The Grand Patchwork

I thought I might try making a facebook group It would go something like this...

New Age Inner Worldly Mystics Unite

 What is an Inner Worldly Mystic?

Mysticism is a journey of spiritual awakening usually experienced as an inward development of knowing one’s self and his or her connection with the universe. Mysticism can also be defined as a particular type of radical social movement (Weber, 1967) in the sense that it can create social change.  Mysticism is one of two major forms of radical social movements, Propheticism being the other (Hunt, 2003).

As one explores their inner world, Mystical Experiences can occur. If one experiences these, it can be an incredible life-changing event. These experiences are usually indescribable in words, carry a felt meaning or understanding about life and are generally fleeting. A Mystical experience brings many people closer to a “Oneness with Everything”, or a unification of the finite, with the infinite. Weber noticed a pattern that would begin with a person’s mystical experience that also had meaning for many others. These experiences, if they spread throughout society, eventually became secularized or organized into everyday society. For example Siddhartha was a Mystic whose visions and experiences became mainstream “religion”.  An example from Propheticism would be Jesus, Moses or Mohammad’s experiences being culturally relevant and meaningful that they become mainstream religions. Prophets’ experiences are usually more auditory and mystic’s experiences are generally in the form of visions.

In regard to “inner worldly” it may seem it would refer to the transfer of the focus from the outer world onto the inner world, but in this case it actually refers more to the distinction between living within the greater society and retreating from it. For example, a Mystic that is inner worldly would practice within the society they are living in and hope it would catch on with others to create social change for the better. An “other worldly” mystic would retreat to an Ashram or Temple to further their journey. An inner worldly prophet would stay within the broader society and try to change it towards more ethical standards, perhaps through preaching. “Other worldly” prophets create their own societies or counter cultures away from the general population such as the Amish, Mennonite and Quaker communities.

It has been said that inner worldly mysticismis an answer to the growing disenchantment from today’s organized religions. It was observed by Weber and later by Troeltsch, that once mystical experiences become dogmatized or secularized by mainstream religion, they begin to lose their effectiveness in providing meaning in people’s lives (Hunt, 2003). For example, Capitalism came from a Calvinist perspective that believes your fruit is seen by your labour and the riches that have been bestowed on you are signs of your worthiness in the eyes of God. This attitude eventually went too far and grew into greed and materialism.

People have become dissatisfied by the rewards of organized religion because it teaches about how other people have had Mystical experiences or connections with God and are discouraged to have their own experiences with the Creator, or the universe, or social field,whatever term is most comfortable. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not bashing religion because organized religion at the same time has benefits such as creating social networks and social support groups that help maintain physical and mental health. So, it’s not all bad. The problem is that people have begun to retreat to their own inner world to experience their own connection. This could be a good thing because people will get to know themselves and find new meaning in life, but at the same time it promotes further individualism. Some may gather, at say Yoga class or women’s circles which is a step in the right direction towards unification with the greater society, but it could, on the other hand lead to a further separation allowing the greed and materialism to win. And it would be best to avoid this!!!

This site intends to unite all those on their own quest to find their purpose or who are on a spiritual journey. This site is meant to create a sense of community of those who are inner worldly mystics so we don’t go off into our own little worlds and forget to create change for the better in the larger society. This site welcomes posts about jams, women’scircles, New Moon, gatherings, Yoga, Thai chi sessions, workshops and other gatherings that would further a spiritual journey.

What would be ideal would be to be able to rent or have access to a school or Church that would allow us to run a sort of "YMCA for inner worldly mystics". Perhaps a place where we could congregate to create trance or altered states through jamming, and music, dance or poetry. An interactive choir so to speak. We could meditate as a group on an important cause or issue. The Maharishi effect is a phenomenon that lendsitself to empirical evidence that shows when 1% of the population meditates together; the crime rates go down in that area. There would also be other rooms where one could meditate (or pray – same thing) by themselves, and other rooms for Yoga,Thai Chi, Falun Gong… and the list goes on.

Perhaps a “Critical Mass” of inner worldly mystics could create change on a social level in a positive direction.Who's in???