"Mystics are women and men who, because of their practice, reach a deep understanding of the nature of being. However, they don't necessarily become fanatical about the particular practices that open their understanding. Instead, they see their practice as one among many pathways to understanding. . . .

"We can pick up clues about the mystical experience from elements mystics share in common, no matter that they come from different faiths. What follows are three elements I have noted. I think of them as items on a brochure describing what I can expect to gain if I train in a particular course of study.

Embrace Paradox

"The first item for consideration is that mystics embrace paradox. Their practice makes them intensely aware of life's paradoxes. They notice that although everything appears to be part of one unity, life contains many opposites. Everything is united, yet life is made up of endless polarities, such as good and bad, hot and cold, and so on. Mystics sense that things are not immediately what they appear to be and that focusing on the pairs of opposites distracts them from the experience of unity: they understand that reality is larger than the polar opposites that make it up. This inevitably causes them to loosen up and abandon narrow views of right/wrong, good/bad. They adopt an attitude of awe and wonder. I might put these words into the mouths of mystics: "Ordinary goodness is the norm – yet, simultaneously, humanity's free will is capable of producing suffering." Mystics, as Rumi did through his poetry, advise us to practice seeing beyond what can be seen with the physical eye. Close both eyes, he advised, to see with the other eye, and thereby peacefully embrace and see beyond the paradoxes of life.

Personal Relationship

"The second quality among mystics is that they have a personal, intimate relationship with their concept of Divinity. Intimacy takes time to nurture. A close relationship with Divinity, like an intimate relationship with a person, takes time and requires steadiness and consistency. You have to share yourself and show yourself. You have to be consistent and present. You have to be transparent and caring to create the environment for intimacy to grow. It is the same with developing a relationship with your concept of Divinity, or with life, or reality, if you prefer.

Live in the World

"The third quality among mystics, especially the kind of modern mystic that you and I might aspire to become, is that they continue to have ordinary worldly experiences. Although they see the bigger picture, although they embrace paradox, and although they have a close, personal relationship with Divinity, they nevertheless continue to live in this world. In other words, they probably have bills to pay, families to raise, jobs to deal with, and problems to solve. Sometimes they get sick, and sometimes their children don't turn out the way they hoped. Sometimes they make terrible mistakes, and sometimes they get crucified, and sometimes their friends let them down. The difference is that they are strengthened, not so much because they have excellent coping mechanisms in place, but because they encountered the mystery. So now, living in the ordinary world with all its complexity and sadness seems to be a beautiful thing to them, because everything in it speaks to them about the unity of all life.

"Rather than withdraw from life, mystics lean into it and bring goodness into being as a result of their inner realization."