Why Bother With Mysticism?
Feb 27, 2009 04:36 PM
by Leon Maurer
I though this essay might be helpful for those more interested in
doing some real work for theosophy instead of blabbing about the
politics of the theosophical orgs. (The books on Richardson's web
site are also interesting for practical theosophists)
Lenny
> From: "Dick Richardson" <somerset_2@yahoo.com>
> Date: January 31, 2009 11:15:18 AM EST
> To: MindBrain@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Mind and Brain] Why Bother With Mysticism?
> Reply-To: MindBrain@yahoogroups.com
>
> Why Bother With Mysticism
>
> (and old email)
>
> What are you attempting to do and why? A question they often asked
> me.
>
> Where is the justification for even getting involved, and is there
> a pay off?
>
> OK friends, and others, I think I am in the right mood and frame of
> mind to do this one today, and whilst still having the time and the
> mental warewithal to do it before the necessary attributes bite the
> dust and evaporate into thin air, and without any of the pussy-
> footing of pulling punches for the knitting circles and fluffy
> bunnies. Maybe I ought to put it in the appendix on the website
> too :- ) So, fluffy bunnies stand aside, duck, or go for a picnic
> in a quiet spot. Hell, I am only one man, I often wish I were ten
> million dammit ? then I could do something effective here. So,
> being the rank pragmatist that I am, here goes. Treat this as
> shareware.
>
> The question is to why bother to spend a whole chunk of your life
> devoted to a passion for expounding the Mystical or deeply
> mysterious and profound aspects of life and aspects of human
> experience; and whilst knowing full well the sum of the deck which
> is stacked up against you and what it all entails? Both from the
> scientific materialists community and the plethora of religious
> tribes and the faithful to this or that ancient book of so called
> truths. That is the question. Here is the answer ? without smooth
> edges.
>
> But first, and for religionists only, here is a question for them?
> Is your god dead? If not then why does one need ancient books and
> so called wise prophets of the past to speak of it, and from people
> who were far more illiterate and less worldly wise and
> knowledgeable than we are today. Is this god of yours no longer
> contactable? If it is dead then none of it any longer applies does
> it, and heaven and hell have gone with the wind of change. If it is
> not then it is just as accessible today as it was at the dawn of
> human existence. But, anyway, let us press on. But one for the pure
> materialistic guru's. If you have concluded what things are and
> what it is all about then why are you still seeking answers to
> questions? But you will not find answers to the inner phenomena by
> looking at the phenomena of the outer. You do not know the sum of
> the all do you. Anyway, that too will be ignored. But in reality
> there is the oueter and he inner; bt they are not isolated, like in
> Plato's cave.
>
> Are you thinking about talking and writing about your metaphysical/
> mystical and illuminating experiences; if so then first and
> foremost DON'T do it unless you truly are ready to live with the
> consequences of reaping what you have sown. I have some experience
> in that field, and which need not be wasted on myself. You will
> not like most of it. If YOU do it then you will become a kind of
> gardener, a sower of seeds in other peoples minds. You are not
> propounding an idea or theory as such, but rather the experiential
> facts of an extant phenomenon which you have found. But, to those
> who do not know it yet (most people on earth) then it will appear
> that you are simply sowing ideas, not realities. So, live with that
> from the outset, and get on with it regardless. If you have what
> it takes that is. If not forget it. You have got to be prepared to
> stand absolutely alone on this world. Fun? No, not fun.
> Rewarding? Only time will tell. It certainly is not in the short
> term however, so expect none. But, in final analysis you are only
> talking about what you found; not what you have not found, or wish
> for, or hope for ? but just what you found; as is. I think it is
> called honesty and integrity.
>
> Also, you must face the fact that most of what goes under the
> heading of mysticism ( in the past as well as now) is NOT IT at
> all. It is a concoction and a subterfuge to hide the real thing ?
> a perception trick. A good part of it these days of course is just
> done by fools knowing not what they do or what they are talking
> about ? let alone knowing what they are assisting in that silly and
> dangerous process. But originally it was a hoax; a socio political
> hoax that was, alas, an effective way of controlling a mob. But
> unfortunately for them, and fortunately for us, bits of truth were
> thrown into their scribbling (obviously without them knowing that)
> and it is by way of which that the rest of their diatribe is proved
> to be a lie. And it reveals where they stole it from.
>
> On the simplistic face of it then it will be seen by the mob that
> you are simply trying to destroy priestcraft, religions and
> brainwashing; along with subjugation, lies, cheating, exploitation,
> fear, and a whole vast plethora of self erected guru's, and all the
> other dross of this world. But that is not so, that is not the real
> job; it is not the purpose; that is only the necessary means to an
> end. Yes, that has to be done, but that is only tantamount to
> washing a wall before painting it ? the painting it is the real
> job. Or to put it into today's vernacular you have to clear the
> streets of the shit and filth before you even start to make the
> place hygienic and fit to live on. Or to put it another way; you
> cannot make people come right; and neither do you need to. For if
> you get ride of what is blocking the pipe line than they come right
> anyway; for it is what they are. So, that is the goal ? to clear a
> path for that which is real about them at the deepest level of
> their inner being.
