I enjoy listening to your shorts on YouTube. After retiring, it took some time to readjust my daily routine, discover who I am, and what I want in this phase of my life. Sitting outside and walking in the park helps to clear out the cobwebs. I would love to find a group of people, or just one person, with whom I can have deep face-to-face conversations.
Hi Deborah. I also felt like this and so I started a small philosophy discussion group where I live in Sydney. We are all people who search for that deeper discussion face to face. If you wanted to try doing this yourself, join a local community Facebook group and write a post suggesting a time and a place in a local coffee shop or bar for a philosophical discussion (no experience required). Sometimes only one person may turn up, last time we had 21. So keep going!
This was a great snippet. I believe we have to allow entry into the door of our minds and let ideas, thoughts, experiences , and exploratory play in order to “gain” anything. We must sift and release most all information or we could not assimilate anything of value. Time, energy, mindful meditation, meaningful dialogue with others, questions and more questions. Maybe a Socratic approach? But then that is a small class setting to your point.
I too had many mystical experiences and dreams that were not dreams in the years after my husband’s death in 2014. I’ve been researching and studying ever since. I also likened it to the kundalini awakening as I experienced moments of samadhi. I still have mystical experiences and have learned to integrate them into everyday life as other sensory communications that support my micro paradigm shifts. I’ve been therapist for 25 years diagnosing and treatment planning, but now help others lose their grip on reality at a safe and comfortable pace.
I agree with Jonny Thomson when he wrote in "The public-private myth: Why religion can’t be kept behind closed doors" on Jul 23, 2025:
"It makes no sense to talk about a “religious life” and a “public life” — there is just life.
Mysticism isn’t an awkward non-philosophy. It’s a way of thinking, feeling, and being".
Life manifests oneself through many varieties. Christian spirituality, or mysticism,
is a special one which needs to be taken seriously and examined deeply. Do not be in a hurry
while engaged with religion studies.
Christians focus their mysticism on the spiritual transformation of their own egoism. Purification, which is based on Christian spirituality in general, is primarily focused on “mortifying the deeds of the flesh by the spirit.”
Another aspect of traditional Christian spirituality, or mysticism, is related to the communal basis. Even the life of hermits is a life in communion with the Church and the community of believers. Thus, participation in rituals, especially the Eucharist, is an integral part of Christian mysticism. Related to this is the practice of having a spiritual father or “soul friend” with whom to discuss spiritual progress. This person, who may be either a clergyman or a lay person, acts as a spiritual guide.
According to Christians, human creative potential is realized most fully in Jesus Christ, precisely because He is both God and man, and manifests itself in other people through their closeness to Him, consciously, as in the case of Christian mystics. The Eastern Christian tradition calls such a transformation deification, the essence of which is most fully described by the ancient aphorism attributed to Athanasius of Alexandria: "God became man so that man could become god."
Christian orthodox mysticism has also always maintained the need for Christ as the only Mediator through whom one can be worthy of knowing God. The depth of this experience, however, depends on the purification of the Christian and on the deeds of love performed for the glory of Jesus Christ, as well as on the initiative of God to reveal Himself through Christ and the Holy Spirit in a special contemplative grace.
In order to have a mystical experience ,or receive a special grace,it is not enough only to draw the circle of light around your head on the photo. Only after long way of deification you will be able to radiate true peace and joy around you.
The 14th century female anchorite Julian of Norwich understood the central message for spiritual life in such a way: "God is love and it is only if one opens oneself to this love, totally and with total trust, and lets it become one's sole guide in life, that all things are transfigured, true peace and true joy found and one is able to radiate it".
Through the example of St. Julian of Norwich's life the Lord has shown us how far we fall short of the measure of perfection.
Credo di aver provato questa sensazione per puro caso durante un'escursione in montagna. In perfetta solitudine dopo ore di cammino mi trovai immerso nel "TUTTO" sentendo una leggerezza incredibile e una confessione inspiegabile con l'intero Universo
Thank you for this piece on mysticism. After years of looking for a religion that would sustain me and provide a community for my family, I realized I am a mystic for which no structured religion exists. I created my own philosophy from many sources: religious doctrine, art, observation, introspection. I am nearly 80 years old and comfortable with my cobbled-together beliefs and practices. I appreciate the vocabulary and sources your discussion has given me.
