Someone has written as if knowledgeable about mystics, when not one, and has perpetuated false information including an insensible term "mystical prayer." It seems the person has not studied the writings of the scholars and experts on the topic of mystic and what is a mystic, nor of mysticism, nor has lived experience.
The person also refuted my analogy that being born a mystic is an affliction, similar to being born with autism or cerebral palsy. This is true; but obviously the person does not grasp that autism and cerebral palsy are not negatives in God's realm nor in a mystic's viewpoint. However, they all involve much suffering, and the simplistic comments made by the person indicate the very unknowing of the topic of which I concluded my previous post--that it really does not matter what others write or say, or the labels they use.
We are born as we are, and those of us whom God chose to be mystics in this life, grasp the reality, and those whom God has chosen to be other of God's will, all given assignments per se, for this life, will not grasp what is a mystic and what is not, and will continue to think they themselves or others can "become a mystic" when one cannot "become a mystic."
However, anyone can become a contemplative. And all should strive in this life to become a contemplative, of which mystics very much strive toward and desire to attain to contemplative life, and ask God for the graces which He alone can give for any one of us to attain to the highest contemplative states of which the greatest of spiritual directors and saints such as John of the Cross have written, as well as the late Garrigou-LaGrange who wrote of the three ways of the spiritual life in condensed as well as in lengthy formats.
If one wants to learn more about mystics and mysticism, and who and what, and why mystics are born mystics, and why one cannot "become" a mystic, and how it is that anyone can become a contemplative but not become a mystic, I suggest doing some serious study on the topic. A good place to begin is with Dr. David Knowles book, likely not in print but probably can locate used copies or online, What Is Mysticism?
As to a mystic not generally nor specifically being welcome in parishes or if a religious, notably and historically were not embraced in their religious orders, is due to various factors, including envy and misunderstanding, and the ways in which the temporal Church has dealt with mystics over the years.
As a mystic and Catholic, as well as a consecrated Catholic hermit of which I don't have concern about labels at this point in my spiritual progression, the person as do my blog readers know my situations with parishioners and parish priests, and why I chose to be obedient to my religious superior, the rector of Cathedral and confessor at the time of the mystical ecstasies occurring, who directed me that I was not to answer any questions nor ever speak of the ecstasies to others.
Of course, that was a typical way that the Church authorities have handled mystics and mystical experiences, unbidden and unwanted by the mystics. And that type of directive or being hidden away in monastery cell, ordered to not speak to others nor answer questions, making them do things that caused the mystics physical harm are typical of some of the persecution a mystic endures. It goes with the territory of what God has ordained of those He has chosen to be born a mystic. Obviously, had the rector/priest and bishop simply explained, written in the parish bulletin or allowed the mystic to quietly and simply explain about such as a mystical ecstasy, perhaps some of the problems and fallout from bishops, priests, and parishioners may have been handled; however, the mystic chooses obedience as well as God's will.
But every priest or bishop I've encountered has handled it as if a live grenade might explode and matters get out of hand, or more than they wish to handle; they have refused become educated nor to contact those with professional experience in such matters. I know of a couple of mystics in other states whose diocese personnel handled it differently--very well. However, God determines how He wills a mystic's life to unfold just as He does all lives. In my case, I've come to accept God's will in what I used to think went against what I'd think, but I suppose others whom He kept hidden and removed, may have wondered, as well. Is this going as God wills, or am I misinterpreting or not trying hard enough for the other to work out--what might seem more humanly logical. (It always works out--in God's will and way, regardless, even if the mystic takes a long time to trust the seeming illogical temporally because. God's logic is always going to prevail if one has given oneself fully to God.)
Do people always understand someone afflicted with autism or cerebral palsy? No. Just ask their parents. Nor do people understand someone afflicted as a mystic. And I use the term "afflicted" to help others understand that being a mystic is not something that anyone should desire, want, wish to be, or have envy of those few persons in the world who are mystics, born mystics, chosen by God for that specific mission in the mystic's life. It is a very painful physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually condition. One cannot not be a mystic. But anyone can be a contemplative, and conversely, anyone can not be or not desire to be a contemplative.
