Many people, including some leaders of Western religions, think that mysticism is either nonsense, heretical or both. They are only partially correct, may just misunderstand, or refuse to accept it.
Mysticism is non-sense; the experiences of mystics can neither be perceived nor measured. The empirical certainty of divine union can neither be verified nor refuted by current science. Many scientists today have no doubt that ultimate Reality does exist, although they are unable as yet to confirm it. Proven or unproven, Reality is what it is, whether we would rather believe, think or desire otherwise.
To say the soul is united with the divine does not deny supremacy of the divine, any more than a ripple can reject the greatness of its ocean. Mysticism may seem pantheistic “The divine is in all,” theistic, “but all are not yet in the divine,” polytheistic, “It is called by many names,” and non-theistic, “but One underlies the many.” Most of the mystics were panentheistic: the divine is within and beyond all, both immanent and transcendent. That view is not total heresy.
Some mystics in ancient history, and a few in modern times, had been denounced, banished or persecuted by their religion for their beliefs during their lifetime. Many of those same persons became recognized as inspirational leaders of their faith and have been idealized - some as saints - usually long after they had passed on.
Mystics are not demigods, even when they are in oneness with the divine. Most of them felt that miracles were distractions, although some have been attributed to them. Mystics occasionally appeared to be psychic, though that was frequently wordless communication between teacher and student. A few of them had seemed to instruct by their mere presence; many others had never taught at all.
Mysticism is not the supernatural occult. Divine Love, absolute Truth and ultimate Reality are not found in tea leaves, tarot cards or crystal balls. Mystics do not try to communicate with departed souls; they concentrated on uniting with their own soul. Meditation trances seek the divine, not past lives or the future. Neither palm readers nor numerologists can foresee your success in encountering it. In mystical consciousness, revelation is always here and now.
Divine union is not magic. Magicians may create illusions; mystics seek to remove them. The wizards of legends used magic for selfish gain; mysticism is a path to self(less) realization. Wicca uses high magic to connect a person’s soul to a Goddess; mystics are neither warlocks nor witches. They do not belong to covens, cast evil spells nor perform sacrifices...except their self. Their repetition of sacred words is for spiritual awareness, not for worldly powers.
Many religious people do believe in astrology, but most religions and mystics have rejected it (except Hinduism and the Kabbalah). Divine essence is in the stars and planets, as it is in All, yet the stars and planets in any alignment do not make absorption in divine unity any easier nor more difficult. Awareness of this Universe and of universal oneness, however, are vital during the mystical quest.
Spirituality, unlike the occult spiritualism, is sometimes defined as an “attempt to grow in sensitivity to self, to others, to non-human creation, and to God who is both within and beyond this totality.” In practice, spirituality will often “cultivate tranquility, mindfulness and insight, leading to virtues of wisdom and compassion.” Most mystics are quite spiritual, yet not all spiritual people are mystics. True devotees of mysticism should be sp