Me parece un comentario excepcional en el contexto de nuestro estilo de vida, demasiado distractores externos, sobrecarga laboral y poca avidez de pensar, repensar y repensar-se a si mismo. Hoy en una villa al sur de Argentina el slow life, permite el tiempo para invertirlo mucho mejor, gracias por iluminar la oscuridad!!!
Alas, pub schol vast but imparted acute perspective such that providence beckoned and changed a life forever curious.
Conflict Theory kept me forever straddling history and current events. At scale but stuff you never need as an adult. Be practical not of service.
Adult interests dovetailed into mystical realm. Walking The Redwoods in somber afterflow shrouded in mist. I know this 45min empirical experience because philosophy instilled program in me to fathom. Aware and self aware. That which confirmed an on point experience 15 yrs prior strollijg oppressive fog shrouded coastline listening to the sea.
Visiiting Internet today akin to Library or extention, one's own AI help desk. You take from it what intersts you. You are your own Curator. Like Mini Philosophy. If I covet confirmation bias (humor) then ought be of highest calliber. Forcing me to be curious.
Today, after copious Letters to Editors, I'm fortunate to read, write and participate in the pub dialogue.
"What you put into your mind is exactly what you take fr it." ~ J Joyce
Stay mindful mi amigo. Thx MP for keeping bar high.
I have had three experiences where I have experienced time differently that have profoundly shaped my wondering about the universe. I think of time and mystic as separate things. Two experiences were by the beach at night, once alone and once with a group, another on a dawn walk with my dog in a vast wilderness. Two are explainable (my drink was spiked when travelling abroad and I was hallucinating too) but the one on a dawn walk felt what I would call similar (in terms of time moving differently), but purely mystical. I have only recently been able to write about it because it feels very strange to try and wrangle it into words. I also love the shallowness of the Internet, because there is hidden richness in the shallows —we need that place to make it into depth — the intertidal zones.
Thanks for this. Thought provoking. Nudging. I know the truths in this and what Simon says. Yet I find - in myself and many around me- the inability/ inertia to still not skip out of the rhythms of daily life and find/carve out the time.
Busyness is being busy.
In that, also- thanks for your shorts which, counter intuitively look to provide meaning in dopamine-induced and focus-starved scrolling.
Having a mystical experience sounds woo/mysterious and, I suppose, can be. With me it was just more concrete. When you experience something far removed from the common experience that is as real as the wooden table that you're sitting at, it is no longer a leap of faith or a hunch. Rather, it's just concrete and obvious reality.
Of course, you start to question your sanity and hesitate to share the understanding with others. That said, I braved it and found that some people had the exact experience that I did around the same objects (e.g, the Wailing Wall and dozens of other very personal experiences). At that point, you realize it can't simply be in your head.
I am Christian and have come to understand that the associated teachings are loose approximations/labels of a deeper truth about our universe ... kind of like physics or math as approximation languages of reality. As such, I am open to other label sets/religions that don't conflict with the inner truths that I just know are real.
With all that in mind, I think I understand people that are true agnostic but really struggle with understanding true atheists. I could only get there by denying what I've seen and felt. That said, maybe they just never had one of these mystical yet concrete experiences.
I enjoy listening to your shorts on YouTube. After retiring, it took some time to readjust my daily routine, discover who I am, and what I want in this phase of my life. Sitting outside and walking in the park helps to clear out the cobwebs. I would love to find a group of people, or just one person, with whom I can have deep face-to-face conversations.
Hi Deborah. I also felt like this and so I started a small philosophy discussion group where I live in Sydney. We are all people who search for that deeper discussion face to face. If you wanted to try doing this yourself, join a local community Facebook group and write a post suggesting a time and a place in a local coffee shop or bar for a philosophical discussion (no experience required). Sometimes only one person may turn up, last time we had 21. So keep going!
