Why Mysticism

    Last week, I promised that I would try to get back to the point of my post on why I am interested in Christian Mysticism. Let me begin by defining what mysticism is to me. Christian Mysticism is the journey of discovering God for yourself. It is at once a journey of self-discovery, and realization of the reality of the Divine in the world. It is the finding of God, and the allowing of God to find you. It is discovering that God and Life are one. That God and Love are one. That God and yourself, are one. It is the coming to God in your own way, rather than by guilt, or force, or coercion, or because your parents said so. It is discovering that God is within you and without you, and that God can be experienced outside of Church and outside of the Bible, and is not defined or contained by the various dogmas of the various Churches that claim exclusivity on Him.
    It is like having a favourite city that you have not been to yet. You can read your travel atlas, and field guides and talk to people who have been there, or even live there. You can imagine and dream, and think you know everything there is to know about that city. But nothing compares to actually going there and experiencing it for yourself. I realized a long time ago, even before I was a Christian, that the problem with Christianity was allowing others to define God for you. Sure, have guides, and counsellors, mentors and ministers, but open yourself to the idea that God does not want a relationship with you through them. God wants a relationship with YOU. The Bible is an excellent resource for helping you get to know God, just as the travel atlas helps you know that city that you love so much. But it cannot BE that city, and the Bible cannot BE God. And no one can tell you authoritatively about that city, as no one can tell you authoritatively about your relationship with God.
+AMD.G+