Mysticism

Mysticism, from the Greek (mueo, "to conceal"), is the pursuit of achieving communion with, or conscious awareness of ultimate reality, the divine, spiritual truth, or God through direct, personal experience (intuition or insight) rather than rational thought; the belief in the existence of realities beyond perceptual or intellectual apprehension that are central to being and directly accessible through personal experience; or the belief that such experience is a genuine and important source of knowledge. In the Hellenistic world, ?mystical? referred to "secret" religious rituals.

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Mystics experience intuitive knowledge of transcendent dimensions, beyond the phenomenal or material concrete objects of ordinary perception. The mystic sees things that are not part of ordinary experience. William James used the words "ineffable" (which means that something cannot or should not be spoken) and "noetic" (from the Greek nous: "relating to consciousness or intuition'), to describe the mystical experience.

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A more general definition sees mysticism as an attempt to derive some wider meaning from personal experience, surpassing everyday human understanding and tapping insights normally hidden from our mundane selves. While usually understood in a religious context, a mystical experience may happen to anyone, does not require religious training, can occur unbidden and without preparation, and may not be understood as religious at all. (James, 1902) In various circumstances, such experiences may be interpreted non-exclusively as scientific or artistic inspiration, or even dismissed as a psychological disorder.

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Greek: The noun Greek refers to:...

Ultimate reality: In philosophy, Ultimate Reality is the absolute nature of all things. It is different from ordinary reality, which is considered a product of the individual conscious mind. Ultimate Reality is independent of observation....

Divine: The concept of the divine or of The Divine, meaning "matters relating to a god", forms an important ingredient in many religious faiths (but compare Buddhism, for example, or Scientology). It expresses the sacred nature of the monotheistic god(s) foundational to many of the world's religions, as ...