Mystical Traditions in World Religions

 

Mystical Traditions in World Religions

Mysticism is the sense of connecting with the divine or transcendent, often aiming for union with God. It has played a significant role across various world religions, influencing practices, beliefs, and spiritual paths.

Mystical Traditions in World Religions

• Christianity Christian mystics seek union with God through prayer, asceticism, and contemplation. They focus on "dying to the self" to purify the soul and prepare for divine manifestation, often using Christ as a model. Mystical experiences in Christianity are pursued privately, often by monks and nuns.
• Judaism Jewish mysticism, especially the Kabbala from the 12th century, has greatly impacted Judaism. Kabbalists transformed Jewish practices into mystical rites, interpreting them in new ways. They focus on the Sefer yetzira ("Book of Creation"), which uses numbers and letters to explain creation and sees language as a tool to produce being.
• Islam Sufism, which was grafted onto Islam, emphasizes learning, prayer, and meditation. Early Sufis focused on discipline, and as the movement grew, some joined Sufi orders, while others formed informal groups. Islamic mystics tried to maintain the purity of the divine word, giving the Qurʾānic words a deeper meaning.
• Hinduism Hindu mysticism seeks union with something greater than the self, whether a principle pervading the universe or a personal God. It aims to release the spirit from its prison in matter through control of mind and body, with the principle that knowing is being. Hindu mystical thought is based on experience, with systems designed to teach people how to reach realization.
• Buddhism Buddhist mysticism emphasizes the ineffability of mystical experience, insisting it cannot be understood by those who haven't had similar experiences. It focuses on emptying subjective being and transcending the limits of the individual's being. Vajrayana Buddhism, which became established in Tibet, deals with the existential problem of attaining the highest goal.

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