It is the mysticism rather than the monasticism of the monastics that we should embrace. Mysticism from the Greek ‘mystikos’ (meaning ‘an initiate’)  is ‘the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience of and even communion with a supreme being’.[i]

A ‘mystikos’ was originally an initiate of a mystery religion. ‘The present meaning of the term mysticism is as a metaphor for the “initiation” to spiritual experiences—and is the pursuit of communion with and consciousness of an ultimate reality, spiritual truth, or supreme being through direct experience, intuition, instinct or insight. Mysticism usually centers on practices intended to nurture those experiences. Many if not all of the world’s great religions have arisen around the teachings of mystics (including Buddha, Mahavir, Lao Tze and Jesus); and most religious traditions describe fundamental mystical experience. Enlightenment or Illumination are generic English terms for the phenomenon, derived from the Latin illuminatio, applied to Christian prayer in the 15th century, and adopted in English translations, used to describe the state of mystical awareness’ of the ‘Love of Christ’ in Christian mysticism.[ii]

We need to experience the pathos, logos and ethos of Christian mysticism and practice the contemplation, intercession and communication of Christian Mysticism as ordinary people with ordinary people in ordinary every day life. [iii]

See my new book Out And Out published by Mosaic Melbourne 2012