"We see the world with a different perspective than the rest of the planet.
...Throughout time there is the mystical sense
that any individuation work done by humans also changes
the darkness in the collective unconscious of all humans...
Jung once said that God became more conscious as humans became
more conscious.
- Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Jungian Analyst,
Women Who Run With the Wolves
Who is a Mystic?
The mystics ask you to take nothing on mere belief.
Rather, they give you a set of experiments to test in your
own awareness and experience. The laboratory is your own mind,
the experiment is meditation. You yourself try it, and compare
your test results with others who have performed the experiment.
Out of this consensually validated pool of experiential knowledge,
you arrive at certain laws of the spirit - at certain "profound
truths," if you will. And the first is: God is...
-Ken Wilber, from Grace and Grit
What is Mysticism?
Mysticism is concerned with the nature of reality,
the individual's quest to attain a clear vision of reality,
and the transformation of consciousness that accompanies this vision.
Mysticism is a way of life that follows the paths of lovingkindness
and compassion. It transcends religious dogma and includes the
search for and awareness of cosmic truths, enlightenment and union
with the Divine. Mysticism exists at the foundations of many of
the world's religions and is the uniting link between them all.
- Michael H. Schelb
I have spent the majority of my life fighting myself.
Consequently I ended up in precarious and unpleasant
situations of my own design. Though I bear the scars of self-inflicted battles a moment of clarity brought me to the realization that I possess nothing since phenomena exists only in my mind. My worries and struggles had been to no avail. The very essence of life is change. It is the constant which cannot be named, yet is everywhere and flows through all things. The concept of permanence is simply a distorted view which had been the result of my western education. I discovered that I created my own suffering by not accepting change.
Good and Bad
I began to realize that life's currents of change are neither inherently good nor bad. A life of peace and contentment often begins with simple self-acceptance. This is the seed of compassion and acceptance of others. There is nothing I can change - the level of capability has it’s root in simple awareness of the NOW, and the passive observation of life around me until the present moment arrives and the "I" disappears. Li Po wrote:
"The birds have vanished into the sky, and now the last cloud drains the sky.
We sit together, the mountain and me, until only the mountain remains."
May you find peace beyond labels, classifications and attachments. Life simply is.
Contradictions
Logic has a place in mathematics and formal debate. However, when it comes to life it is best to discard it. If you are trying to make sense out of what's going on you will end up drinking very heavily.Relax.
These pages may not offer any plausible advice to you - and that's OK. We have to live our own life - make up our own mind. The choices we make determine the quality of our life - based on our individual definition of "quality".
Purpose
The purpose of Mysticrider is to reflect my own moment of clarity, which liberated me from the bondage of traditional "mind systems", of separation, labels and fears which bind the human spirit.
The site is intended for the soul which questions those things deemed true by the masses. It is intended to be nothing but a reflection of an ongoing journey with ever-changing ideas, interests and personal tastes. I offer this labor of love as a small token of appreciation to the universe - a way of saying thanks - for the life which has been given to me. May the reader discover unity within diversity, common ideals, and his or her own truth, as it resonates deep within.
Moment to Moment
- Michael H. Schelb
