{"id":2204,"date":"2018-08-08T13:29:45","date_gmt":"2018-08-08T13:29:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aurelis.org\/blog\/?p=2204"},"modified":"2018-10-08T13:49:33","modified_gmt":"2018-10-08T13:49:33","slug":"everyday-mysticism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aurelis.org\/blog\/sociocultural-issues\/everyday-mysticism","title":{"rendered":"Everyday Mysticism"},"content":{"rendered":"

This doesn\u2019t downgrade mysticism to everyday. It upgrades everyday to mysticism.<\/h3>\n

Every day, fleeting moments of mysticism<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For example, a sense of deep wonder or awe for a beautiful sunrise, in the train from Antwerp to Brussels.<\/p>\n

For example, a beautiful song that carries me (much) further than usual.<\/p>\n

For example, a shared insight during a coaching talk, gliding to a special understanding of human essence.<\/p>\n

For example, looking into the eyes of someone just a bit longer and recognizing a total, beautiful human being.<\/p>\n

\u2026<\/p>\n

Neurologically<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Several hormones and neurotransmitters (molecules used by neurons for communications with other neurons) play a role, of course, as they do at any mental event. They are part of the happening. However, in non-pathological circumstances, they can hardly be seen as \u2018causal\u2019 by themselves.<\/p>\n

According to me, the interesting level \u2013 when taking the neurological viewpoint \u2013 is not the molecular level, nor the one of single neurons, but the one of broadly distributed neuronal networks. This is hard to scientifically explore. Nevertheless, it is a missing link between meaningless molecules\/neurons and anatomically distinct brain parts where \u2018something is happening and we don\u2019t know what it is\u2019.<\/p>\n

What is the implication?<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A broad neuronal distribution means \u2013 psychologically speaking \u2013 also a broad field of patterns and associations. Not necessarily or even precisely not at conscious level. The generating part, as always, happens at nonconscious level. It may also be the most interesting part.<\/p>\n

At conscious level, one can have kind of a delusional feeling to some degree or another. That may be scary or nice but by itself, but conceptually not so interesting if you keep at the outside of such.<\/p>\n

Pathological or induced mysticism<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Interestingly, in some very specific circumstances, \u2018mystical\u2019 experiences may be artificially induced. For example, in a patient with a tumor of the temporal lobe, or at an overdose of steroids, or \u2013 in recent years \u2013 at a transcranial magnetic stimulation (strong magnet put at the outside of someone\u2019s skull). Psychedelic drugs can also induce a state that is unrecognizable from a mystical experience as recounted on paper in both cases. Such has been shown quite rigorously in scientific research.<\/p>\n

This doesn\u2019t make mysticism a pathology. It shows that \u2018doors can be opened\u2019 through several means. The interesting part is what comes through those doors, and even more how one then manages this content.<\/p>\n

How does it affect you?<\/p>\n

How does it change you?<\/p>\n

What can one \u2018learn\u2019 from mystical experiences, even those of everyday?<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In normal and \u2018sane\u2019 circumstances, thoughts happen quite discretely, serially, conceptually\u2026 at least at conscious level. But each and every of these thoughts comes from somewhere. Not falling from the sky or appearing by magic, the only possibility is: from nonconscious working of the brain.<\/p>\n

Mystical experiences bring us consciously closer to this nonconscious working of the brain.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s fine, with caution.<\/p>\n

What it \u2018learns\u2019 is that the world we consciously live in, is but one way of looking at something that can be looked at in very different ways.<\/p>\n

What it may then concretely<\/em> learn you, depends upon the effort and openness with which you encounter such experiences.<\/p>\n

Everyday mysticism is extremely interesting<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

but only if you let it be so.<\/p>\n

You need to \u2018earn it\u2019.<\/p>\n

Otherwise it\u2019s just, well, pleasant or not, as is the case with any psychedelic experience.<\/p>\n

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This doesn\u2019t downgrade mysticism to everyday. It upgrades everyday to mysticism. Every day, fleeting moments of mysticism For example, a sense of deep wonder or awe for a beautiful sunrise, in the train from Antwerp to Brussels. For example, a beautiful song that carries me (much) further than usual. For example, a shared insight during Read the full article…<\/a><\/p>\n

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