>
> This is not something you do on a one to one basis; and that is so
> time consuming anyway. Not on a world with six billion people
> anyway. You aint here to preach or convert; you are here to work.
> No you do it on the basis of one versus the rest of them. You do
> not have to dig out those who will help you, for they will just pop
> up and come into view when the shit flies in the fan. And there
> will not be many of them ? yet. So, YOU are alone; think of it and
> treat it that way; or you will weep buckets.
>
> On this world it has become convention that you must not say
> something IS SO. You are supposed to say either I think it is so,
> or I believe it to be so, or it seems to be the case, or in my
> opinion. All that crap and nanny state political correctness you
> have not got time for; so do not play this game their way, or you
> will get nowhere fast and achieve nothing at all. This world is not
> ready for the mystics dove of peace yet, it is the sword that alas
> has to be used here and now. Hopefully that need will end one day.
> But not yet. It is of course not a sword for killing people (as
> they have done for millennia) but the sword which hacks down the
> weeds which choke the life out of humanity and expose their corrupt
> power game. Conspiracy theories of a corrupt system? Huh, they are
> not theories; they are facts and well trodden roads for many
> hundreds of years; and longer. And the people behind it all are not
> silly and they are no easy meat to brush aside.
>
> Will doing this jeopardise your physical life? Maybe; but not to
> the extent that it once did when they killed mystics by the scores
> each day. So, live with it. Will devoting time and effort to this
> jeopardise your personal life and life style? It does not have to.
> No, you can live a normal family life, raise your kids, have fun
> and hobbies, all at the same time. The degree to which is up to you
> ? but a family life just makes that much more work ? but worth it.
> But you can cope
>
> How is this vocation to be classified? In one word ? WAR. In a
> few words ? A war for the survival of the Dignity of Man, and the
> truth of what we find both within us and on the outside of us. That
> is it. It is not a war for some imaginary or symbolic magic tea pot
> in the sky; it is a war for the love of life and the truth of what
> is found to be so. Is it worth dying for? Yes. But it is even more
> important to say that it is worth living for. You cannot do
> anything here when you are not here. You are all going to die
> anyway, no matter what you do; so you might as well do something
> worthwhile here whilst the opportunity here exists. Anything else
> then you are a scum-bag at worst or wimp at best, and a part of the
> problem.
>
> What of those who are not mystics, yet not a part of the religious
> mafia or the materialist monotones and the corporate capitalist
> cesspit? Then keep out of the battle, or choose which side you
> think is best and right and join it. Will this eventually lead to
> bloodshed? Probably alas; or at least incorporate much of it. It
> always has thus far. All change brings stress, and stress has its
> effects and consequences. Too much stress and an individual can
> crack up; as can a whole nation of them. It is after all a social
> revolution and which incorporates a great paradigmatic evolution
> and change. Who am I to say such things and with such conviction?
> Me. Who are you? What are you? From whence do you come and why?
> Find out.
>
> What of all the vast mountains of religious and spiritual
> instructions and advice? Ninety nine percent of the lot of it is
> rubbish, dangerous rubbish and lies. It is invented by Priestcraft
> and perpetrated and copied parrot fashion by ignorant brainwashed
> clones who live in a zombified state of Somnus. It is a hobby for
> them. They think they need their drug for survival ? and also a
> life better than this when they are dead. Fools, the lot of them.
> They live as fools and they will die as fools and cowards.
>
> What of the ever growing plethora of New Age junkies and the their
> `priests' ? Same applies; it is nothing new. I know them well,
> pretend artists. Nearly every man jack of them. They think they
> cannot be seen through ? they can, they are as transparent as clear
> glass. They too are a part of the problem, not the cure. Shovel
> them up on the same shit shovel and dump it on the same stagnant
> pile of irrelevance to rot. You do not sound very nice? I am not;
> and I am not here to be loved or admired or remembered. Just here
> for the job; that is all. What are you here for? Do you know? If
> not then find out.
>
> What of all those who claim great personal insight to the
> metaphysical aspect of our nature and life itself? I thought we
> covered that in the last paragraph. Nearly all of them are shams,
> pretenders, wanna-be's, charlatanism, frauds. I have spent a lot of
> time with them and watching, listening. It is junk for the large
> part. Dump it and them. But what of the few genuine ones? It
> does not matter, for you will recognise them if and when you find
> them and they will recognise you. Don't make the mistake that I did
> for some years by looking for them; for they will find you soon
> enough. It happens.
