WESTERN MYSTICISM: Summit of “THE WAY” © By Louise Hahn Dillon, DST The Mystical level of human consciousness is UNION WITH GOD or the mystic summit symbolized by the mountain on the chart. In early history the natural mystic found a God-centered process to reach the summit, “…and the person walked with God.” The ascent followed basic steps that became a tradition called “THE WAY.’’ The mystical is the evolving and sacred spiritual consciousness innate but not apparent in the universe as well as within each person. To enter this mystic dimension requires each person to develop a pure and prayerful participation in their own core of ethics, integrity, and love. However, God’s immanent and transcendent consolations are obvious to the person who is acted upon or Graced along “The Way.” The mystic seeker slowly penetrates the sacred: First, by attending to and living their own guiding conscience. Second, by rote but loving prayer. Third, by inner stirrings of longing prayer. Fourth, by receiving the spiritual gift of perpetual prayer. Fifth, by autonomous UNION WITH GOD. Sixth, major gifts afterward are: infused humility, reverence, and love with universal symbols imprinted on the memory. Seventh and last is, dedication to formulate mystical theology to inspire others along “THE WAY.” The climax, UNION WITH GOD is most rare, intensely personal, and sacred. Memory, intellect, and will are eclipsed (not over taken) by mystical perception’s ascent to the transcendent reality. Eckhart’s way includes, “…the birth of the Word in the soul, the mystical ‘breakthrough’ into God as Trinity, and the eschatological ‘breakthrough’ into the hidden Godhead.” When the Union experience is completed, normal consciousness returns and the individual’s whole personality is flooded with certainty of the Eternal Reality. Mystics’ varied personalities and cultural backgrounds make their ascent highly individual. Moses (EX: 3: 1-6) was an Egyptian as was Plotinus born in the third century. Philo and St. Paul were Israelites. In Europe many of the Roman Catholic church fathers were mystics such as St. Jerome, St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, and St. Gregory I. Other major mystics include Pseudo-Dionysius a Syrian monk, St. Teresa of Avila, a Spanish Carmelite nun, Jan Van Ruysbroeck of Germany, and Protestants Jacob Boehme and William Law Mohammed was Arabian as were his followers Rabia, Al-kindi, and Al Hallaj who ascended the mystic summit and developed the Sufi mystical tradition. Jewish mystic Baal Shem Tov revitalized the Hasid in the eighteenth century. Early Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle developed theories of knowledge and logic that continue through the centuries and are shown as REASON (in green) on the chart.
KEY TO SYMBOLS ON THE CHART ---------------- RATIONAL PERCEPTION represents the conceptual: organizations, hierarchies, rituals, scripture and its exegesis, dogmatic theology, and natural sciences. INSIGHT highlights people whose desire to know broke through reason to an intuition of truth that effected human development. ------------------- SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION represents the sacred interaction between the individual and God. CONTEMPLATION is represented by Moses and the “cloud mystic” (author of The Cloud of Unknowing). The contemplative experiences autonomous eclipse of the rational and opens to UNION WITH GOD. M/F MYSTICAL FRIENDSHIP is what Jesus meant by, “Abide in me and I in you.” This paradox is when two persons are one while each retains their own individuality and detachment. Examples are: Jonathan/David, St. Gregory/ St. Basil, St.Teresa/St. John of the Cross, and also Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and his cousin Marguerite Teillard Chambon.
MYSTICAL PERCEPTION of “God’s self disclosure.” Karl Rahner. Symbolized by the large eye on the chart, at a time when it became more accepted as a definitive awareness. Known as the “third eye,” is Plato’s “eye of the soul,” Augustine’s “my soul’s eye,” Boehme’s “eye of the spirit,” and Walter Hilton’s “ghostly eye.” H ↑ LADDER AND CHARIOT WHEEL both symbolize the souls ascension out of the body, to UNION WITH GOD. Biblical references: Jacob and Ezekiel. Others: Plato, St. John Climaticus, Al Ghazzali, and Maimonides. Walter Hilton wrote of this ascent in his, The Scale of Perfection. TRINITARIAN MYSTICISM is the mystical perception in which the individual’s gratuitous relationship to the Three Persons in God is explicitly realized. PRIMORDIAL LIGHT represents the earliest spiritual illumination of the individual.
