Mysticism, Dogma and Truth
At a recent lecture on Belief Systems, a student asked, "Is
mysticism a religion?"
Mysticism is a spiritual discipline aiming at direct communion
with God or the ultimate truth. It is not a religion and, in
fact, all religions have mystics. There are Christian mystics,
Jewish mystics (Kabbalists), Islamic mystics (Sufis), Buddhist
and Hindu mystics. Where all the tenets of these religions
intersect is where you'll find the mystics.
Mystics also study universal laws, which, by definition, are
always true, not merely for a particular era or culture. These
truths can be found at the heart of every major religion and
this is why a Kabbalist will have more in common with a Sufi
than he would with his mainstream Jewish counterparts (and vice
versa).
In the process of studying and applying these universal laws a
student of mysticism will begin to unveil his or her inner
senses. That is, the counterparts of his or her objective
senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell will awaken,
which are often referred to as psychic abilities. This is a side
benefit, but not the principle goal of mysticism.
After the lecture, someone asked, "Isn't connecting with God the
goal of all religions?"
In their purest form the answer is yes. But based on the
particular culture or state of affairs, additional guidelines
are tacked onto the universal laws. These rules should be relied
upon as suggestions meant to improve a person's life, not as
universal truths. At best, they are relative truths. As an
example, the doctrine of "heaven or hell" is meant to teach that
there are consequences to your actions. The universal law
underlying this principle is karma, i.e., the law of cause and
effect.
Whenever such rules become "the only way," they become dogma.
This is true whether we are talking about religion, science or
politics. If the letter of the law is rigidly followed without
consideration for the spirit of the law, there is the danger of
fundamentalist behavior. Understanding the underlying principle
would avoid uncontrolled mobs from burning people at the stake.
Picture an extended family getting together for a holiday
dinner. The daughter, now married with children of her own,
prepares a roast for the evening meal. In the course of her
preparation, she cuts off the two ends of the roast, places the
roast in the pan and puts it in the oven. Her child asks her why
she cut off the ends of the roast. The daughter explains that is
how her mother taught her. She then asks her mother, who
explains that is how her mother, the grandmother, taught her.
Then they ask the grandmother who explains that at the time, her
roasting pan wasn't big enough to hold the entire roast and so
she always cut off the ends.
It is not necessary to cut off the ends of a roast to cook a
delicious meal. Similarly, the additional rules most religions
offer are not necessary to connect with God. Religions play a
vital role in encouraging virtuous behavior to the benefit of
all, but rigid adherence to these rules to the exclusion of the
main goal of communing with God is counterproductive and can
lead to separation and intolerance. The Golden rule, "Do unto
others as you would have them do unto you," is universally
accepted by every major religion. Any action that violates this
universal truth can ultimately lead to war.
Early on, mystics are taught how to attune with God by
contacting the Master Within, i.e., the divine aspect at the
heart of every individual. The Master Within should be consulted
whenever an important decision needs to be made. This is the
single best source of direction for anyone.
Imagine God as a bright light covered with various veils. As you
peal away these veils, which represent various beliefs and
ideas, the light brightens. Your goal should be to connect with
this bright light directly. This is your right and reward as a
spiritual being living on earth. To the mystic this represents
the ultimate goal: illumination.