I received an invitation to debate online various disagreements regarding what is a mystic and aspects therein. I declined, including in giving a definition of "mystic", because I realized it does not matter to me and is not going to change the extensive opinions and definitions that are out there in the temporal world, as well as the books and research done by those who most often are not mystics, although they may hae had numinous spiritual experiences.
I realized that God did not have any desire for me to enter into a debate that most likely would be more argumentative than otherwise, since I already know the other person and I disagree on the topic and word meaning. I have not found any definition online that remains constant among those who write them; and I prayed about what is a "mystic", and of course there is no definition possible even though there are examples of the markers or effects (side effects, perhaps) of mystics and their lived experiences numinous, ethereal, interior, and sometimes exterior effects.
Then there is the question of whether or not a person can "become" a mystic, can "achieve" being a mystic through a process of temporal and spiritual efforts that will at some point make the person a mystic. I think not, from my own lived experience and readings, but I know that anyone can and might experience various spiritual experiences in which they are aware of the presence of God in inexplicable (in words) lived but numinous, most often interior events even though some exterior effect might be seen.
Mystic is relatively a recent term (in the history of humanity). Increasingly, recently, it has become a buzzword with a broad umbrella of meanings and projections. It also has been conflated with contemplative and spiritual in which people, their minds and souls, can experience the presence of God through contemplation, prayer or otherwise, but is that the same of "being a mystic?"
I don't think so, not from my own experience or maybe better put, being like this, having this way of being, since as long as I can recall or have cognitive awareness, or also in being "diagnosed" as mystic, of which the word "diagnose" might offend some, but it goes along with my own sense from my own life that mystics are born, and they can become contemplatives and seem to have a predisposition for contemplation.
But I of those who do not think or believe that persons can "become" mystics--yet we all can become contemplatives to a high degree of contemplating God and God's creation and Word, and at whatever point God wills, can experience a spiritual event within, that is a numinous experience of the presence of God. God makes Himself known, in other words, in a real but spiritual affect, interiorly in a way that is ineffable--not describable in language, use of words or in images. However, persons--contemplatives as well as mystics, often attempt to describe the event for themselves or sometimes to share with others.
This is different than a mystic's purpose and mission, which is not only to experience the presence of God within but has a multitude of other markers, effects, affects, and "works" of which the mystic is given in relationship to purpose and mission either visible or invisible, by and for God, often relating to others in the temporal world.
Being a mystic is not the same as being a contemplative, but in contemplation the highest peak experience/s is that of direct or immediate transformative experience of God. I consider a definition by a scholar and expert, to actually describe more that which a contemplative prepares, not the mystic. As for myself, I do not prepare for such experiences. The experiences of and from God are given without asking nor trying nor preparing. I do not impose what I want on God, but rather remain receptive. I might ask as in prayer, to be used to help in some situation or other, in whatever means and ways, and God decides.
Furthermore, in my lived experience as a mystic--not a label I came up with for myself but what several priests and a bishop determined, which others had expressed to me in other labels such as"different" or " possess rare spiritual gifts" or "psychic" (which is not the same, although might seem to overlap in some of the effects)--I have come to understand that God chose this life for me, as a "mystic," before my birth, and that in some way I accepted. A person mentioned that this is not in keeping with Catholic theology and not approved by I assume the Vatican as "by the Church" was mentioned. I suppose it is not, but it does not change my experience and what I was told and sense given of it, including in vision and locutions.
I do not wake up thinking about the label I've been given and which I agree to based on other mystics I've come to know through their own writings or primary source biographies of these persons when they were on earth, as well as encountering some in visions who would give me guidance--set me straight on matters I was misunderstanding. I realized I'm not interested in giving a definition of what is a "mystic" for there really is none anymore than anyone could define themselves in whatever capacity of their "being."
All we have are "side effects" inner and outer, or so it seems to me, of whatever each of us is, and if in a subset of types, those markers and effects are identified as best is possible, I would never want to encourage anyone to want to be a mystic or to ask God or make any kind of promise or pact, for the devil (who can really define what is the devil other than effect and the label in Scriptures) can easily deceive.
But I wholeheartedly encourage others and myself to strive in prayer and in contemplation--something that can be learned and practiced, and there are accounts by and of all manner of persons who found themselves at a point in contemplation, usually termed the unitive phase, in which God makes His presence known in numinous, ineffable experience/s.
