THE MYSTICISM

VICTOR MANUEL GUZMAN VILLENA

 M .·. M .·.

It is a set of practices and behaviors that lead the individual to experiencing the existence of a high and spiritual dimension that is beyond the common perception of the world. In its most advanced forms it can endure the shaken state of conscience that allows to the person to feel a direct experience of the supernatural presence.

The mysticism acquires different forms as the culture and the tradition of its dogmas, but it has points in common in all the beliefs. It gives another deep dimension to the rational and philosophical values of the human speculation.

The mystical experience is characterized by an individual aspect and experimental that shares few things with logical - deductive thought.

 TYPES OF MYSTICAL EXPERIENCES

 The mystical experience can be of various types, and always be found in different beliefs. The first and foremost, is impossible to describe it in words and concepts, is an intimate experience lived almost in a trance.

Mystics in the most diverse traditions encounter the same communication failure. In Catholic mysticism, for example St Teresa of Jesus is forced to build an architectural structure to communicate to others the different phases or sequences of hers mystical journey. Always in the same tradition, St. John of the Cross shows a path followed as a material path to be undertaken, with a range of experiences of presence / absence of divinity, some of which are particularly dramatic.

Muslim mystics like Ibn Ata Allah o Rage, are disturbed by the total experience of the divine presence in their souls, to the point of being crazy in god, satisfied with their simple and private lives of any luxury, but rich in divine presence.

In many cases, experienced God's presence in the human psyche produces so much disruption in their communication skills that mystics are confused and considered heretics. The formula most frequently censored are the words "I am God" is not understood in its real sense of merging with the divine, and is considered madness.

EASTERN AND WESTERN MYSTICISM

Mystical experiences described by the Eastern monks and Western mystics are partly similar, but differ by the way the divinity are experienced. The Orientals especially Buddhists during meditation experience a religious dimension that precedes the presence of divinity. In contrast to the West and among Muslim mystics found in a common tradition of Judeo-Christian often experience a dimension that is characterized by the presence of a personal deity. Undoubtedly the cultural conditions have an influence, however, this approach is essential to define the differences between the traditions.

 Normally mystical experience does not occur without a complex preparation of the person who lives it. Even when it seems unexpected, it is always a result of various events in the life of the mystical person.

MYSTIC MEDITATION TECHNIQUES    

Eicasmo

It is a movement that emerged in the early centuries of the Christian era which developed mostly within the Orthodox Christian Church. It's about reaching a state of tranquility of the soul by repeating the prayer. Normally recited in two phases. In the first stage corresponds when the person express the prayer, inhales the air up to reaching the biggest gap in the thorax or also the abdominal respiration is used up to the maximum expansion of the abdomen. Following a moment of pause, in which it retains the air, and then expelled, which comes to constitute the second stage. That is the first part is expansion, lifting and recognizes the divinity and greatness, and the second is contraction or decline showing the insignificance as sinners with the request for forgiveness. While reciting the prayer, who prays lower the chin toward the chest, gaze directed towards the abdomen and thinks about his own life and death.

Esicático Prayer has had final confirmation with the fundamental work of Gregory Palamas. This Byzantine theologian who lived in the fifteenth century, defended this form of mysticism initiated by the great fathers in the early centuries of Christianity and obtained official recognition from their positions by the Orthodox Church.

Buddhism

Meditation techniques in Buddhism are of various types. One of the most important is that which exists in the Zen tradition which can be done sitting, standing or moving. To meditate effectively are necessary position, respiration and correct mindset.

The lotus or sitting position is very important in Zen practice in Sotho tradition. Although sung reading of the classic texts of Buddhism is always important, partly because it significantly affects in the breathing, the practitioner finds the path for meditation by the balance between mental attitude, position and breathing.

During meditation are thoughts, worries, obsessions that are formed in the eyes of the mind as a movie. At this point, it interferes with a renewed focus by the breathing and posture. In this way, an intemperance of mind is corrected with the direct effect of the body (position and breathing). Then the thoughts become a sequence which assists unattended without attachment: everything goes and flows to our impassivity.

It is essential that the body can intervene in the mind, use continuing this technique creates the conditions for a transformation of character, which, little by little, get to live everyday with the same detachment of thoughts during meditation. Over time this work forged steel character that can face life without violence, giving a clear mind to distinctive events. Based on this technique have been trained generations of samurai and monks who have exercised the body and mind through the valuable psycho-physics discipline.

Instead standing meditation, which the Japanese call kinin, is done keeping the chest straight, putting one foot before the other, following the sequence-plant-tip heel with the left fist into his right hand, at the height of pit of stomach, and breathing with the abdomen. Normally used in moments of pause of sitting meditation. During meditation Buddhist sutras are read, some of them sung, causing a beneficial effect on breathing.

In Zen Rizai is very important to resolution via intuitive, logically unsolvable problems, in the form of short questions, which have the function of reacting to the logical-deductive to favor intuition and meditation.

Sufism

Sufi mysticism, mainstream Islamic mysticism, has always played a marginal role in Islam, even in the moments of greatest diffusion has often been considered heretical movement.

The best known form of Sufi meditation is the dance of the dervishes. These monks carried out a rotary motion that spins them faster and faster on themselves, to lose consciousness of his own person. It is a dance directly related to the rotational motion of the planets and the connection with the Supreme Being.

Sufism is a Islamic religious movement that represents the mystical path to God. This fraternity is compared often with Christian mysticism and Zen meditation forms, although the differences are notable: the ultimate experience is the intuitive ability to grasp intellectually the existence of God, as the only true reality, minimizing the individuality, which resemble other similar religious experiences.

Sufi Teaching aims to achieve a high level of human knowledge, and the cosmos, giving the individual more objectivity and improving the evolutionary path, as well as the rediscovery of an ancient wisdom which fragments are found in all cultures. For this purpose use various techniques, from the dance of the dervishes to the stories and anecdotes, partially recalling anecdotes of Buddhism.

The key element is the teacher-student interaction. The first one does not aspire to a dominant position or prestige. Characters like Gurgani and Rumi were respected for his great modesty, the cult of personality in Sufism is forbidden, as evidenced by the fact that most major Sufis have remained anonymous.

In conclusion mystical spiritual life shows that the union with a supreme expression requires a life intimately connected with the foundation that sustains all existence. Mysticism cries out because in the depths of the heart there is room for the riches of the spiritual order. At the same time provide a cure for major damage of our time: the materialistic mentality and boundless dedication to the outside world consumption and degradation by the excesses.

Simultaneously mystical beings has deep links with the destinies of the world and the moral influence of humans with harmonica interiority, which contributes to the clarification and reconciliation of spirits, showing the way to an era ruled by their standards, full inspiration in the good to serve as a model and guide.