That means you need a "soul friend" or a spiritual guide.
Difficult task, can not be resolved just by sitting outside or walking in the park.
Serious reading efforts should be undertaken. For example, read M.Heidegger.
Start with his "Black Notebooks 1931-1941".
People do a lot of talking about time, and our lives are governed by it (esp. the lives of city dwellers, like myself).
You can't understand the true nature of "Time" (I always think of that Chicago song), though, unless/until it really doesn't matter...at all.
It might take a "mysrical" experience (like a "dark night of the soul", for example) for you just to get a tiny glimpse of "timelessness"...
I was working against Time to get this comment finished, btw ;-)
This was a great snippet. I believe we have to allow entry into the door of our minds and let ideas, thoughts, experiences , and exploratory play in order to “gain” anything. We must sift and release most all information or we could not assimilate anything of value. Time, energy, mindful meditation, meaningful dialogue with others, questions and more questions. Maybe a Socratic approach? But then that is a small class setting to your point.
The internet lets us touch everything and hold nothing. We skim, swipe, refresh—then wonder why we feel hollow.
Mr. Jones gave you what the mystics had: time thick enough to chew on. No agenda, no metrics. Just space to notice what matters.
Most online “depth” is scaffolding. Real transformation needs slowness. And slowness doesn’t go viral.
I too had many mystical experiences and dreams that were not dreams in the years after my husband’s death in 2014. I’ve been researching and studying ever since. I also likened it to the kundalini awakening as I experienced moments of samadhi. I still have mystical experiences and have learned to integrate them into everyday life as other sensory communications that support my micro paradigm shifts. I’ve been therapist for 25 years diagnosing and treatment planning, but now help others lose their grip on reality at a safe and comfortable pace.
I agree with Jonny Thomson when he wrote in "The public-private myth: Why religion can’t be kept behind closed doors" on Jul 23, 2025:
"It makes no sense to talk about a “religious life” and a “public life” — there is just life.
Mysticism isn’t an awkward non-philosophy. It’s a way of thinking, feeling, and being".
Life manifests oneself through many varieties. Christian spirituality, or mysticism,
is a special one which needs to be taken seriously and examined deeply. Do not be in a hurry
while engaged with religion studies.
Christians focus their mysticism on the spiritual transformation of their own egoism. Purification, which is based on Christian spirituality in general, is primarily focused on “mortifying the deeds of the flesh by the spirit.”
Another aspect of traditional Christian spirituality, or mysticism, is related to the communal basis. Even the life of hermits is a life in communion with the Church and the community of believers. Thus, participation in rituals, especially the Eucharist, is an integral part of Christian mysticism. Related to this is the practice of having a spiritual father or “soul friend” with whom to discuss spiritual progress. This person, who may be either a clergyman or a lay person, acts as a spiritual guide.
According to Christians, human creative potential is realized most fully in Jesus Christ, precisely because He is both God and man, and manifests itself in other people through their closeness to Him, consciously, as in the case of Christian mystics. The Eastern Christian tradition calls such a transformation deification, the essence of which is most fully described by the ancient aphorism attributed to Athanasius of Alexandria: "God became man so that man could become god."
Christian orthodox mysticism has also always maintained the need for Christ as the only Mediator through whom one can be worthy of knowing God. The depth of this experience, however, depends on the purification of the Christian and on the deeds of love performed for the glory of Jesus Christ, as well as on the initiative of God to reveal Himself through Christ and the Holy Spirit in a special contemplative grace.
In order to have a mystical experience ,or receive a special grace,it is not enough only to draw the circle of light around your head on the photo. Only after long way of deification you will be able to radiate true peace and joy around you.
The 14th century female anchorite Julian of Norwich understood the central message for spiritual life in such a way: "God is love and it is only if one opens oneself to this love, totally and with total trust, and lets it become one's sole guide in life, that all things are transfigured, true peace and true joy found and one is able to radiate it".
