many other religious leaders, have always given the highest importance to the direct, personal experience of truth.
Something wonderful happens during a mystical experience. A feeling of unity and connectedness and a knowing transcend our ordinary sight. Something impels us to reach out in love for even greater love. Repeated experience with the mystical encourages our attention. Something pulls us to an even deeper seeing, knowing, and being. Fifteenth-century Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci once wrote: "I awoke only to see that the rest of the world was sleeping." Mysticism is an awakening and the discovery of a state of mind that transcends what can be called the "ordinary mind" or the "sleeping mind" or the "dreaming mind." Mystical experiences are transpersonal — that is, they transcend the personal and lead to an understanding of something much greater than the bodily "me" that walks the Earth and has an identity as an individual.
While others may question the veracity of mystical experiences, mystics do not. Profound mystical experiences — what the Course calls "Holy Instants" — are transformative and life-changing. Once the door opens, you cannot shut it completely, and God's love will eventually flood your life. Seventeenth-century English dissenter George Fox, the founder of the Society of Friends, better known as the Quakers, said: "God can only be found experientially." We do not need the ideas of others or a book to learn about God. Holy women and men often spend a great deal of time in silence going within. "There is," Fox said, "something of the inward light in everyone, and anyone can make direct contact with God."
Mysticism is also a process of becoming. It is a churning, turning, cooking kind of thing. Like pebbles rolling around in a tub of sand, we must sometimes go through rough places to smooth things out. The door to Heaven is called forgiveness, and sometimes it takes a bit of work to find freedom from our judgmental minds. According to the Course, when we see the world without the contamination of the ego, we see only purity — only wholeness. Forgiveness means looking at the world of the ego without judging it. Even in the face of what appears as evil, mystics see only love. Thus, Jesus could go to the cross saying: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." He did not say that so God would know how to handle the situation. He said it so we would have a better understanding of how to handle much less severe situations when we feel ourselves to be persecuted.
Vast numbers of people have had mystical experiences. Immediate spiritual intuition can come to anyone, regardless of age, religious training, or spiritual inclination. And it can come at any time — perhaps when you are very relaxed, perhaps under dramatic circumstances like an automobile accident. Having a mystical experience does not make you a mystic, however. Mystical experiences are simply doors and windows to a wider awareness. They signal a stage in spiritual development that will, if nourished, grow ever more deeply into love. As one Course teacher and contemporary mystic put it: "The heart of mysticism is the transformation of human consciousness into divine consciousness."
In No Boundary: Eastern and Western Approaches to Personal Growth, Ken Wilber argues that the mystical traditions of the world provide access to a transcendental dimension that is available throughout all time. "The essence of mysticism," he claims, "is that in the deepest part of your true being, in the very center of your own pure awareness, you are fundamentally one with Spirit, one with Godhead, one with the All, in a timeless, eternal, and unchanging fashion." When we have a mystical experience, everything we see is the love of God and everything we experience is the love of God. Carl Jung expressed it this way: "Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens."
What Mysticism Is Not
"Mysticism is one of the most abused words in the English language," Evelyn Underhill tells us in her 1911 book Mysticism, which has become a classic. "It has been claimed as an excuse for every kind of occultism, for diluted transcendentalism, vapid symbolism, religious or aesthetic sentimentality and bad metaphysics." Underhill, perhaps the most brilliant and indefatigable researcher in the field of mysticism, devoted her life to the topic, writing over thirty books on it. Upon her death, The Times said that, in the field of theology, she was "unmatched by any of the professional teachers of her day." Underhill's insight is key and suggests that it is as important to understand what mysticism is not, as it is to understand what it is.
Mysticism is not vague. Sometimes, experiences may be called mystical because the ideas involved may seem unclear. Mysticism is occasionally associated with the word "misty" because the words sound similar. There is, however, nothing misty, foggy, or hazy about mysticism. To mystics, the truth is clear.
Mysticism is not a mystery. While there is an etymological connection between the words "mysticism" and "mystery," mysticism is not about secrets, although to the uninitiated, any mystical path may appear mysterious — like an unfamiliar language. Mysticism is also not something entirely within the realm of the intellect — not something open to conceptualization alone.
Mysticism is not magic. Underhill tells us in Mysticism: "Magic wants to get. Mysticism wants to give." Mysticism isn't about getting anything. It is not a display, nor is it about using secret incantations or hocus-pocus of any kind. It's not about sorcery or the use of rituals to achieve something. "Magic," the Course tells us, "is the mindless or the miscreative use of mind" (T–2.V.2:1). Magicians are illusionists. They hide the truth. Mystics reveal truth. They bring us clarity and freedom.
Mysticism is not evangelical. To be evangelical, you must feel that you are right and others are wrong. Mysticism, on the other hand, simply means aligning the mind with truth, which changes relationships, making them peaceful. It thus changes the world in a subtle and completely nonviolent way. As English scholar John Davidson points out: "Outwardly, mystics live a normal, straightforward existence, being good, kind, and honest with everyone, without feeling the need to convert others to their own point of view."
Mysticism is not occult. Occultists claim to have "secret" knowledge and paranormal abilities. Mysticism, on the other hand, is about awakening to the reality of who we are in truth. While mysticism may have some of the characteristics of parapsychological phenomena — clairvoyance, clairaudience, distant vision, telepathic or precognitive abilities — it is not about hearing voices, talking to the dead, predicting the future, seeing visions, reading minds, or walking on hot coals. In fact, occult powers and the desire for them can impede mystical-mindedness. "Mysticism is not an opinion," Underhill claims in her classic book. "It is not a philosophy. It has nothing in common with the pursuit of occult knowledge."