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The Chart Survey The chart is set up chronologically. Centuries unfold progressively down the center of the chart for historical perspective. Mystics who have made classic written contributions are boldly outlined on the right side of the chart, with less known names shown as supportive witnesses. The left side of the chart shows Sacred written works: The Holy Bible, Talmud, Enneads, and The Koran. Also, various books written by major mystics throughout history provide meditative food for the seeker. Major formulations of living styles and dictums are shown on the left side of the chart as they appear within culture. Reason always tried to dictate how individuals should be spiritual, especially during the Inquisition. Finally in the 21st century reason’s insight opens out the possibilities of mental realism or Cosmic Mind thinking our universe. Some extracts of wisdom are: Plotinus’, “Thus the Supreme as containing no otherness is ever present with us; we are with it when we put otherness away. It is not the Supreme reaches out to us seeking our communion: we reach towards the Supreme; it is we that become present.” Albert the Great’s, “Leave thy body and fix thy gaze on the uncreated Light…we can ascend to the contemplation even of the mystery of the Holy Trinity,” and Suso’s “There is an image of God in the soul which can rise to the Divine Essence.” This brief survey indicates the wide spectrum of mysticism in the past. Modern mystics push forth in spiritual evolution. The future mystic may open the psyche and allow Cosmic Mind’s symbolic wisdom to radiate ever-new energies that the scientist only suspects while using ultra modern scientific equipment. Mysticism is innate in the individual to dignify in mystery, energy, and peace-filled joy. Centuries of evidence give the seeker security to proceed along “THE WAY.” One may go with purity and love, into meditation, contemplation, and possibly to the mystic summit, UNION WITH GOD. As creation continues, individuals still walk with God.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR THE STUDY OF MYSTICISM GENERAL MYSTICISM Mysticism, Evelyn Underhill, E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc., N. Y., 1961. Mysticism in World Religions, Sidney Spencer, Penguin Books, 1963. Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, Gershom Scholem, Schoken Books, 1961. Sufism: An Account of the Mystics of Islam, A. J. Arberry, Harper & Row, 1970. Studies in the Psychology of the Mystics, Joseph Marechal, S. J., Tr. Algar Thorold, Magi Books, Inc., 1964. CLASSIC MYSTICISM Plotinus: The Enneads, Tr. Stephen MacKenna and B. S. Page, Faber and Faber Ltd., N. Y., 1969. Mystical Theology and The Celestial Hierarchys, Dionysius the Areopagite, The Shrine of Wisdom, Surrey, England, 1965. The Cloud of Unknowing, Anonymous, Tr. And Introd. Comm., Ira Progoff, Dialogue House Library, 1961. Eckhart’s Way, Richard Woods, OP, The Liturgical press, Collegeville, MN. 1941. The Complete Works of St. Teresa, III Vols, Tr. E. Allison Peers, Sheed & Ward, 1944. The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, Tr. Kieran Kavanaugh, O. C. D. and Otilio Rodrigues, O. C. D., ICS Publications, 1973. MODERN TRENDS IN MYSTICISM The Mystical Evolution: in the Development and Vitality of the Church, Volumes One and Two, John G. Arintero, O. P., Tr. Jordon Aumann, O. P., Tan Books and Publishers, Inc., Rockford, IL, 1978. Cosmic Consciousness, Richard Maurice Buck, Dutton Paper, 1965. The Phenomenon of Man, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Harper Torchbooks, 1965.
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Design of Existence: Emanation from Source to Creation, Wilson Van Dusen, Chrysalis Press, West Chester, PA, 2001. The Mind Paradigm: A Unified Model of Mental and Physical Reality, Keith Chandler, Authors Choice Press, N Y, 2001 Copyright Š Louise Hahn Dillon 1975, Second edition 2001 Publisher: Louise Hahn Dillon, DST Western Mysticism: Summit of the Way Part1, Chart and Part 2, Text, 186 Beresford Court, G109 Milpitas, CA 95035-4410 Phone: 408 262-3561 Ctr3glow@comcast.net
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