mysticism
Spiritual union pursuit
Mysticism is the pursuit of direct experience of the divine, ultimate reality, or spiritual truth—typically through contemplation, meditation, or ecstatic states rather than reason or doctrine.
Most religious traditions have mystical branches: Sufism in Islam, Kabbalah in Judaism, Christian contemplatives like Meister Eckhart.
The mystic seeks union or communion with something beyond ordinary perception.
Her poetry reflected deep mysticism.
More loosely, mysticism describes vague or irrational thinking: His explanation devolved into mysticism.
Experiential sacred understanding
- kabbalahJewish mystical tradition
- theosophyMystical divine knowledge system
- hermeticismAirtight, impervious condition
- anthroposophySteiner's spiritual development system
neoplatonism · gnosticism · initiation · adept · arcana · esoterica · secret doctrine · hidden knowledge
Focused attention practice
- enlightenmentProfound spiritual awakening
- ecstasyOverwhelming intense delight
- tranceSemiconscious, unresponsive condition
- visionAbility to see
rapture · union · contemplation · awakening · revelation · epiphany · ineffable · numinous
Divination card set
- necromancyCommunicating with the deceased
- divinationForetelling through mystical means
- sorceryPractice of dark magic
- witchcraftPractice of supernatural magic
astrology · clairvoyance · seance · conjuration · incantation · summoning · scrying · channeling
Seemingly absurd truth
- ineffableBeyond verbal expression
- unfathomableBeyond comprehension or measurement
- inscrutableImpossible to understand
- unknowableImpossible to understand
via negativa · cloud · darkness · hiddenness · secret · veiled · obscure · beyond words
Innermost animating essence
- divinitySacred nature or nougat-like sweet
- cosmosOrderly totality of existence
- infinityUnlimited extent or quantity
- eternityBoundless temporal existence
absolute · divine · unity · omnipresence · transcendent · immanent · sacred · holy
Formal event marking occasions
- altarSacred ritual table
- chantRepetitive rhythmic phrase
- sacramentSacred ritual conveying grace
- mantraRepeated focus phrase
pilgrimage · invocation · veneration · worship · rite · liturgy · prayer · offering
Eastern religious discourse
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
- exegesisCritical textual interpretation
- apocryphaWorks of doubtful authenticity
- canonAccepted authoritative works
commentary · sacred text · prophecy · apocalypse · visionary · inspired · divine word
gnosis
Experiential sacred understanding
- kabbalahJewish mystical tradition
- theosophyMystical divine knowledge system
- hermeticismAirtight, impervious condition
anthroposophy · neoplatonism · gnosticism · initiation · adept · arcana · esoterica · secret doctrine · hidden knowledge · esotericism
meditation
Focused attention practice
- enlightenmentProfound spiritual awakening
- ecstasyOverwhelming intense delight
- tranceSemiconscious, unresponsive condition
vision · rapture · union · contemplation · awakening · revelation · epiphany · ineffable · numinous · transcendence
tarot
Divination card set
- necromancyCommunicating with the deceased
- divinationForetelling through mystical means
- sorceryPractice of dark magic
witchcraft · astrology · clairvoyance · seance · conjuration · incantation · summoning · scrying · channeling · spiritualism
paradox
Seemingly absurd truth
- ineffableBeyond verbal expression
- unfathomableBeyond comprehension or measurement
- inscrutableImpossible to understand
unknowable · via negativa · cloud · darkness · hiddenness · secret · veiled · obscure · beyond words · unspeakable
soul
Innermost animating essence
- divinitySacred nature or nougat-like sweet
- cosmosOrderly totality of existence
- infinityUnlimited extent or quantity
eternity · absolute · divine · unity · omnipresence · transcendent · immanent · sacred · holy · spirit
ceremony
Formal event marking occasions
mantra · pilgrimage · invocation · veneration · worship · rite · liturgy · prayer · offering · purification
sutra
Eastern religious discourse
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
- exegesisCritical textual interpretation
- apocryphaWorks of doubtful authenticity
canon · commentary · sacred text · prophecy · apocalypse · visionary · inspired · divine word
- Spiritual MovementsGnosticism, Theosophy, theosophy, Kabbalah, Sufism
- FlorenceArno, Medici, Renaissance, Michelangelo, David
- fantasy traitsglowing eyes, immortality, invisibility, ethereal glow, telepathy
- Piscesfish symbol, fish, Neptune, water sign, water element
- poetry termspoetry, rhyme, verse, rhythm, meter
- Arthurian themeschivalry, quests, Holy Grail, Excalibur, magic sword
mysticismrationalism
Reason as knowledge source
empiricism · scientism · positivism · materialism · naturalism
mysticismmaterialism
Prioritizing goods over spirit
atheism · secular humanism · physicalism · naturalism · secularism
mysticismrationality
Sound judgment quality
analysis · logic · reductionism · literalism · matter-of-factness
- Jewish mysticismEsoteric Hebrew spiritual tradition
- religious mysticismPursuit of divine union
- Christian mysticismPursuit of divine encounter
mystery, misty, mysterious, mystical, mystic, mystify, mystique, mysterium, mystically