Mysticism is not self-promoting. Self-realization — enlightenment — is the only true result of a mystical experience, although practiced mystics have been known to develop any number of extraordinary powers of perception and intuition. In fact, it's inevitable that abilities like these will develop quite naturally as the side-effects of mystical development. But they are not the aim of it. Genuine mystical powers are not exhibited, promoted, or sold like commodities. Ramana Maharshi, a primary teacher of Advaita Vedanta, did not publicize himself as a guru; he never appointed successors and he never claimed to have disciples. He said regarding the development of psychic or occult powers: "The idea that the Master is one who has attained power over the various occult senses by long practice and prayer or anything of the kind, is absolutely false. No Master ever cared a rap for occult powers. He has no need for them in his daily life."
Mysticism is not retreat. Although mystics sometimes retreat from the outer world to develop a deeper awareness of inner reality, mysticism itself does not require retreat. Becoming a mystic does not require an escape from the so-called "real world." In fact, "practical mysticism" calls upon us to be very present and aware of whatever is going on in the world, without buying into its illusions.
Mysticism is not time-bound. Traditional religions place a major emphasis on the past — on sin, guilt, and fear — and an emphasis on what life is going to be like after death. Will we get to go to Heaven? Will we go to hell? Mysticism, by contrast, takes the focus off time by bringing us into the present and into the ever-present presence of God as the only living reality.
Ignitiation
"Ignitiation" is not a word found in any dictionary. The word "ignition" means "to set something on fire." The word "initiation" means "a rite of passage from one stage to another." To experience an "ignitiation" is thus to experience a "trial by fire" that instantly introduces a higher level of seeing, knowing, and being. Many of the mystics of the Middle Ages who were burned at the stake by the Catholic Church (and later also by the Protestants) experienced a literal ignitiation while being released from the confines of the body. Take, for example, John Huss, a 14th-century mystic who openly objected to the Pope raising money to fight wars and to the selling of indulgences — buying admission into Heaven by donating money to the Church. "By selling indulgences," Huss said, "the Church was selling its own soul." Huss was publicly strangled and then, not yet dead, burned at the stake. As the fire began to consume him, he cried out: "Christ, son of the Living God, have mercy on us!"
My own "ignitiation experience" was less spectacular, but no less enlightening. In 1976, I went through a dramatic ego-death experience under the guidance of Salvador Roquet, a Mexican psychiatrist who combined the insights of Western psychiatry with shamanism. It was through this experience that I came to understand what the Course meant when it said there is no world, no time, no body, no me, and no you as separate individuals. I give details of this experience, which I call "Holy Hell," in a previous book, Eternal Life and A Course in Miracles. The experience was holy because of what came out of it. It was hell in terms of the ego-shattering death I went through. Hell comes in the "fear" of dying — in resisting God and in thinking we can build a world without God.
Roquet realized that the psychiatric methodology of administering drugs to treat people's symptoms not only does not heal them, it keeps them in a dream- like stupor when what is needed for healing is awakening. Mystics must face reality, not run from it. Rather than putting us to sleep — as society does, as television often does, as repetitious religious rituals often do, as over-eating and over-drinking do — Roquet chose instead to wake us up. He encouraged us to accept responsibility as spiritual beings in the Universe. He asked us to say to ourselves — and mean them — the words given in the Course: "I am responsible for what I see. I choose the feelings I experience, and I decide upon the goal I would achieve. And everything that seems to happen to me I ask for, and receive as I have asked" (T–21.II.2:3–5).
Unlike psychotherapy, which is often a slow and unproductive process that reinforces the ego rather than providing freedom from it, ignitiation is more direct. In my own ignitiation experience, we lay inside sleeping bags, blindfolded, with earphones covering our ears. We were given a dose of pure LSD, followed a half hour later by an intramuscular shot of ketamine, a powerful muscle relaxant sometimes used to cure depression. The ketamine made it impossible for us to move. This combination of drugs induced a metaphoric death experience that led to an awakening from the dream world. This kind of ignitiation is not a gentle path, but nothing will wake you up faster. I do not recommend it, however, since the Course provides a more gentle means of awakening: "Fear not that you will be abruptly lifted up and hurled into reality. Time is kind and ... it will keep gentle pace with you in your transition" (T–16.VI.8:2).
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "A Course in Mysticism and Miracles"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Jon Mundy.
Excerpted by permission of Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC.
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Table of Contents
Preface xi
Acknowledgments xv
Introduction: Why Mysticism and Miracles? xvii
Part I The Mystical Path 1
1 Mysticism and Miracles 3
2 The Infinite Infant 18
3 Mystical Moments and Holy Instants 28
4 Modern Mysticism 37
5 Mysticism and Traditional Religion 47
6 Mysticism as a Journey 54
Part II The Path of Miracles 67
7 The Miracle of Purification 69
8 The Miracle of Ineffability 76
9 The Miracle of Disillusionment 91
10 The Miracle of Surrender 104
11 The Miracle of Suffering 112
12 The Miracle of Silence 125
13 The Miracle of Work 139
Part III The Miracle of Mysticism 149
14 The End of the Body 151
15 The End of Time 161
16 The End of the World 170
17 The End of the Ego 186
Part IV Mysticism in a World of Miracles 199
18 Mysticism and Mortality 201
19 Mysticism and Monism 207
20 Mysticism and Synchronicity 218
21 Mysticism and Paradox 225
22 Mysticism and Art 233
23 Mysticism and Ecstasy 242
24 Mysticism and Nature 253
25 Mysticism and Enlightenment 263
Conclusion: Walking the Mystical Path 276
Alphabetical Index of Mystics, Masters, Sages, Saints-and Just Regular Folk 280
Bibliography 293