What is a mystic?

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Harbal
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Re: What is a mystic?

Post by Harbal »

Jaded Sage wrote:This is outdated. And terrible. And most of those are adjectives. We're looking for the noun. And number 6 is too Christian. We want mystics in general. Ecstasy is usually a Christian thing. But they got the direct experience right.
If you got yourself a decent dictionary you woudn't need to spend so much time posting your idiotic "what is ........?" Threads.
Obvious Leo
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Re: What is a mystic?

Post by Obvious Leo »

I think gonzo is a useful descriptor because of the extreme subjectivity of the mystical experience, which makes such experiences just as meaningful in a secular setting to a non-believer as it does in a religious setting to a person of faith. With a mild toke of home-grown I can sit on my verandah and listen to Eva Cassidy or Gurrumul Yunupingu as they sing their songs of love and loss. I am taken far beyond myself and deep within myself at the same time in a journey which could only be described as ecstatic. However, far from such a transcendence taking me into the supernatural where the invisible stands ready to confound the mind it takes me instead to a synthesis with all that is, was and will be in Spinoza's world of eternal Being. This is gonzo philosophy because it is not framed within the ordinary procedures of thought which I have learned to use to comprehend my world. Is it spiritual or mystical? I insist that it is. Is it a connection with truths which lie beyond our physical world? I insist that it is not. This is the magic of reality and to me it is a truth far bigger than god.

I will not mock those who can experience such things within the womb of their belief but they have no authority to mock me either, just because I prefer to do without it. We are similar but we are not alike.
Gary Childress
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Re: What is a mystic?

Post by Gary Childress »

Harbal wrote:
Jaded Sage wrote:This is outdated. And terrible. And most of those are adjectives. We're looking for the noun. And number 6 is too Christian. We want mystics in general. Ecstasy is usually a Christian thing. But they got the direct experience right.
If you got yourself a decent dictionary you woudn't need to spend so much time posting your idiotic "what is ........?" Threads.
I have enjoyed some of the discussion that has come out of some such threads. Of course if someone completely spammed the forum with such threads it would be a major annoyance. So far it doesn't seem to be the case, though.
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Harbal
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Re: What is a mystic?

Post by Harbal »

Gary Childress wrote:
I have enjoyed some of the discussion that has come out of some such threads. Of course if someone completely spammed the forum with such threads it would be a major annoyance. So far it doesn't seem to be the case, though.
I'm sorry but I have to challenge this. What evidence do you have to support your assertion that it isn't a major annoyance?
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SpheresOfBalance
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Re: What is a mystic?

Post by SpheresOfBalance »

Jaded Sage wrote:This is outdated. And terrible. And most of those are adjectives. We're looking for the noun. And number 6 is too Christian. We want mystics in general. Ecstasy is usually a Christian thing. But they got the direct experience right.
I'm wondering if the actual point of this thread is that you consider yourself a mystic, and seek to test the waters before outwardly committing? I try at every juncture of potential belief, to deny any label meant to be so elevating, so as to keep my feet firmly planted on the ground, and head out of the clouds. No matter what I or others might seem to think are proofs to the contrary.
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Re: What is a mystic?

Post by Gary Childress »

Harbal wrote:
Gary Childress wrote:
I have enjoyed some of the discussion that has come out of some such threads. Of course if someone completely spammed the forum with such threads it would be a major annoyance. So far it doesn't seem to be the case, though.
I'm sorry but I have to challenge this. What evidence do you have to support your assertion that it isn't a major annoyance?
I'm not sure I follow your question. Do you mean what evidence do I have to support an assertion that this thread isn't a major annoyance?

Perhaps if I clarify my statement it will help:

I have enjoyed some of the discussion that has come out of some such threads. Of course if someone completely spammed the forum with such threads it would be a major annoyance. So far it doesn't seem to be the case that the forum has been spammed with such threads, though.