>
> So what is Mysticism then? It is the umbrella name for Mystical
> Experience. And you will be giving it back its name and its true
> meaning and what it points to. After eliminating the junk which
> came into existence for vested interests to hide its true reality;
> and then rebuilding it again AS IS. So what is it AS IS? This
> article is not about that ? find the answer to that elsewhere; for
> it takes a long time to write it all. If you are interested that
> is. If not forget it and get on with your life. But I tell you this
> in all truth? whatever it is beyond our individual experience of it
> ? IT WORKS. It also reveals the answers to the perennial questions
> ? what are we; where do we come from; what are we doing here: and
> to whither do I return. Do you know anything else which does that
> by the living experience of it? I don't.
>
> So, I go with the flow of what I cannot prove to be wrong; and
> which itself proves it to be right. And that is it. Why does it
> happen? You figure it out like I had to. But in a word, NEED. But
> are we in need of answers or are we not. They come. You did not
> make yourself and ask to exist, so the nature of things owes YOU
> answers ? not you it. And it comes. You are a part of it, not
> some alienated blob of dead stuff lurking of the fringe of what
> exists looking in. YOU are IT, and the process of ITS unfolding in
> time and space. You just have to be there and receptive enough to
> catch it in order to know it and understand it
>
> How then to go about this task? Write about it and talk about it
> at full throttle, blow their little closed minds wide open; and
> never give up. But I cannot write and talk you say. Then learn by
> practice. All it takes is within you, if you tap into it and then
> use it. Is anything worth the learning of. If not then do not
> bother, but if you find it to be so then learn things and share it
> with them all. If they throw it back at you it does not matter ?
> for they have heard it; and there is power in the word, and to say
> nothing of in your conviction and efforts. You are not doing it
> for you, but for life, humanity and this world, this life here and
> now and tomorrow. But words cannot work until they hear them, and
> then sink in to do the job which they do in the subconscious, and
> then later seep up into the conscious. That which is below comes
> up, and the above becomes as the below the waves of time and space.
>
> How do you know? It does not matter and I am not going into that
> here. But suffice to say that other also know today, as some did in
> the past and many others will yet do in time to come. It is not
> unique and not down to any one person, and you are never really
> alone; it just seems that way, and for a while you must operate
> that way, and hope for the best.
>
> So, what is Mysticism when all the talking and experiencing is
> done? I don't know, not for sure; but everything is deeply
> mysterious, and which includes me and everything extant which is
> not me. It is everything that ever was, is now, or ever will be.
> Did you think that life and the existence of things was simple. No,
> it is not simple, it is deeply mysterious. But we can and do unite
> with that primordial and eternal mystery in its very ground and
> essence of being. Truly we do. In the beginning I was there. So
> were you. Trul
>
> So, what should I believe? Nothing. Believing things is the
> problem, not the cure. Learn things and know them. Seek out
> everything which is there to be found, both of the inner and the
> outer. There is no need to believe anything; just search things
> out, ask yourself questions, and keep looking, searching,
> wondering. They have been brainwashed to think that one has to
> believe this or that, and sold a pup along with it; a lie, in their
> process they use for mind manipulation for their ends and rewards.
>
> So what is the future of humanity? I do not know for it is not
> made yet and I cannot see into a future that is not there to see
> into; but, in part the future is down to us; now, today; but that
> is the very project which we are trying to work on and assist in
> making; and whilst giving back to the mob that which they had
> stolen from them by vested interests and lies. That is all. Not
> much really is it ? just a wee matter of life or living death here,
> that is all. So, decide where you stand and then go for it with
> everything you have within you to give it ? one hundred percent of
> yourself. Anything less is not enough. You do not have what you
> have in order to sit on it and not use it. That is what they want
> you to do, to stagnate to an entropy state and do exactly as they
> tell you. Who is they? Those who wish to own everything, the world
> and you, and dictate how things must be done ? for their own ends.
> That is who `they' are.
>
> You will get no reward for any of this ? here or elsewhere; but the
> future of Man might. What does life and Man matter to you? I am a
> part of it, even when not here any longer. All you will get here
> and now is the satisfaction of taking part in a job which needs
> doing. And, by the way, YOU are a conduit between time and
> eternity; so make the connection and make it work. Let the water
> flow from the spring to the sea. Today will never come back again,
> so do not waste it whilst it is here - not all of it anyway; tis
> fine to keep a little bit of each day to yourself just for fun. But
> life is not about fun; it is about what IS, and we are each an
> active part of that unfolding of the life saga. Are you for it or
> against it? It truly is make your mind up time; for things are
> coming to a head and the puss of corruption and greed is rising
> fast. Either humanity will remain a malignant virus on the face of
> the earth hell bent on destroying itself and the world or it will
> come into its own, as a reflection of what it is in essence and
> principle in Eternity. And only then will they be able to say that
> we have arrived and the job here is done; or at least as best we
> could help do it anyway. You cannot do more than that.
