A tradition of a "heavenly book" runs through many traditions, including Mormonism with its "gold plates." What spiritual reality might these traditions be pointing to?
Author: Bryce Haymond
Infographic—The Perennial Cycle of Religions: Mysticism to Politics v1.0
I created a graphic to better illustrate the evolution (or devolution) from mysticism to religion to politics, and back again, as originally modeled by David Steindl-Rast.
What is “Seeing” Christ? An Interspiritual, Mystical, and Psychospiritual Perspective
Is it seeing a man with brown hair, a beard, and a white robe? Or is there much more to the "Christ" than this?
The “Ahman Prayer”: Toward a Mormon Contemplative Practice
There is no genuine contemplative practice in Mormonism, an inner meditative gaze deep in consciousness. I offer a possible format for a uniquely Mormon practice.
1 Corinthians 13, BHT: The Supreme & Eternal Nature of Love
Paul writes about Love.
The World is Made by the Trickster
The trickster archetype is often found in mythologies, and cultures of all kinds, including religions, and it is by these tricks that the world turns.
Joseph Smith’s First Vision in the Book of Mormon: The Earliest Accounts?
The earliest known account of First Vision may not be the one in 1832, but many esoteric accounts in April-June 1829, in the Book of Mormon text itself.
Joseph Losing the “Plates” and “Interpreters” was Mystical not Literal
The "Urim & Thummim" were perhaps Joseph's own eyes, which in a mystical state of consciousness could "see" the visionary "plates." He lost these "gifts" for a time.
The First Vision of Moroni
Was the vision of Moroni unique, or had Joseph experienced something similar before?
Early Secondhand Details about Joseph Smith’s First Vision in 1830-1833?
A late thirdhand account of the First Vision from John Alger in 1893 may be corroborated by some early secondhand (esoteric) references in some songs and hymns recorded in 1833, which may also have connections to a recorded revelation in 1830.