The
following text is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysticism
Mysticism
is the pursuit of achieving communion with or conscious
awareness of God (the divine ultimate reality) through direct,
personal experience, intuition or insight; the belief in
the existence of realities beyond ordinary perceptual or
intellectual apprehension that are central to being and
directly accessible through personal experience; or the
belief that such experiences are an important source of
knowledge. In the Hellenistic world, "mystical"
referred to secret religious rituals, particularly those
of mystery religions.
Another
definition sees mysticism as an attempt to derive some wider
meaning from personal experience, surpassing everyday human
understanding and tapping insights normally hidden from
our consciousness. While usually understood in a religious
context, a mystical experience may happen to anyone, does
not require religious training, can occur unbidden and without
preparation, and might not be understood as religious at
all. (James, 1902) In alternate circumstances, such experiences
may be interpreted as scientific or artistic inspiration,
or even dismissed as a psychological disorder.
Mystics sometimes claim to experience intuitive knowledge
of transcendent dimensions beyond the phenomenal or material
objects of ordinary perception. The mystic see things in
a way not part of ordinary experience. William James used
the words "ineffable" (which means that something
cannot or should not be spoken) and "noetic" (from
the Greek ???? nous: "relating to consciousness or
intuition"), to describe the mystical experience.
Mysticism may also refer to epistemological mysticism, where
non-rational methods are used to arrive at beliefs and the
acceptance of such beliefs as knowledge.
Examples of Mystics:
Hindu:
Andal
• Shankara
• Gopi
Krishna • Lalleshvari
• Mirabai
• Narayana
Guru (1856-1928) • Sri
Ramakrishna • Ramana
Maharshi • Sri
Deep Narayan Mahaprabhuji • Tukaram
Chinese:
Lao Zi
(Lao Tze) • Zhang
Sanfeng • Zhuangzi
(Chuang Tsu)
For more, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysticism#Hindu_mystics
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