There is so much more I could write about my life from the earliest years on of my life, born a mystic, and now understand that I agreed to this from before birth. I agreed to this type of existence which someone a long time ago labeled with the word "mystic." But I don't need to write in order to explain why people cannot become mystics, and that a few in each generation are determined by God, chosen by God, and the soul agrees, and a mystic then is born. Bl. Emmerich wrote from her prescient visions and locutions that God even chooses whom to replace of a mystic who is dying, and then another mystic is born to carry forth the mission that mystics provide for God and in the temporal world--mission and assignments from God that include signs of His Real Presence. Suffering of all types, including rejection and misundertanding by fellow Christians and that includes Catholics for those who think Catholicism is not Christian, and persecution by these but also and maybe especially painful, by clergy and religious.
In my situation, I was late in understanding why God continued to allow my being not welcome to be in Mass or in parishes. God simply willed not, for He had progressed me through a passageway of the temporal church and onward to another passageway which leads or may be in His Mystical Church which extends to eternity. I use the word "may" lead or be already in His Mystical Church, for it's only been recently that I more fully grasped that God wills me to grasp what He showed me and spoke to me several years ago in our time, not God's time, for in God there is no time; He is time. I'm not sure yet of what this passageway entails, and even if I did come to grasp more of its reality, of this passageway, it may not be something I can express in words, or that God will want me to try to express as increasingly these matters are of the ineffable.
Please, though, do some scholarly research by authorities on the topic, and not Karl Rahner or those who were not or are not mystics as your go-to for information. But if so, whatever, as I've said, the labels and the misinformation does not really matter. You cannot become a mystic, the author of that blog is not a mystic, there is no such actual "thing" or capability that would be what the blog writer and others are terming "mystical prayer," It is nonsensical term, and just stick with contemplative prayer and what the great spiritual guides and holy persons and scholars for centuries have come to explain of the levels of contemplative prayer and how to grow in prayer to then be available to God's grace for His determining gift of ultimate highest form of contemplation, which is brief times of union with His Real Presence.
None of us can "become a mystic", and one would not and ought not wish for what is entailed in a mystic's lived outer and inner experience. Just be satisfied with the marvelous vocations that God has chosen each of us to be in this life, and to which we agreed to at some point of our existence; we mostly will have no recollection but must trust God in this. Labels do not make it so, in other words, no matter what cognitive education or intelligence one might have in writing or speaking, declaring this or that about what is a mystic and what is mysticism. Find out from those who spent their lives studying and researching--the scholars, the learned spiritual directors who have been dead for years and years so that their writings have been tried and proven, as well as what the mystics themselves have written of their lives.
I do not make statements for the heck of it or without sound reason and facts, in addition to on-point metaphors. The one/s who try to negate or weigh in on what I share, with their gotcha-intentions, do a disservice to whomever reads their misinformation on this topic in particular. They lead people potentially to think of themselves in deceived ways, which may at some point embarrass themselves to others and blind them and keep themselves from seeking deeper forms of prayer; and thus hinder themselves from becoming great contemplatives, their minds, hearts, and souls closer to His Real Presence, which is something we all should desire and of which I myself desire very much.
As a mystic, I never "strive" in mysticism or in being "more a mystic." I've never prayed to be a better mystic or for any mystical phenomenon; I've certainly asked His Real Presence several times to take this "cup" from me, but I stopped doing that a long time ago when I accepted God had me born as a mystic for His purposes and will.
This debate and on-going refutation of facts, by these others, is foolishness. Again, being a mystic is totally in God's purview and omnipotence, and nothing one can increase and also nothing one can make go away. A mystic does not want to, either way. A mystic has this affliction, is born with it, and must live it out as do those born with autism or cerebral palsy as a metaphoric example--other than the latter afflictions have all types of temporal studies and scientific and medical helps as well as temporal assistance to those afflicted. A mystic has His Real Presence; that's the sum total and All for a mystic.rist And His Real Presence, the Trinity, is All that is needed from alpha to omega of a mystic's existence--and yes, that includes His Church--of which Christ Is Head and all who love, believe, and follow Him are His Body.
