Mystical Encounters for Christians

[Ahimsa]

		**[Mystical Encounters for Christians](http://www.beliefnet.com/story/184/story_18401_1.html)**                                                                                                			  			
			  			**When I sensed that believing in Jesus wasn't enough and yearned for more, I turned to older forms of prayer.                    **

It’s one of the most popular questions of our day: Is America having a spiritual revival? I think the answer is a resounding YES!

But while men and women clearly have an intense hunger for experiences that will nurture their souls, many of these questing spiritual nomads have not found what they are looking for in churches. They have tried the church and have heard theological discourses and social justice sermons, but have failed to discover much that offers them mystical encounters with transcendent spiritual powers. They long for experiences that could create the ecstasies of heart and mind that German phenomenologist Rudolph Otto called the* mysterium tremendum.* Consequently, many have sought and found spiritual food outside of organized Christianity or Judaism. Today, some of the most spiritual people I know claim to be without religion.

I relate to their problem. I have experienced an unspoken dissatisfaction with own my spiritual life that has only been allayed over the past few years as my prayer life began to change. Believing the gospel was never a problem for me, but during times of reflection I sensed that believing in Jesus and living out His teachings just wasn’t enough. There was a yearning for something more, and I found that I was increasingly spiritually gratified as I adopted older ways of praying–ways that have largely been ignored by those of us in the Protestant tradition. Counter-Reformation saints like Ignatius of Loyola have become important sources of help as I have begun to learn from them modes of contemplative prayer. I practice what is known as “centering prayer,” in which a sacred word is repeated as a way to be in God’s presence.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

I really liked the paragraph that followed the part you quoted as well:

In my Baptist childhood, all I learned to do while praying was to go through a litany of non-negotiable demands to the Almighty. Prayers were little more than petitions. Oh, I knew about confession, adoration and other kinds of prayer, but my prayer life wasn’t far removed from that of my six-year-old son, who came into the living room one night and said, “I’m going to bed! I’m going to be praying! Anybody want anything?”

Alan

 

[scriabin]

As a New-Ager years ago, I, too, sought for mystical experiences; and I found them. The blue “star of the east” as Paramanhansa Yogananda calls it; is real. It can be seen while meditiating with yoga. I also believe in out of body experiences (no drugs). That stuff is** real.**

But it’s not true.

The beautiful and true is Jesus Christ. His life, His Word, His saints, His Church, His sacraments–all are more mystical and full of supernatural power than any of that other garbage those outside His Catholic Church (and even some within it) believe to be true.

Jesus sends mystical experiences to whom He chooses; and it’s not always a compliment. Haven’t we seen those who yearn and seek after spiritual gifts like tongues, angelic visions, and the like? God wants our love for *His * sake; not for His gifts’ sake.

If you’re looking for the mystical and can’t see it/feel it/know it at the consecration in the Mass, then I suggest you just hang it up.

The most mystical, supernatural **reality ** is right before our eyes at every Mass.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

scriabin:

As a New-Ager years ago, I, too, sought for mystical experiences; and I found them. The blue “star of the east” as Paramanhansa Yogananda calls it; is real. It can be seen while meditiating with yoga. I also believe in out of body experiences (no drugs). That stuff is** real.**

But it’s not true.

The beautiful and true is Jesus Christ. His life, His Word, His saints, His Church, His sacraments–all are more mystical and full of supernatural power than any of that other garbage those outside His Catholic Church (and even some within it) believe to be true.

Jesus sends mystical experiences to whom He chooses; and it’s not always a compliment. Haven’t we seen those who yearn and seek after spiritual gifts like tongues, angelic visions, and the like? God wants our love for *His * sake; not for His gifts’ sake.

If you’re looking for the mystical and can’t see it/feel it/know it at the consecration in the Mass, then I suggest you just hang it up.

The most mystical, supernatural **reality ** is right before our eyes at every Mass.

What are you talking about? I didn’t thoroughly study the whole article, and although his reference to centering prayer is slightly misleading he seems to be saying we should open ourselves to God. How is that a problem?

Alan

 

[Ahimsa]

scriabin:

Haven’t we seen those who yearn and seek after spiritual gifts like tongues, angelic visions, and the like? God wants our love for *His * sake; not for His gifts’ sake.

I agree that a continuous, unbalanced search for mystical experience is misdirected. (I would also suggest that Yogananda would say the same thing, though that’s a different topic).

Whether one searches for mystical experience, or more money, or more knowledge, or more control over nature, or more SUVs – I agree that all of that is missing the point.

However, having said that, I certainly believe that having a mystical experience or two can be a very positive, enlightening, and humbling, experience – indeed, a necessary experience, if one is to grow spiritually. The need for such a living experience (not necessary anything dramatic, or obviously “mystical”) is what makes some people go New Age, or Buddhist, or Pentecostal, or Catholic.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

Ahimsa:

However, having said that, I certainly believe that having a mystical experience or two can be a very positive, enlightening, and humbling, experience – indeed, a necessary experience, if one is to grow spiritually. The need for such a living experience (not necessary anything dramatic, or obviously “mystical”) is what makes some people go New Age, or Buddhist, or Pentecostal, or Catholic.

to that!

Without mystical experiences, would we even have saints? Isn’t “mystical experience” in a way just a code word for a state of consciousness in which changes are happening that you do not understand or even perceive in detail?

For those who have seen the movie “The Matrix,” I tend to look upon “mystical experience” kind of as a “glitch” in the matrix. A feeling of deja vu, or whatever, with a possible change of mood associated with it. These are things I feel from time to time and to varying degrees, and the more pronounced ones probably do fit at least one description of “mystical experience” I’ve heard. In this case, it’s a feeling of connection to the environment and the rest of humanity that suddenly things seem to synchronize really well and normally a state of well-being, though sometimes a kind of resigned posture due to temporary lack of identifying self as apart and away from God and other people, but as part of a living unit in which all is Really OK. If that’s anything like a mystical experience, then I know that many people who have been in mental wards have experienced this kind of “synchronization” where they get up just exactly at the right time, show up just as someone starts to look for them, etc. I have my theories on why such feelings come about but that’s yet more lengthy harangue to describe.

As I understand it, since Vatican II it has been clarified that all are called to holiness and therefore I interpret that as meaning we all may or even should aspire to become saints.

Alan

 

[T.A.Stobie_SFO]

In times of strong opposition, such as by the Culture of Death, the Holy Spirit tends to work more in building up the Church.

 

[scriabin]

The need for such a living experience (not necessary anything dramatic, or obviously “mystical”) is what makes some people go New Age, or Buddhist, or Pentecostal, or Catholic.

I think you’re absolutely right.