Most Christians find the mystics somewhat . . . let’s say, mystifying. Their language often makes it hard to identify with them, their lifestyle seems out of sync with modernity and their message simply doesn’t seem relevant to life as most of us know and live it. It’s easy, therefore, to think of mysticism as a hobby for people on the fringe of life – spiritual gurus or others seeking esoteric spiritual experiences. But this easy dismissal would be unfortunate because the mystics are surprisingly relevant to modern life and their message is much more practical than usually realized. This is the reason Karl Rahner, perhaps the most influential Roman Catholic theologian of the twentieth century, argued that “the Christian of the future will either be a mystic or not exist at all.”
However, before we attempt to learn from this rich Christian tradition let me take a moment to clear some common misconceptions. Despite what you might have heard, Christian mysticism is not about seeing visions or receiving special messages from God. Nor is it the pursuit of enlightenment or esoteric spiritual or religious experiences. In fact, its goal is not experience at all – or, at least, it should not be. The goal is simply knowing – deep personal knowing of God. The mystical or contemplative journey is, therefore, deeply relational. At its core is a longing for an intimate knowing of God in love. There is nothing that mystics desire more deeply than this.
What the mystics offer us isn’t primarily techniques or theories but wisdom – wisdom that is deeply congruent with Biblical teaching but which emphasizes the interior dimensions of the transformational encounter with God that authentic knowing of God involves. Although it is immensely practical and includes practices, this wisdom can’t be reduced to those practices. For like any wisdom teaching, it starts at a place much deeper than what we believe or what we do. It starts with ontology – with our being – and moves out from there.
Being and Becoming
The starting point of the Christian contemplative journey is the paradoxical realization that there really is nothing to achieve and no where to go. This is because God is already present and we already exist in God and God exists in us. All that is lacking is awareness of this most fundamental reality of our existence. But, even that awareness is not something we need to achieve. It is a gift from God and is not something we can manufacture. But it is a gift that we can unwrap and this is where the wisdom of the mystics is so helpful.
Within contemplative spirituality there is a tension between being and becoming. In terms of being, we are always, already, one with God, immersed in God’s presence and deeply enmeshed with God’s very being. Becoming is returning to this eternal state of being. It is being aware of what is most deeply the truth of my being and allowing this to become equally true of my identity. Consequently, even the metaphor of the journey is somewhat misleading. Of course, life is a journey and our spirituality is deeply part of that journey. But, it is not a journey of finding God because God is already present in Christ in my depths. If it is a journey of anything it is a journey of knowing – of knowing the truth of my being and knowing the transformational power of the life and love of God flowing through us.
So how is this practical? It is, in fact, immensely practical. It reminds us to relax and let go of our striving to know God – or our striving to achieve anything of spiritual significance. It tells us that the initiative in this relationship has been and always will be all God’s. Everything that God asks of us, God gives us. And everything that we most deeply seek is already ours in the God who resides at the center of our being. God having taken that initiative and being now fully present to me, my job is simply to open myself in trust to the God whose abiding presence is the very foundation of my existence. Because, if the eternal I AM were not present to me, I would not be.
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Wonderful post – as one who has recently began to explore some of these writers, I am struck not only by the authority in their words, but also in their deeds. I like your thought that “Becoming is returning to this eternal state of being.” For those with a “James-esque,” action-oriented focus, how does one integrate being with doing, the mystical with the missional?
Great question. Action is an essential and natural consequence of contemplation. Contemplation without action reflects the pursuit of private spirituality devoid of public expression and is always an incomplete spirituality. But, action without contemplation runs the danger of being nothing more than reaction and is, consequently, dangerous. Motivation is purified through contemplation and thus action has more of a chance of being a response to Spirit, not simply personal agendas.
I recently discovered your blog after reading one of your books which I loved, by the way. I intend to order several more! I have been exploring the writings of the mystics too and have come to see that my entire problem is that I am too full of words and incessant communication. My prayer life is like one long endless one sided conversation. I am never silent and I make no space for listening. No wonder I feel like a hamster on a wheel chasing after God and never getting anywhere! Changing my focus is proving challenging but I am determined to do it. Inspired by your book “Sacred Companions” I am looking into Spiritual Direction and have decided to take myself on a silent retreat this fall to learn more about contemplative prayer. This post and the one that follows it have been very helpful. I am convinced that this is the key that will unlock the door which leads to where I want to go. Being and becoming describes exactly what I am yearning for. Thank you for making this so clear and easy to understand
Stillness before self and God is the key to spiritual depth and transformation so the invitation you sense to add a contemplative dimension to your prayer life is an invitation to this deeper journey. But don’t be seduced into expecting to get something from contemplative prayer. It’s prayer, not magic. Offer whatever stillness you can receive from the Spirit as a gift that expresses your intention of simply being with God, and welcome your self to that encounter. It may feel like wasted time in which God does not turn up. Don’t believe that feeling and don’t be distracted by it. You just keep turning up. God is there and quietly working the divine agenda of moving things around in your depths as slowly but persistently you are being made more than you were, all you were intended to become.
Hi David, I was searching for a higher truth and came across your post, I find myself searching endlessly. if we have everything in our being through God and we know who we are in Christ consciousness, I am alittle puzzled, why do we need to pray and call on The Christ to help us in time of need? I was taught to always pray “in the name of Jesus” yet if Jesus is in us and I do hear him at times on my journey on this planet, what is the need of prayer?
Prayer is an essential part of the path toward knowing our identity in Christ. It is through prayer that we come to take on the mind/consciousness of Christ. I don’t understand the Biblical injunction to pray in the name of Jesus to mean that we have to say “in the name of Jesus” at the end of every prayer. I did this when I was younger because I had been taught to interpret the Bible literally. But this treats prayer like some kind of a magical incantation – the implicit assumption being that if we “do it right” God will somehow be bound to grant our prayer request.
I understand praying in the name of Jesus to be something like praying with the spirit of Jesus, or – in the language I have been using – praying with the mind of Christ. Ultimately, the truest prayers we will ever offer are those in which we are listening in to God praying to God through us. This is praying in the Spirit or through the mind of Christ. And, of course, it is the Spirit who teaches us to pray properly. But, prayer is much more than words. Ultimately it should be our whole life (see my Opening to God for more on life as prayer and prayer as life.)
I hope this is helpful. Don’t give up on prayer, but on the other hand, don’t allow your prayer to stay stuck in the places it was when you were a young Christian. Growth in prayer is moving prayer from words (particularly petitions) to praying through the totality of our being – our minds, our imaginations, our senses, our hearts, our actions and our life.