SPIRITUALITY vs MYSTICISM By Knight Fredel

EPISODE 19

On today’s Magazine article, we shall briefly look at a very interesting subject worth our previous reading time, and this has to do with the difference between Mysticism and Spirituality. This question has been raised many times and I would like to use this medium to express the true nature of these two interesting esoteric paths.

FIRST, WHAT DO WE MEAN, WHEN WE REFER TO A PARTICULAR KNOWLEDGE AS ESOTERIC?

Esoteric knowledge is a couple of knowledge reserved only for the chosen few who have proven themselves worthy to embrace the path to higher mystical truth. You all who accept to follow this path of our Magazine Discourse are all Esoteric Students. Now Mysticism and Spirituality all belong to this Esoteric Path.

There are other esoteric subjects studied within the confide of either mysticism or spirituality, subjects like Alchemy, Metaphysics, and Kabbalah etc however, after explaining these two (mysticism and spirituality) we will be able to let you know where they can be found.

So, what are the differences between Mysticism and Spirituality?

The key differences are thus:

Mysticism is generally related with the principle of experiencing union with all things, the Universe and the ultimate Divinity, Mysticism has to do with the study of natural and universal laws that guides this existence.

Spirituality on the other hand is connected with the study of spirits, and spirit realm, in fact it deals with the worlds above our physical world, e.g: the astral realm, causal realm, etheric and mental realm., It also has to do with the quality or condition of being sacred. It teaches that the Soul is incarnate in man.
Mysticism on the other hand is neither a faith nor a belief, nor is it a principle or a dogma. Being a mystic means having a certain temperament, a certain idea/outlook on life. It is for this reason that many are confused by the word “mystic” because mysticism cannot be explained in plain words.

To understand mysticism, you have to first experience it.

Let us look at the origin of these words spirituality and mysticism, starting from mysticism, its origin is derived from the Greek noun mysteμrion (“mystery”) and the adjective mystikos (“mystical”), both related to the verb myein, which means “to close” (e.g., to close the eyes or lips) and accordingly conveys a sense of what is hidden or secret. Just like the word esoteric and occult all means or refers to that which is hidden.

Why are they hidden? The simple truth is, Mysticism is kept hidden because, not everyone is worthy to receive the secret of the universe, it is only when the student is ready that the master appears!

“Spirituality” on the other hand has a Latin root. The Latin verb “spirare” means “to breathe,” while the corresponding adjective spiritualis means “belonging to breathing or to air.
Thus, with all I have stated so far, we can now conclude that Mysticism is the search and pursuit of communion with the ultimate Divinity, the universe and Reality. A mystic is a person who attains this union and lives in harmony with the universe and its universal and natural principles that govern our existence.

The term has been expressed in various ways due to the differences in the religious, social and psychological traditions. The experience of such communion is often described by mystics. This kind of viewpoint is often considered to be beyond perceptual or intellectual apprehension.
In accordance with the words of Plotinus, a major philosopher of the ancient world, he said: Spirituality is the soul’s secret and exclusive adventure. Spirituality is associated with the quality or condition of being spiritual. It signifies the human spirit or Soul as opposed to materials and materialistic interests. It is very difficult to explain spirituality as it is a very broad term that consists of several spectrum of perspectives. It has been defined quite differently by monotheists, polytheists, humanists, followers of new age, etc. Spirituality deals with the spirit or Soul within, which can also be referred to as an absolute master and controller of the physical vessel or body.

Spirituality and mysticism are considered to be interconnected as both deals with the transcendent or ecstatic experiences. However, the in-depth meanings may be regarded as two different concepts. However they are interconnected because a mystic also practices spirituality to an extend (in the path of learning the laws that govern us, the mystic also goes further into spirituality to understand the spirit and Soul, the spiritual realms and dimensions etc, that’s spirituality in mysticism) though, in spirituality, it goes much deeper into learning the stages of ascension and all the ideas of raising ones vibration etc and learning about the human Soul and spirit and other entities and how to invoke and revoke them, as well as learning the many other realms below and above this physical realm. Therefore,on this note, we can now say that the subject’s of kabbalah, metaphysics and alchemy can be categorized under the course/umbrella of spirituality. So can we now conclude that, a mystic practices spirituality, because there is no way one will practice the universal laws without touching a part of spirituality.
I hope this has ended the confusion herein, as well as added a Light unto yours, for it is said that when a Light is added unto another Light, it makes it shine brighter, thus I end this article by saying: Awake! and Shine!!

Best Wishes and Peace Profound