____________


Fourth Edition, October 2006

____________________________________________________________



Privately Published by


Brookside Partnership Trust
P.O. Box 825
Madison, North Carolina 27025


In collaboration with the Upper Triad Association, a 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit
educational organization established in 1974 and devoted to the study and
practice of various principles leading to personal and spiritual growth.

www.uppertriad.org

____________________________________________________________



iii
Contents

Page


Chapter
6.3
Mysticism

1


Mysticism

C

1189

2

Mysticism and Occultism

C

1190

3

Mysticism and Religion

C

1191

5

Beyond Mysticism

C

1192

7



Section
6.31
Aspects of Mysticism
1

9


Beauty

C

80

10

The Power of Love

C

115

11
Solitude


C

283

13
Sanctuary

C

287

15
Thanksgiving

C

377

16
Heart Quality and the Emotions

C

385

18
Forgiveness


C

547

20
Unity

C

606

21
Egolessness


C

790

23


Section
6.32
Aspects of Mysticism
2

25


Beyond Egoism

C

820

26
Internal Haunting

C

1078

27
Otherworldliness
1

C

1079

29
Otherworldliness
2

C

1080

31
Surrender

C

1092

32
The Divinity Within

C

1227

34
The True Mystic

C

1490

36



iv

Page


Section
6.33
Mystical Experience

38

Mystical Experience
1

C

1069

39
Mystical Experience
2

C

1070

40
Mystical Experience
3

C

1071

42
Mystical Experience
4

C

1072

44


Section
6.34
Silence

46


The Value of Silence

C

41

47
Silence

C

738

48
The Quiet Mind
1


C

743

50
The Quiet Mind
2


C

744

52
Interior Silence

C

1068

53
Quiescence

C

1250

55









1
Chapter
6.3


Mysticism



The Inner Experience




Mysticism is the art, science, and philosophy of spiritual meaning or reality
based upon devotion, aspiration, and heart-centered meditation, including
communion with God, self, or reality (the unconscious application or
qualification of force and energy), and in the highest sense, is centered in the
spiritual intuition (buddhi). The mystical dimension of all the world's various
religions is essentially the same, the way of heart-unfoldment and evolution in
consciousness toward conscious union with divinity (indwelling God-
consciousness).


The mystical path naturally complements the occult or head-centered path
and eventually merges with the occult path to form the esoteric path. But
without the mystical dimension, conscious (intelligent) union with God is
simply not possible. Thus every spiritual student, of whatever religious or
spiritual tradition, ultimately finds himself or herself in the context of inner
experience. Thus each of the world's religions properly leads the adherent
inwardly to the mystical path.


2
Commentary No. 1189
Mysticism

To the world and the worldly, esotericism, magic, metaphysics, mysticism,
occultism, theosophy, yoga, etc., are all relatively poorly defined and somewhat
ambiguous. These things do overlap somewhat, as they all deal with the same
thing (truth and reality), albeit from somewhat differing (complementary)
perspectives. There are distinctions, although the distinctions are not really so
important. What is important, is that the spiritual path leads to reunion
(realization of union) with the higher Self, with God. It is, simply, finding
oneself. Everything else simply lays a foundation or prepares the way for
ascension.

Mysticism is defined as the experience of mystical union or direct communion
with ultimate reality based on ineffable knowledge and power. To those who
have not experienced the mystical state, mysticism may be properly
bewildering, enigmatic, mysterious, obscure, and perplexing. Indeed, it is so by
virtue of its indescribableness, but it is no less real. Spiritual meaning, in the
higher sense, is rather ineffable. It is not apparent to the senses nor obvious to
the intelligence. How is subjective experience, for which there is no common or
widespread participation, to be described in words, when there are no words to
describe what is real, and when framing words, when thinking, precludes the
experience?

Worldly consideration of mysticism is compounded by the otherworldliness that
marks the mystic. The mystic lives predominantly in another world, and may
not live in the outer, objective world so effectively. The mystic tends to be
isolated, or appears to be isolated, from the bulk of humanity. And yet it is only
an isolation in the outer (false) sense. In fact, the mystical path leads the
student to union with God and to union with humanity, in the highest, deepest
sense. It is only the outer appearances that suffer. It is that the world is asleep,
and the mystical path is the path of awakening from that sleep, and so worldly
entanglements are preclusive, and the mystic becomes less and less worldly, less
and less personality-centered, more and more God-centered, more and more
whole.



3
While embracing occultism is often the result of desire or motivation (being
goal-oriented), embracing mysticism is generally (necessarily) a matter of inner
calling, of subjective realization. Mystical practice is more process-oriented
than goal-oriented, though the practice of mysticism is largely by trial and error,
albeit in the subtle and subjective sense, as the means and practices are
discovered which allow the mystic to proceed. It is not so much a matter of
training, but of discipline and transcending discipline. The discipline provides a
basis, while transcending discipline (ever remaining faithful to the discipline
while the consciousness passes beyond) provides the means. It is a matter of
long preparation and gradually letting go of all preconceived ideas, and then
letting go of all non-conceived ideas. And ultimately a letting go of everything.

Mysticism is the way of the heart. It begins with aspiration and devotion and
the emotions. It progresses through discipline, sometimes even ascetic
discipline, in the process transcending the emotions and the mind, to
preparation and qualification. It unlocks the intuition, by removing the various
barriers in consciousness (namely ego). It involves silence. It involves love in
the highest, deepest, least personal (most personal) sense. It involves solitude.
It involves sanctuary. It involves egolessness. It involves otherworldliness. It
involves surrender.

Commentary No. 1190
Mysticism and Occultism

Mysticism is the art, science, and philosophy of spiritual meaning
(consideration of truth and reality) based upon devotion, aspiration, and heart-
centered meditation, including communion with God, self, or reality (the
unconscious application or qualification of force and energy), and in the highest
sense, is centered in the spiritual intuition (buddhi). Occultism is the art,
science, and philosophy of spiritual meaning (consideration of truth and reality)
based upon intellectual, mental, head-centered meditation, including the study
and conscious application of force and energy, and in the highest sense, is
centered in the spiritual intuition. Mysticism and occultism are
complementary, and when the approaches and techniques and talents of both
are merged together, it constitutes esotericism.



4
In ignorance and with lack of understanding, and through reactive association,
many people have labeled occultism with unpleasant and irreverent
connotations, yet both mysticism and occultism carry no sense of good or evil in
themselves. It is only the motives and purposes that mystical quality and
occult talents are applied to that bring in the illusion or appearance of good or
evil. Each can be applied intelligently, wisely, spiritually, constructively,
unselfishly, and for the good of mankind. Or each can be applied in ignorance,
foolishly, selfishly, and/or destructively. But as the student progresses there is
a growing maturity, a growing sense of balance and appropriateness, a growing
sense of propriety (without judging). Karmic force urges the student toward
harmlessness, harmony, honesty, and humility, and in so doing the darker side
of human nature is transformed and selfishness and self-centeredness is
gradually replaced with selflessness.

For the spiritual student, the spiritual path generally includes both mystical and
occult development. In general, the spiritual path is first heart-centered and the
approach is