Through the example of St. Julian of Norwich's life the Lord has shown us how far we fall short of the measure of perfection.
Credo di aver provato questa sensazione per puro caso durante un'escursione in montagna. In perfetta solitudine dopo ore di cammino mi trovai immerso nel "TUTTO" sentendo una leggerezza incredibile e una confessione inspiegabile con l'intero Universo
good way to re-brand procrastination
Thank you for this piece on mysticism. After years of looking for a religion that would sustain me and provide a community for my family, I realized I am a mystic for which no structured religion exists. I created my own philosophy from many sources: religious doctrine, art, observation, introspection. I am nearly 80 years old and comfortable with my cobbled-together beliefs and practices. I appreciate the vocabulary and sources your discussion has given me.
Me parece un comentario excepcional en el contexto de nuestro estilo de vida, demasiado distractores externos, sobrecarga laboral y poca avidez de pensar, repensar y repensar-se a si mismo. Hoy en una villa al sur de Argentina el slow life, permite el tiempo para invertirlo mucho mejor, gracias por iluminar la oscuridad!!!
Alas, pub schol vast but imparted acute perspective such that providence beckoned and changed a life forever curious.
Conflict Theory kept me forever straddling history and current events. At scale but stuff you never need as an adult. Be practical not of service.
Adult interests dovetailed into mystical realm. Walking The Redwoods in somber afterflow shrouded in mist. I know this 45min empirical experience because philosophy instilled program in me to fathom. Aware and self aware. That which confirmed an on point experience 15 yrs prior strollijg oppressive fog shrouded coastline listening to the sea.
Visiiting Internet today akin to Library or extention, one's own AI help desk. You take from it what intersts you. You are your own Curator. Like Mini Philosophy. If I covet confirmation bias (humor) then ought be of highest calliber. Forcing me to be curious.
Today, after copious Letters to Editors, I'm fortunate to read, write and participate in the pub dialogue.
"What you put into your mind is exactly what you take fr it." ~ J Joyce
Stay mindful mi amigo. Thx MP for keeping bar high.
I have had three experiences where I have experienced time differently that have profoundly shaped my wondering about the universe. I think of time and mystic as separate things. Two experiences were by the beach at night, once alone and once with a group, another on a dawn walk with my dog in a vast wilderness. Two are explainable (my drink was spiked when travelling abroad and I was hallucinating too) but the one on a dawn walk felt what I would call similar (in terms of time moving differently), but purely mystical. I have only recently been able to write about it because it feels very strange to try and wrangle it into words. I also love the shallowness of the Internet, because there is hidden richness in the shallows —we need that place to make it into depth — the intertidal zones.
Thanks for this. Thought provoking. Nudging. I know the truths in this and what Simon says. Yet I find - in myself and many around me- the inability/ inertia to still not skip out of the rhythms of daily life and find/carve out the time.
Busyness is being busy.
In that, also- thanks for your shorts which, counter intuitively look to provide meaning in dopamine-induced and focus-starved scrolling.
Having a mystical experience sounds woo/mysterious and, I suppose, can be. With me it was just more concrete. When you experience something far removed from the common experience that is as real as the wooden table that you're sitting at, it is no longer a leap of faith or a hunch. Rather, it's just concrete and obvious reality.
Of course, you start to question your sanity and hesitate to share the understanding with others. That said, I braved it and found that some people had the exact experience that I did around the same objects (e.g, the Wailing Wall and dozens of other very personal experiences). At that point, you realize it can't simply be in your head.
I am Christian and have come to understand that the associated teachings are loose approximations/labels of a deeper truth about our universe ... kind of like physics or math as approximation languages of reality. As such, I am open to other label sets/religions that don't conflict with the inner truths that I just know are real.
With all that in mind, I think I understand people that are true agnostic but really struggle with understanding true atheists. I could only get there by denying what I've seen and felt. That said, maybe they just never had one of these mystical yet concrete experiences.
Most influential meme? "You are made in the image of God".
This is exactly why people who think they don't have time to help others are full of shit.