Mystical Experience

Imagine a monk the middle of the desert.

He hasn't eaten for 30 days. He is in continous prayer, offering himself to God through the sacrifice of his bodily desires. He speaks with God interiorly. He is in total isolation, but completely content and happy with whereever God will take him. He returns to his monestary, weary but spiritually strengthened. He has a sense now that God is with him, he feels a deep communion and connection to his vocation.

Now that's mystical. But is this attainable for me? I have work, school, bills, responsibilties. I'm not a monk.

If you're a Catholic or Christian, chances are you've heard of the mystics. St. John of the Cross, St. Theresa of Avila, St. Therese of Lisieux, to name a few. You may have even studied these saints, read their writings, or have a special devotion to them. But, you could never achieve their level of mysticism. Or could you?

A quick Google search defines mysticism as "belief that union with or absorption into the Deity or the absolute, or the spiritual apprehension of knowledge inaccessible to the intellect, may be attained through contemplation and self-surrender." The late Fr. Benedict Groschel described mysticism as experiental communion with God. This is consistent with the above definition, that we may obtain union with "the absolute" (God) through "contemplation and self-surrender" (prayer experience).

So, it seems to me that mysticism is actually quite attainable for us all, through prayer, through our experiences. Yes - even while we are the midst of our daily stressors, responsibilities, and difficulties. In fact, these very situations can be used as mystical experiences. Though seemingly contradictory to anything spiritual, these are the very things that we (should) use to turn ourselves toward God.

Fr. Richard Rohr commented recently in a meditation: "How do we live the contradictions? Live them—not just endure them or relieve ourselves from the tension by quickly resolving them. The times where we meet or reckon with our contradictions are often turning points, opportunities to enter into the deeper mystery of God or, alternatively, to evade the mystery of God."

Enter into the mystery. Embrace what you don't understand, ask for God's assistance. Through this experience, you may find that you are closer to God than you think. He is certainly close to you.

Through ordinary experiences, we are all mystics!