To die a Mystic !

[Cybermonk]

Aloha Cybermonks,

Ok... who can point out a mystic who died, or lived a happy, content life?

Perhaps one that wasn't nailed to a cross, literally or symbolically.  What's
in it for them? Is it because they want to be punished?

Some finally give up on personal beliefs, join some kind of priesthood and
keep their mouths shut. Could these types only want to be loved? Is that
enough?

Some spend their lives living selflessly for others, then at the end, are
cursed and/or attacked by various demons, or turned on by their followers.

Most strive to resist the worldly goodies, so how does that bring the
damnation?

So... there must be some happy, content Mystics out there. The smiling
one's, the joyous one's, the one's without the frowning faces, the one's
without the "doom signs" for the world.

There's got to be some! I wonder what their beliefs are? What path they
took?
Later,
Kimo
 

[Cybermonk]

Hi all,

Here's a few so called mystics of the 20th century;
• Dorothy Day (Social Conscience of American Catholics)
• Thich Nhat Hanh (Engaged Spirituality)
• Ben Salmon (Catholic Conscientious Objector of the "Great War"
• Bede Griffiths (Christian Guru)
• Abraham Heschel (Militant Mystic)
• Oscar Romero (Voice of the Voiceless)
• Etty Hillesum (Concentration Camp Mystic)
• Caryll Houselander (Neurotic Mystic)
• John XXIII (Mystic Pope)
• Thea Bowman (Soulful Mystic)
• Eknath Easwaran (Inter-religious Mystic)

So, here's some of the stuff they believed in'
1. Live with a sacred optimism.
2. Ask others to pray for you.
3. Curtail criticism.
4. Practice self-restraint.
5. Read biographies of spiritual lives.
6. Practice what you preach.
7. Be kind.
8. Observe yourself.
9. Remember: you are a role model.
10. Don't take yourself too seriously.
So it goes,
Kimo

[Jhanananda]

Aloha Cybermonks,

Ok... who can point out a mystic who died, or lived a happy, content life?

Perhaps one that wasn't nailed to a cross, literally or symbolically. 

I cannot think of any right now, but their suffering was not because of being a mystic, after all they most often defined their religious experiences within ecstatic terms.  Their suffering was typically due to reporting their findings and being persecuted for them.

What's in it for them? Is it because they want to be punished?

I fail to see how exposing the delusions that keep people suffering is a need of the mystic to be punished.  Coming to this concludion is a classic cart before the horse failure in logic and critical thinking.

Some finally give up on personal beliefs, join some kind of priesthood and
keep their mouths shut. Could these types only want to be loved? Is that
enough?

Well, the genuine mystic is beyond beliefs; and the religious experience is so compelling for the genuine mystic that they would gladly go dancing up to the gallows for it.  So, the so-called mystics who took the gag order for a bowl of soup were most probably not genuine mystics.

Some spend their lives living selflessly for others, then at the end, are
cursed and/or attacked by various demons, or turned on by their followers.

This does not sound like the life of a mystic, but a do-gooder, who did not lead a successful contemplative life.  Perhaps you are confusing the record of so-called mystics with the genuine mystics.  I have found most of the saints of most of the religions did not seem to be genuine mystics.

Most strive to resist the worldly goodies, so how does that bring the
damnation?

It is not the renunciation that brings on the persecution.  It is exposing the king, and all of the priests as the lairs that they are that results in persecution.  People simply do not want to believe that the entire fabric of their existence is the reason why they do not experience bliss, joy and ecstasy in every moment.

So... there must be some happy, content Mystics out there. The smiling
one's, the joyous one's, the one's without the frowning faces, the one's
without the "doom signs" for the world.

You seem to be confusing delusion for mysticism.  It is the mystics who find true fulfillment in bliss, joy and ecstasy in every moment.  It is the masses who wear the façade of happy and go-lucky.

There's got to be some! I wonder what their beliefs are? What path they
took?
Later,
Kimo

The genuine mystics are beyond belief.  The true-believers find comfort in buying into a belief system that is a complete fraud.  So, if you just want comfort in a belief system, then I would recommend that you become a born-again, like my father in the last 2 years of a life that was dedicated to atheism.