Usually God cuts off human spiritual directors at certain point in a mystic's life, as well. God may allow a spiritual friend--a priest or other--but that priest or friend is not a mystic nor has experience with having known a mystic in their lifetimes. The person is given to the mystic as a friend so the mystic will not feel so alone and will have someone with whom to confide, who generally has some awareness of mystics of the past. that was my case--but whom God has chosen for the mystic and the mystic for the other.
My spiritual da, as I referred to him, ceased being my spiritual director in April 2000. He told me he had no more to teach me and had not for quite some time, so said he was not longer my spiritual director but instead we could be anam cara--spiritual friends, friends of the love in heart and soul, as as he put it, he hoped we would spiral our way upwards to God. He was always available to listen to me and interject thoughts, and was a staunch supporter, but also said in all his many years as a priest, he'd never met anyone like me, and to my upset would repeat on occasion that I was "different." But he'd add, I was good, a good different, and God was leading me onward even if my temporal Church experiences were so upsetting and hard to understand for some of it defied Christianity. Mystics have much flack from the devil.
Of course the human in me has wept and had anger and tried all the more to fit in, asked to no avail, offered all types of donations of time and resources and talent, only to have God put stops several times until I realized even though I could not at the time understand why, God did not will me to continue physically in the temporal church--the parishes and dioceses. He was going to direct me Himself, of which that has taken 10 years or so to accept and understand and just recently fully let go of any further attempts and also the guilt and sorrow I've felt of not being in a temporal Church parish.
He has progressed me through that passageway, and now, late but ready and committed, I am on board to His will in what He showed me quite awhile ago of this next passageway--shown metaphorically bit in image, and told me is the Stairway to Heaven, and myself at the base. So I have now to begin in whatever way His Real Presence and my angel will progress me, one step at a time, I assume. I do not know! But I know from a signal also in His Living Word the other day, too much to explain, that I have finally grasped what He willed and wills, and I let go fully and finally of the other.
Those who want to be a mystic, confuse others that they can "become" a mystic, do a great disservice and lead others astray. Better that a millstone be tied around their necks. However, in this case of the blog writer, God has mercy for the person knows not what the person is doing. There is no way for others to understand the sufferings and the complete emptying out that a mystic must endure, and the total death and sense of ontological aloneness while at the same time being in His Real Presence always. It's a mystery, all this. Just let us all be very pleased and content that we all can be and do desire and are able to strive to a certain point, to be contemplative!
God bless His Real Presence in us!
Love in His Love!
(I considered reviewing and writing from the various experts and scholars and mystics themselves of the contrast of mystic and contemplative and the reasons and proofs that mystics are born mystics and thus people cannot "become a mystic" in life, or go into the types of sufferings that make being born a mystic as if born with an affliction. However, I am reminded within that it does not matter what these other persons think or write on the topic. I write this with compassion but feel its time for some truth with humor. Try as they might, or tell themselves or write false information as has been done now repeatedly on this topic--not going to change the facts and truth.
How pointless for me to explain further; I've wasted time today with this, and it was but a snare of not-of-God. I must let God deal with it. Their misinformation to others nor delusion is going to change the reality of my existence, lived experience or mission of mystics or the reality no human can become a mystic unless they do so with the subterfuge and temporary help of the devil. Being born a mystic, and thus being a mystic, is not an "achievement" to be garnered or gained.
I'll leave this posted for now, but what a waste of my time to try to bring truth to those who have confused others or themselves by deceptive notions of facts and truth. Only if they had the lived experience would they also know reality of what is and what is not. They would never want to be what they seem to want but cannot achieve, for none of us can make ourselves what is not ordained by God at moment of conception, in such serious regard or matter.
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