Why do most known mystics come from wealth and power?

[Jhanananda]

The recent discussion of Hildegarde Von Bingen brought my attention to a topic that I have been reflecting upon for decades.  Why do most known mystics come from wealth and power?  Here are the data points:

Siddhartha Gautama - nobility
Hildegarde Von Bingen - nobility
Rumi - wealth and education
St Francis of Assisi wealth
Teresa of Avial wealth and power

I will argue that just as there are many more poor than there are wealthy, then there is most probably many more enlightened mystics who are poor than the tiny few who are wealthy.  The reason why we do not hear from the many poor mystics is without wealth and power behind them, then they are more likely to be marginalized, if not martyred and be lost to history because of it.

Thus, it does not take wealth and power to become enlightened.  However, it does take wealth and power to become known as enlightened.

[violet]

Those are good points, I've never noticed that.

Educated mystics maybe knew how to communicate their message more effectively; people liked how they expressed their ideas. A person often gets more respect if he or she knows how to express himself or herself flawlessly. Bonus if this person is educated and wealthy.

Sometimes, it does not even matter if the base of the message is flawed, as long as the form is pleasing to the ears. For example, I'm sure a lot of people would rather listen to someone who babbles on and on with an English accent, who has a Doctorate in World Religions, than a true mystic who's lived in a Louisiana swamp all his life, has a fourth grade education, and communicates simply in an odd accent.

We also communicate non-verbally; with our gestures, how we carry ourselves, how we dress. These give impressions (even if incorrect) to other people.

That's how a lot of people are, they stop at what they see and hear superficially. Educated and wealthy mystics must of known this because of their training and used it to their advantage.

And being educated and wealthy may also mean that one has powerful friends and family that can help you attain your objectives...

Here are some quotes from the article 'Hallucinatory Experience & Religion Formation' by Shawn Harte in the July/August 2012 issue of Philosophy Now.

The author tries to assert that :

[...] religions are the result of honest and sane but misguided individuals who experienced two extraordinary phenomena : sleep paralysis and the out-of-body experience.

These not-uncommon visions are essentially dreams superimposed onto waking reality - and accordingly, they convey the authority of reality to the experiencer.

Concerning the Buddha :

Although he recognized these experiences as illusory and rejected the notion of an enduring soul in his doctrine of anatman, others less discerning were ensnared by the convincing realism of the phenomenon.

What distinguishes a madman from a prophet is evidently that the latter's hallucinations are believed.

The lust for existential perpetuity and meaning, coupled with confirmation bias, leaves people averse to any information contrary to the opiating fantasy.

[Jhanananda]

You make some good points Violet, but your quotes from Shawn Harte in his article in the July/August 2012 issue of Philosophy Now, 'Hallucinatory Experience & Religion Formation,' reveal the delusionary belief systems supported be denial bias that he and the rest of the mainstream function under to dismiss the religious experiences of all mystics as noting more than...

sleep paralysis and the out-of-body experience

.
There is so much more in the suttas than these two descriptions, such as the 8 stages of the religious experience (samadhi).

William James' 'Varieties of Religious Experience' is another classic example of the denial bias.  The entire objective of William James, and his student Starbuck, was to dismiss the religious experience as nothing more than 'religious psychosis;' and the reason why James was invited to lecture on the subject at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, was to give credibility to that bias.

So, back to your argument that the peasant is not going to have the accent, education and clothing to overcome the public denial system; whereas, the mystic, who comes from the wealthy and powerful, will have, at the very least, the: accent, education, clothing money, and connections to overcome that denial system, is a good point, and well-taken, because it is too sad, but all too true.

I think the best thing a peasant mystic can do is either keep his/her enlightenment to him/her self, or align with a mystic who has the: accent, education, clothing money, and connections to overcome the mainstream denial system.

I have often thought of the side kicks of the mystics as people who were not just students, but may very possibly have been peasant mystics who found themselves a mystic from the ruling class to align with.  Most notably is Sham of Tabriz who was the teacher of Rumi. 

It is possible that other peasant mystics played a more minor public role, but who were nonetheless the teacher of the ruling class mystic.  Brother Leo, St Francis of Assisi's student and friend, who might very well have been his teacher, because he came early in St Francis' enlightenment and remained well after St Francis died.

[Cybermonk]

Aloha to you all,

It should also be noted that the mystics from wealth/power,
geneally cast away both before advancing.

Perhaps this is due to their quest for stillness. Shutting down
the data from the five senses, seems to be almost a requirement
of the process. I would suspect that once they approached the
stilling of the heart/passions, as well as the mind and body,
 the awareness would demand the release of the attachments
to wealth/power.

Of course... once they achieved their goal of realization of
oneness, they had the option to reestablish their "blue blood",
so to speak. Then they could redirect those resources to
publishing what they found. A plus for us all.

Jeffrey, you and others in the GWV likewise have done the
same. Thanks for following the Masters.

It seems the standard course for realized mystics to share.
I personally believe this sharing comes with the
achievement of "compassion". So it goes.

Later,
Kimo 

[Jhanananda]

Yes, Kimo, I agree relinquishment, letting go, surrender, refuge, submission, are all terms used by mystics, because one has to let go of everything to become enlightened.  The sad part is once one has made the ultimate sacrifice, and realized the fruitful attainment, it takes resources of wealth, power, connections, etc. to even be heard.  So, I expect most mystics are never heard from, if they are not outright marginalized.

[Cybermonk]

Hi,
Recently I've been protesting and encouraging those around me
to boycott gmo foods. Many tell me a single action has no
value, or little value, however as each person goes to the
store for food, takes a second to read the label and refuse
to buy gmo poisoned food, the customer boycotting has
started a major change in the mega corporations stocking
of their shelves. I was amazed this simple action at the
individual level of society really works. Down with gmo!

Likewise... I now have more faith that each being that
aspires to be a mystic, is changing this dimension to return
it to the balance with enlightened oneness. Again I want
to compliment GWV for the work of spreading the word.

Unfortunately, time may be running out for this planet.
Humans again are becoming too destructive and the
re-balance may once again reduce everything to relics,
so an enterprising archeologist can dust them off and
scotch them in a notebook. Ha... job security for you
Jeffrey, in 10,000 years.
Later,
Kimo