I maintain that faith is invaluable, as is God's Law, His Law of Love, and of our learning and loving to live out God's Law of Love: to love God above all else and to love others as God loves. Pray about how God loves, and learn to love to love as God loves. That love places us with His Real Presence in ways we mya or may not be able to identify, but are quite real temporally and spiritually in effect for others and in our own spiritual growth, as well as in knowing and loving God increasingly, intimately.
Bottom line, though, debating what is or is not a mystic and if people can become mystics or if God determines and mystics are born as such, is that it simply does not matter. If someone wants to become a mystic, how would they do it? I suspect they would try through contemplation and contemplative prayer, which makes them contemplatives and may if God wills, at some point have a numinous, ineffable experience of God's presence. But do they want and have all the suffering and misunderstanding and persecution that mystics endure; or do they want the experience of God's presence? Jesus asked James and John if they can drink the cup which He must drink. There's a wise saying: Be careful what you ask for. I never asked for this but was given it, born this way, and as far as I've known and read of others, they were, as well, even if they did not become consciously aware of the difference and their mission and purpose later although had experiences and subconscious awareness as children.
What does it matter? What difference that the scholars and blog writers opine about what is a mystic and who they think are mystics in temporal Catholic Church? This discussion does not matter to me; it is not going to change my circumstances. I do write sometimes of the insights and experiences if they might help someone with awareness or understanding of some topic or essence of God or Scriptures, or even to cathartically express something I've had to endure in a mystical experience (different from spiritual experience although those terms are interchanged often, as well). I have even realized that I'm not going to change person's perceptions and opinions or to be kinder and more accepting of the few mystics about, if they happens to encounter one. In all my life and of several priests and many Catholic parishioners including online, I've only found two priests and four parishioners who were kind and somewhat understanding.
But this is another marker, other than the mystics who have something practical in the spectacular of which the temporal Church can more readily utilize. St. Gemma Galgani had but one family who took her in and protected her from other Catholics, as they and her own family rejected her. Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich had the same situation but not even a family to take her in. Others were hidden away in cells from the others and told not to communicate other than to the superior and priest. Most lived and died like any common cabbage butterfly, brief on earth and easily not noticed: forgot.
Do the mystics care? No! We long for release from this temporal world, even with it's temporal wonders and our purpose and mission for being here. For me, temporal life is far more lovely when hidden, tucked away in my temporal abode, the few outer interactions mostly quite pleasant, other than occasional incompetence in such as a medical doctor or worker, scams, or currently my on-going sinus infection: the temporal upsets that everyone suffers from time to time.
A dear friend admitted to me when ecstasies during Mass began back in 2008, that he envied me and so wanted to have that particular experience. (Yes, I had noticed he and his wife had distanced themselves as friends for awhile; and wow, was it painful to feel their rejection and envy for what I had nothing to do with what was occurring nor any control to stop it.) But he added that after he saw the horrible treatment and suffering I had as a result, he did not want it anymore. And I believe with all my mind and heart, that this man already experienced the presence of God in his everyday life--just not in a spiritual experience that is not necessary, but people seem intrigued to desire in that format.
People and writers seem to be unable to differentiate the terms mystic and contemplative, mysticism and contemplation, and spiritual. I find it rather pointless to try to change what people think, write, or say of the terms. I have noticed that the confusion even extends to the labeling of various persons as "mystics" when they might more be intellectuals who can write about the topic, but of themselves are not mystics.
This includes persons, now deceased, of the Catholic Church who wrote eloquently of such matters but don't have enough of the markers that scholars at least have agreed upon, which constitute a "mystic;" but instead the persons are marvelous contemplatives. Does it matter to me or perhaps to God? No. When I've read through others' written opinions or quotes of even contemplatives on the topic, I become mentally exhausted and bored. So many words that amount to confusion of terms or interchanging terms. I'd rather re-read Brother Lawrence's "Practicing the Presence of God," a humble man who put experiencing the presence of God in practical terms and into everyday life. Mostly I prefer reading His Living Word and pondering, praying, living it, and striving in loving as God loves in my thoughts and actions.
There is a growing trend and hype about mystics and mysticism which intellectualizes, opines, glamorizes and intrigues, so people might imagine they'd love to experience what to them seems exciting and miraculous, or to have that which is ineffable but mystics to whom God has given that type of experience of the presence of God--of which they may also have experienced through contemplation. Or, we all might learn to recognize His Real Presence in other forms and types of experiences not ethereal, that come in faith that His Real Presence is within us and we are in Him, and by learning to love, to love as God loves.