>
> When push comes to shove at the end of the day, you have a
> profound, truly profound choice to make. You are a part of life
> whether you like it or not; and you did not ask for it, but you
> have got it anyway. And life is with you now. So, what are you
> going to do with it? That is your bit to decide. I hope you make
> the right choice ? because I am selfish, and irrespective of all
> the other parts which construct me I am also Man, and I want
> humanity to continue and become what it can become here on earth at
> its very best ? and which is good and worthwhile; as is life
> itself. Could you really live whilst telling yourself that you were
> a part of this mess here and did nothing about it, or at least
> tried to do something. If you can, then maybe you are not human
> after all. If you and we fail, then so be it, but at least we could
> go out knowing that we tried. The Dignity of Man is at stake here.
> And I am afraid that the responsibility of that is with you. And
> that is the way it is; like it or not. Mine is not for sale; for it
> is all I have which is really my own and which I am in control of.
>
> Are you doing this for some `gods' sake? No :- ) I am doing for
> my sake, your sake, the children's sake, the worlds sake,
> humanities sake, truth's sake, life's sake and sanity's sake. I
> speak only of what I have found, that is all; and a passion for it
> and its fulfilment on earth. Have you been asked to do this? Well,
> yes, actually I was; by a number of people. But that was a long
> time ago and it was I who chose to do it. Nobody and nothing could
> make me do what I do not want to do; it is down to me ? and you in
> your case. There are so many important things to do in life, and
> that truly need to be done. We can each only do what we have the
> ability and know-how to do. I for one have done many things; but
> there is nothing more important right now than this. Nothin
>
> What difference can a single persons efforts make on a world like
> this? One person, or you plus me combined, not a lot, virtually
> nothing I guess. But a tiny difference to just a handful of people
> can and does snowball. The difference comes when millions are doing
> it all at the same time. Then it will tell and reap its harvest in
> changing things for the better here.
>
>
>
> Is it really worth it? Oh yes. Silly question, of course it is
> worth it; even doing it alone is worth it. Is it worth feeding and
> educating your children and seeing them happy; of course it is.
> And what does it take? I have told you above. You could sum up by
> saying nothing much short of a miracle :- ) But hey, what are
> minor miracles when you and I are the stuff that dreams are made
> upon. A dream not utilised and put into effect is a dream wasted.
> But, it is not based upon a dream; it is based upon learning what
> we are in the beginning and the end, and what we are in essence.
> Truly. But the dream is simply to fulfil it here on earth, and as
> soon as possible. If possible. But there is no reason at all that
> it cannot be done and cannot happen here. The only thing preventing
> it is YOU. And six billion like you.
>
> Know Your Self ? and you will then simultaneously know the deepest
> depths of all things issued forth from the point of no duration or
> extension; and before time began to move and things change in their
> unfolding and becoming process. Truly it is so and there to be
> found. I need no witness to that statement ? for life will prove it
> to you eventually; as life itself is my witness. You already know
> in fact; you have just forgotten for a while. But you really are
> the Watcher at the Gates of Dawn, and a key player in the creative
> process here on earth. I said that Mysticism (mystical Experience)
> is important; for it gets a job done. But it is also true to say
> that Life and Mysticism are the same thing. When you were young you
> were full of questions, quite naturally so. The most important of
> which are what am I, where have I come from, what am I doing here
> and why, and to whither do I go. Life reveals the answers to those
> question ? by way of mystical experience. But have you been
> nurtured not to ask questions and seek for yourself? Be honest.
> Do not believe me, for that will not help you and might even
> hinder. But find it to be true for yourself. Today is as good a
> time as any to have to know these things; and probably even more so
> than at any time in the past; for we have reached a stage where Man
> has quite a bit of power here on earth now, and that power has to
> be modulated by a wisdom which is yours from the beginning; and
> that only comes by way of knowing your deepest self. It is True.
> But do not take my word for it ? find it yourself. There is no need
> to believe me, for it is there to be found, and used.
>
> Good hunting, and work hard at it; for it is worth it. And if an
> apple tree or sunflower can bring forth its fruit from its seed in
> the ground of its being, then so can you. For you are more than a
> tree or a sunflower. But lucky them, for they do not have to make
> choices and then live with the effects of them. We do. And we do.
> But, to be conscious and to be able to choose things, and what we
> do; is about as miraculous, wondrous, as anything can ever get. Do
> you take it for granted maybe? Best not to; but find out what it is
> and where it hangs out; and then use it.
>
> Dick Richardson.
>
> West Somerset. UK. 2008 CE.
>
> http://www.psychognosis.net/
>
>
>
>
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