Will we ever discover the absolute truth, moral or intellectual, or otherwise? Can we ever know the Absolute?
Tag: knowledge
In Mysticism, what is Submission or Surrender?
It is something that is present in nearly every religion, and particularly in their mystical traditions. So what is it? What are we surrendering?
Bringing “God” into the 21st Century through Science and Mysticism
God does not have to be at odds with what we learn from science. We need to reinterpret our ideas of God from direct mystical experience, and I think we'll find our science and spirituality are One.
Only God Knows God?
Does a mystic know God? We usually think a mystic is a person who unites or merges or at-ones with God or Ultimate Reality, and comes to know these intimately. But this is perhaps not quite accurate. Maybe the mystic is not the ego, not the personal identity, not the psychological self, not the particular [...]
David Bentley Hart on "How Can We Know God?"
David Bentley Hart (b. 1965) is described as "an American polymath whose work encompasses a wide range of subjects and genres. A prolific essayist, he has written on topics as diverse as art, literature, religion, philosophy, film, baseball, and politics. He is also a writer of fiction." Religiously speaking, he is a "convert from high-church Anglicanism [...]
Ephesians 1 BHT, "Paul" talks about the Grace of Christ in All Beings
An addition to the BHT, where Paul (or a disciple of Paul) talks about the infinite Grace that Christ is found in all beings, and the type of wondrous insight and knowledge that God reveals in those who attain the consciousness of Christ.
A Psychological and Mystical Interpretation of the Myth of Adam & Eve and the Garden of Eden
I think the story of Adam & Eve is a mythological allegory describing humanity's "fall" of consciousness into the dualities of self-awareness, subject/object relationships, and the opposites of existence. This is symbolized in the partaking of the "tree" of knowledge of good and evil, i.e. dualities.
Yet another “First Vision” Account from St. Symeon the New Theologian
St. Symeon the New Theologian (949-1022 AD) was a Byzantine Christian monk and poet, and was canonized as a saint by the Eastern Orthodox church. He wrote much about Christian mysticism, including his own experiences.
The Mysticism of Falling into a Black Hole
The unitive mystical experience can be compared to falling into a black hole. When compared this way, it doesn't sound like a nice experience. Likewise, for many mystics throughout history, their divine experiences weren't always a merry venture, sometimes encountering hellish realms along the way (see, for example, St. Teresa of Ávila, or St. John of the Cross's Dark Night of the Soul).
The Meaning of the Word "Mystical"
The word mystical is derived from the Greek mystikos meaning "secret," and muo meaning "concealed." Why all the mystery? Why is it concealed? Why do people keep it a secret? This seems like shady business. But is it?