“What is Mysticism? Is it not the attempt to draw near to God, not by rites or ceremonies, but by inward disposition?”
Notes from Devotional Authors of the Middle Ages (1873-1874)
Context: What is Mysticism? Is it not the attempt to draw near to God, not by rites or ceremonies, but by inward disposition? Is it not merely a hard word for " The Kingdom of Heaven is within"? Heaven is neither a place nor a time. There might be a Heaven not only here but now. It is true that sometimes we must sacrifice not only health of body, but health of mind (or, peace) in the interest of God; that is, we must sacrifice Heaven. But "thou shalt be like God for thou shalt see Him as He is": this may be here and now, as well as there and then. And it may be for a time — then lost — then recovered — both here and there, both now and then.
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Florence Nightingale 81
English social reformer and statistician, and the founder o… 1820–1910Related quotes
Sayyid Qutb
(1906–1966) Egyptian author, educator, Islamic theorist, poet, and politician
Source: Social Justice in Islam (1953), p. 26
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Sadhguru
(1957) Yogi, mystic, visionary and humanitarian
Isha Insights Magazine, Spring Edition 2009
Sourced from newspapers and magazines
Context: This is an attempt to create a space that will witness mystical dimensions that have never been witnessed in this part of the world. -Sadhguru (on Isha Institute of Inner Sciences, McMinnville, TN USA)
Source: The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949), Chapter 2
John Chrysostom
(349–407) important Early Church Father
Homilies on the Statues http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf109/Page_472.html, Homily XX
Kurien Kunnumpuram
(1931–2018) Indian theologian
Kunnumpuram, K. (2009) Towards the Fullness of Life: Reflections on the Daily Living of the Faith. Mumbai: St Pauls
On the Church
“Among them pert-faced Elegy draws near.”
Quas inter vultu petulans Elegea propinquat.
ii, line 7
Silvae, Book I
Max Weber
(1864–1920) German sociologist, philosopher, and political economist
Max Weber, , 1916.
Context: Mysticism intends a state of "possession," not action, and the individual is not a tool but a "vessel" of the divine. Action in the world must thus appear as endangering the absolutely irrational and other-worldly religious state. Active asceticism operates within the world; rationally active asceticism, in mastering the world, seeks to tame what is creatural and wicked through work in a worldly "vocation" (inner-worldly asceticism). Such asceticism contrasts radically with mysticism, if the latter draws the full conclusion of fleeing from the world (contemplative flight from the world). The contrast is tempered, however, if active asceticism confines itself to keeping down and to overcoming creatural wickedness in the actor's own nature. For then it enhances the concentration on the firmly established God-willed and active redemptory accomplishments to the point of avoiding any action in the orders of the world (asceticist flight from the world). Thereby active asceticism in external bearing comes close to contemplative flight from the world. The contrast between asceticism and mysticism is also tempered if the contemplative mystic does not draw the conclusion that he should flee from the world, but, like the inner-worldly asceticist, remain in the orders of the world (inner-worldly mysticism).
In both cases the contrast can actually disappear in practice and some combination of both forms of the quest for salvation may occur. But the contrast may continue to exist even under the veil of external similarity. For the true mystic the principle continues to hold: the creature must be silent so that God may speak.