OCT. 27, 2003

SPIRITUALITY
Mysticism molds the mainstream

Kabbalah, Rumi, labyrinths, centering prayer. Thousands of Americans are exploring the mystical aspects of their own faith and others.' Although no studies have been done, scholars and experts cite anecdotal evidence that interest in mysticism has been steadily increasing. Judaism, Roman Catholicism and Islam have long traditions in mysticism, and it is officially accepted doctrine in the Catholic Church. Mainline Protestantism has comparatively background in mysticism, yet experts say that is where mysticism is gaining the most ground.

Aging baby boomers who dabbled in Eastern and New Age spiritualities in their youth are returning to organized religion and bringing those spiritual experiences with them, according to Steven Fanning, an associate professor of history at the University of Illinois at Chicago who writes about Christian mysticism. Robert Eisen, an associate professor of religion at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and an expert on Jewish mysticism, says the daily stresses of contemporary life, coupled with the uncertainty of the times, also create a climate in which mysticism can thrive.

Mysticism crosses faith lines, with many practitioners adopting rituals from other traditions. Kabbalah, a form of Jewish mysticism, is popular among some non-Jews as well as Reform and Conservative Jews. The poetry of the 12th-century Muslim poet Rumi draws readers well beyond Islam. Centering prayer, a form of silent contemplation aimed at opening heart and mind to God, reaches beyond is core audience of Catholics and Protestants.

These movements challenge religious groups from both the inside and outside. Within Judaism, Islam and Christianity, not all traditions accept mysticism as orthodox teaching, causing division. As Americans "borrow" parts of mystical traditions such as Kabbbalah and Sufism without adopting the Jewish or Muslim faiths, religious leaders question the integrity of these seekers' practice and try to protect their traditions from being dilluted by pop culture.

Meanwhile, interest in mysticism is reflected in book and product sales, retreats and classes. Kyriacos Markides, who teaches Eastern Orthodox mysticism at the University of Maine in Orono, says mainstream religions, particularly Protestants, may have to accommodate this growing thirst for the mystical if they wish to serve their congregants.

Questions for reporters
• Is interest in mysticism evident in your community? What is fueling it?
• What attracts people to mysticism, and what do they say they gain from its practice? How do they say it affects their daily life?
• Who is practicing mysticism? Do they participate in organized religion and community life?
• Is there opposition to mysticism from some religious leaders?
• What do local bookstores say about what's selling?
• Are classes and retreats on mysticism offered locally?

Why it Matters
In a country where 90 percent of the people say they believe in God, the ways in which people connect with the divine influences the way they participate in religious and community life.

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National sources

• Lauren Artress is an Episcopal priest at Grace Episcopal Church in San Francisco. She also is a psychotherapist and the author of Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool (Riverhead, 1996), which helped re-introduce the labyrinth as a form of walking meditation and a path of prayer. Contact Tom Keelan, 415-749-6358, Tomfk@hotmail.com.
• Thomas Keating is a Cistercian Trappist priest, monk and abbot. He is a founder of the Centering Prayer Movement and of Contemplative Outreach, an organization dedicated to teaching contemplative practice to laypeople and clergy. He resides at St. Benedict's Monastery in Snowmass, Colo. Contact 970-927-3311.
• Zeki Saritoprak is a visiting assistant professor of religious studies at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio. He is the founder and honorary president of the Rumi Forum for Interfaith Dialogue in Washington, D.C. Contact 216-397-4935, zsaritoprak@jcu.edu.
• Rabbi Lawrence Kushner is scholar-in-residence at Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco. He has written several books on the Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism and speaks about the subjects around the country. Contact 415-751-2535.
• Coleman Barks is author of The Essential Rumi (Harper San Francisco,
1997) and a professor of English at the University of Georgia. Contact 706-546-0914, cbbarks@arches.uga.edu.

Background

• The Christian web site Praize offers a list of links with information about Christian mysticism.
• A religious studies web site from the University of Georgia offers a list of links with information about Christian and Judaic mysticism.
• This list from the University of Florida's religious studies web site offers a variety of links with information on the role of mysticism in modern life. It includes a page on mysticism in world religions.
• The religion web site Beliefnet offers this list of faith-based retreat centers for a variety of religions.
• Contemplative Outreach helps organize a network of individuals and religious communities that are devoted to the practice of contemplative prayer.
• The Hermetic Kabbalah web site offers this FAQ on the Kabbalah.
• This web site is devoted to Islamic mysticism and was put together by academics from around the world.
• An extensive web page offers links to mysticism in world religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism and Taosim. It is maintained by Deb Platt.