Hi all,

Here's a few so called mystics of the 20th century;
• Dorothy Day (Social Conscience of American Catholics)
• Thich Nhat Hanh (Engaged Spirituality)
• Ben Salmon (Catholic Conscientious Objector of the "Great War"
• Bede Griffiths (Christian Guru)
• Abraham Heschel (Militant Mystic)
• Oscar Romero (Voice of the Voiceless)
• Etty Hillesum (Concentration Camp Mystic)
• Caryll Houselander (Neurotic Mystic)
• John XXIII (Mystic Pope)
• Thea Bowman (Soulful Mystic)
• Eknath Easwaran (Inter-religious Mystic)

So, here's some of the stuff they believed in'
1. Live with a sacred optimism.
2. Ask others to pray for you.
3. Curtail criticism.
4. Practice self-restraint.
5. Read biographies of spiritual lives.
6. Practice what you preach.
7. Be kind.
8. Observe yourself.
9. Remember: you are a role model.
10. Don't take yourself too seriously.
So it goes,
Kimo

You seem to be having trouble understanding what a mystic is.  A mystic is not a mystic because billions of people think so.  A mystic is defined by finding bliss, joy and ecstasy through leading a discipline contemplative life.  So, now, which of the above expressed themselves in ecstatic terms, and led a  discipline contemplative life?

Thich Nhat Hanh is the only one on the list who is still alive, and I approached.  He was not interested in me, nor has he ever expressed himself in ecstatic terms.

[Alexander]

Thich Nhat Hanh is the only one on the list who is still alive, and I approached.  He was not interested in me.

I do smirk whenever you share anecdotes like these. All these people you met over the years, and who were supposed to be "spiritual," still don't know today the irony that they ignored/dismissed an arahant.

It's worse for them when you realize how -rare- it is to come across liberated persons. Granted, with the internet I can do a google search and instantly find Jeff Brooks, but if I hadn't searched the word "jhana" I would know nothing about him. All those people who took for granted meeting an arahant, will surely go several more deaths in samsara before they ever meet another.

[Cybermonk]

Hi all,

Well, I guess you are correct Jeffrey, I don't fit the outline exactly. I just
can't seem to shake the   fact that a "true mystic" needs to
abandon the parts of existence which do not fit.

So... I guess there's no mixed mystic. It's a black and white deal. There's
no way a truly enlightened being, can be truly unenlightened,  at the same time.

Yeah... I just grabbed a few so called" mystics" from off the internet. Some
had visions, some were persecuted, some were thought to be "mystics"
because they showed compassion for others. I guess it was yet another
discovery quest of mine, seeking to explore existence without " throwing
out the baby with the bathwater", so to speak.

Oh well.... perhaps one day my actions will reflect total realization,
beyond any concepts. Ha!
Later,
Kimo

[Jhanananda]

Hi all,

Well, I guess you are correct Jeffrey, I don't fit the outline exactly. I just
can't seem to shake the   fact that a "true mystic" needs to
abandon the parts of existence which do not fit.

All genuine mystics led a disciplined life, and they taught a disciplined life.

So... I guess there's no mixed mystic. It's a black and white deal. There's
no way a truly enlightened being, can be truly unenlightened,  at the same time.

Yeah... I just grabbed a few so called" mystics" from off the internet. Some
had visions, some were persecuted, some were thought to be "mystics"
because they showed compassion for others. I guess it was yet another
discovery quest of mine, seeking to explore existence without " throwing
out the baby with the bathwater", so to speak.

Oh well.... perhaps one day my actions will reflect total realization,
beyond any concepts. Ha!
Later,
Kimo

One cannot hope to become free from suffering and find utter and complete fulfillment without renunciation of the cravings, fetters, sins, or whatever term you want to use.

[Cybermonk]

Hi Jeffrey,

Yeah.... I get the same message everywhere. "Forget about having your cake
and eating it too, Kimo"!  I also hear, "no simple, instantaneous path exist,
practice,practice, practice". Ha!

So, I practice, study and slowly advance. Occasionally I'll come to the end
of a plateau, then a new plateau will appear, so it goes.  Again the ole Robert
Frost poem pops up' "there is no life, there is no death, only eternity and the
games we play to keep ourselves amused".

Perhaps at the end of this life, once dead, I'll still be there and I'll know the
full story, perhaps even why I forgot the story when in the denser physical
dimension.  In some ways I hope Frost is wrong and I didn't do it to myself
just to keep myself amused. Ha!
Later,
Kimo 

[Jhanananda]

I do smirk whenever you share anecdotes like these. All these people you met over the years, and who were supposed to be "spiritual," still don't know today the irony that they ignored/dismissed an arahant.

It's worse for them when you realize how -rare- it is to come across liberated persons. Granted, with the internet I can do a google search and instantly find Jeff Brooks, but if I hadn't searched the word "jhana" I would know nothing about him. All those people who took for granted meeting an arahant, will surely go several more deaths in samsara before they ever meet another.

Thank-you aglorincz, when I use the term 'support,' this is what I mean.  I receive several emails every month from people who have religious experiences, and they want some guidance, so I give it to them, but they almost never join this forum and simply post their religious experiences here, and provide support for others.  So, people get the misimpression that I am the only one here who is having religious experiences, but that is not true.  I have thousands of letters from people who have religious experiences; and I ask every one of them to post something here, but few do.