Exploring Mysticism and the Mystical Journey (1)

The mystic quest for understanding human purpose is the subject of this 12-part series. Several spiritual leaders talk about their explorations into the mystery of mysticism. People’s spiritual needs have been expressed through the centuries across the essential religious experiences of human kind. Mystics traveling on a mystical journey are found at the center of every single spiritual tradition. In their exploration of mysticism, each mystic discovers that it lies at the heart of their own spiritual tradition, and then they describe it in terms of a universal human experience. Mystical journeys are at the heart of all religions, but can also be experienced outside of a specific religious tradition. By following the mystical path and looking at the mystery within mysticism, each mystic finds deep experiential answers. As mystics pay attention to the mystery, their consciousness is transformed and they enter a deep state of mystical knowing. This mystical experience that the mystic has cannot be explained in words, so to understand what mysticism is you need to understand the experience yourself. It goes beyond any cultural differences. People who travel on the mystical journey tend to describe the same experiences regardless of their culture. Mysticism is the direct inner experience of divinity, or truth, that we discover within ourselves. The mystical journey leads us through the interior life, opening us to a center point where we can have mystical communion, or spiritual awakening.