In effect I am stating that I have enjoyed some of the conversation that has come out of some of these threads but that it would annoy me if someone spammed a great number of them. However, it doesn't appear to me that anyone has spammed a great number of them. Though, I suppose "great number" is a term that is very subjective and up to interpretation.
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Lacewing
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Re: What is a mystic?

Post by Lacewing »

SpheresOfBalance to Jaded Sage wrote: I'm wondering if the actual point of this thread is that you consider yourself a mystic, and seek to test the waters before outwardly committing?
I wondered the same thing, SOB. It seemed to me that the definitions were rather specifically vague and made-up for a particular purpose. But my questions and exploration was not appreciated, and the poster requested that I not respond to what they say. So it appears that there is a set of acceptable and "right" answers and viewpoints, and since I don't know what those are, I'm not to offer anything else.
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Re: What is a mystic?

Post by Gary Childress »

Do you consider yourself a "mystic" Jaded Sage?
Jaded Sage
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Re: What is a mystic?

Post by Jaded Sage »

Harbal wrote:
Jaded Sage wrote:This is outdated. And terrible. And most of those are adjectives. We're looking for the noun. And number 6 is too Christian. We want mystics in general. Ecstasy is usually a Christian thing. But they got the direct experience right.
If you got yourself a decent dictionary you woudn't need to spend so much time posting your idiotic "what is ........?" Threads.
I spend lots of time in dictionaries. I'm looking for fresh perspectives.
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Re: What is a mystic?

Post by Jaded Sage »

Obvious Leo wrote:I think gonzo is a useful descriptor because of the extreme subjectivity of the mystical experience, which makes such experiences just as meaningful in a secular setting to a non-believer as it does in a religious setting to a person of faith. With a mild toke of home-grown I can sit on my verandah and listen to Eva Cassidy or Gurrumul Yunupingu as they sing their songs of love and loss. I am taken far beyond myself and deep within myself at the same time in a journey which could only be described as ecstatic. However, far from such a transcendence taking me into the supernatural where the invisible stands ready to confound the mind it takes me instead to a synthesis with all that is, was and will be in Spinoza's world of eternal Being. This is gonzo philosophy because it is not framed within the ordinary procedures of thought which I have learned to use to comprehend my world. Is it spiritual or mystical? I insist that it is. Is it a connection with truths which lie beyond our physical world? I insist that it is not. This is the magic of reality and to me it is a truth far bigger than god.

I will not mock those who can experience such things within the womb of their belief but they have no authority to mock me either, just because I prefer to do without it. We are similar but we are not alike.
Gonzo doesn't seem to be accurate, and it sounds pejorative.
Jaded Sage
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Re: What is a mystic?

Post by Jaded Sage »

SpheresOfBalance wrote:
Jaded Sage wrote:This is outdated. And terrible. And most of those are adjectives. We're looking for the noun. And number 6 is too Christian. We want mystics in general. Ecstasy is usually a Christian thing. But they got the direct experience right.
I'm wondering if the actual point of this thread is that you consider yourself a mystic, and seek to test the waters before outwardly committing? I try at every juncture of potential belief, to deny any label meant to be so elevating, so as to keep my feet firmly planted on the ground, and head out of the clouds. No matter what I or others might seem to think are proofs to the contrary.
Nope.
Jaded Sage
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Re: What is a mystic?

Post by Jaded Sage »

I borrowed and developed definitions that seem to be accurate.
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Re: What is a mystic?

Post by Jaded Sage »

Gary Childress wrote:Do you consider yourself a "mystic" Jaded Sage?
I consider myself a gnostic.
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Harbal
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Re: What is a mystic?

Post by Harbal »

Jaded Sage wrote: I consider myself a gnostic.
But you don't know anything. Surely, that makes you an agnostic.
Gary Childress
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Re: What is a mystic?

Post by Gary Childress »

Jaded Sage wrote:
Gary Childress wrote:Do you consider yourself a "mystic" Jaded Sage?
I consider myself a gnostic.
Do you "shun the material world and embrace the spiritual world"? Would that be an accurate definition of Gnosticism?

I am agnostic BTW when it comes to "spiritual" matters.
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