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| "Be still and know I Am..." |
Are you a mystic?
Have you supplemented your faith through a direct connection to God? Have you abandoned a traditional church pew to seek enlightenment or interconnectedness with nature or art? Do you immerse yourself in silence by quieting the mind? Have you walked into the glowing light of unconditional Love?
If you have embraced any of these activities, you are wandering the path of mysticism.
Please dismiss the judgmental word "woo-woo" if it comes to mind. Close your mind (but not your heart) to a red-faced church official screaming, "heretic" as you discover truths interfering with outdated dogma. Judge not...
One of the benefits of mysticism is that we can set aside judgment of ourselves and others.
An offshoot of criticism and judgment is fear. Fear of rejection, not fitting in, and being scolded. Fear kept me silent for twenty years, even though my purpose as a messenger was clearly stated. Although my church was loving, I heard other church leaders expressing medieval views about God's expectations.
European and US history, inspired by church doctrine, has a legacy of witch burnings and heretic executions based on fear of "the other," especially women. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake after being convicted of heresy-- she wore men's clothes and claimed to have had visions of God. A punishment device used by the Catholic church to silence heretics during the Inquisition was the medieval tongue screw, which clamped a person's tongue to the bottom of her mouth.
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| Tongue screw used on Han's Bret before his execution by fire in 1577 |
Metaphorically speaking, a tongue screw kept me from sharing my experiences and messages for over two decades.
Discovering Mystics Throughout History
With seven volumes of spirit writing on my shelves, I turned to books about other mystics. I wondered how they compared to my experiences. Rumi's magical poetry captivated me--putting into words experiences that are impossible to describe. Sometimes my channeled messages mirrored his and other mystics, like Teresa of Avila. The interconnectedness between souls past and present still gives me shivers.
But what intrigued me the most is that these extraordinary mystics were also very ordinary humans, with everyday problems, aches, and pains. They all had multiple spiritual experiences or attained unitive consciousness with the divine, nature, and the universe; however, the experiences did not consume them—no one can be more than a part-time mystic. Still, in their everydayness, they never lost sight of the journey.
The mystical path is more than experiences—it's the seeking, reflection, and sharing that consume a mystic.
After reading about my experiences (gifts) and reflections, you may discover your own gifts that invite you to explore a deep, inviting interconnectedness. The gifts do not have to be paranormal--they can be the gifts of poetry and visual arts, the gifts of empathy and listening, or the gifts of connecting with nature and animals. You are a mystic when you use these gifts to help you understand the divine.
Mystics are not relics from the past--contemporary mystics are among us.
-- Cynthia
Read more: Cara Hebert 's article captures a succinct description of traits of a mystic: "Am I a Mystic?"
First illustration from my personal photo collection.
Second Illustration is a Tongue Screw. Image purchased from the Mennonite Archival Information Database "To prevent a condemned heretic from preaching at his execution, a screw was fasten to his tongue. Anabaptist Hans Bret's tongue screw was taken from his ashes by another Anabaptist and preserved in the Mennonite church in Amsterdam."
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