I'm wearied by this topic, by those writing about that which they are not but view from without to within of that which they form opinions and even convictions and who decide who is and who is not, or quote writings of those who write of such matters but who were not even if some gave them the label. Those thus labeled are also dead, and that they were not mystics but people labeled them as such, does not matter to them, either! I am not going to be a mystic in heaven! I don't care that I am on earth!
I simply endure the sufferings as best my mortal body is able, and my mind and emotions varying in how I handle the sufferings--sometimes with joy and determination of what I was told for what the sufferings are being used and other times wanting out of the sufferings, not at all grateful nor at all heroic. I do not live my life thinking of the label except when something upsetting occurs in which I remind myself, and take consolation in my kind, the more forgotten and hidden, suffering mystics of which I have met in visions or more often have come to know as my friends in their writings.
My main existence and thoughts consist of a tiny admixture of temporal ordeals as well as joys, but predominantly my being in His Real Presence and He in me to the point that I am rather consumed now with learning to love as God Loves, living His Law of Love in all facets, to immerse in His Living Word, and to pray for souls including my own, praise His Real Presence for all His Creation and. Who He Is even if I could not know how to describe, suffer as He wills and wishes, be consumed in His Body and Blood which is automatic since His Real Presence is in me and I am in Him.
This is my current life on this passageway to which I was brought and now have fully accepted and willing to be progressed through and on, the stairway to heaven, in metaphor as it was shown in vision and told me 16 earth years ago. See how long it can take one to discern and grasp and accept? But to God it might seem not long, and that He knew and expected me to discern and doubt and drag my feet so to speak. Person/s might piggy back or lift the thoughts written here, but what does that matter? It does not! Who cares but God who watches over and sees all of our thoughts and actions, us humankind who hold the temporal key to the practice of virtues and vices.
All this discussion of what and who is a mystic and interchanging those terms with contemplative and contemplation and spiritual--and especially opinions regarding human ability to become through some effort or human preparation is what got me started. I slipped and paid attention to one, to them; I got off track, stumbled on the stairway with matters that do not matter, not to what I'm to be about for and in His Real Presence!
Those silly matters of temporal labels matter not to me now any more than being a mystic matters. It is but a label; the living what God made me in the way He wills is what matters; the being strong and waiting for Jesus to return and take me with Him, to consummate the marriage which He promised then, is what matters. The learning to love as God loves is what especially matters because that is what His Real Presence wants and wills me to learn--something we all can learn in whatever capacities we are given by Him to accomplish His will!
When will Jesus come back to take me with Him? Soon, I hope! What did He tell me to do after the marriage banquet? When Jesus my Bridegroom showed me priests and parishioners assessing and opining me, He said "Pay no attention to them." Then He said most importantly, for me to "Be strong! Wait! You must remain STRONG." Dear His Real Presence: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; please help me to pay no attention of what and those I'm not to notice, and help me be strong and wait! Thank You, Jesus!
The following excerpt from St. John Climacus, a hermit monk of Mt. Sinai [c. 575-650], in his writings/book: The Ladder of Perfection, 21st step. His message seems appropriate wisdom from a mystic who draws upon Scripture and experience to help us learn what is important in our mind, heart, and soul strivings.
"If we feel urged to please the heavenly King, let us strive to only taste the glory on high. In fact, anyone who has tasted it will despise any earthly glory. But I could not be surprised that someone would despise this latter if he has not tasted the former
"Whoever asks God for gifts as a reward for his efforts has set himself on shaky foundations. Whoever views himself as a debtor will suddenly receive an unexpected reward. (...). It is a glory coming from the Lord: in effect he has said: 'Those who glorify me, I will glorify.' (1 Sam 2:30). And there is the man who draws from the artifices of the devil, for it is said: 'Woe to you when all the world speaks well of you' (Lk 6:26). You will clearly recognize the first by the fact that, considering it to be a disaster, he pushes himself forward by every means and, wherever he goes, he hides his way of life; and secondly, by the fact that he does even the smallest things to be seen by men (cf. Mt. 6:1). Impure vainglory suggest that we should feign the virtue we do not have, saying to ourselves: 'That thus your light is shining in the sight of men so that they may see your good works' (Mt. 5:16). (...)"
God bless His Real Presence! God alone knows who and what we are! Try to live what He created with humility. Be pro-active in what God has provided and allowed us to be, and be receptive in all else of God's prerogative and purview. Nothing else really matters but God's will for each.
And Love in His Love!
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