MYSTIC AND SPIRITUALITY
Becoming a mystic training course
“Mysticism has become a concept that covers many meanings. The term ‘mysticism’,
for example, is a kind of catch-all for anything that is vague, mysterious, irrational
and swoony.”
“The mystical experience nestles itself within the longing of prayer. The
prayer not as a spiritual exercise, but the devotion to God
that permeates prayer and all spiritual exercises. ‘Prayer is the devoted
focus of the heart on God’, writes Guido de Kartuizer. To him, prayer is
longing. With this, he harks back to one of Augustine’s notions:
‘Longing always prays, even if the tongue is silent. When you long, you always pray’. ‘God’,
says Guido, ‘hastily rushes to meet the longing soul’.”
“Prayerful longing and the mystical experience are inextricably linked.
In this mystical experience, longing is transformed in the presence of
something that transcends you. For the mystic, all the world we live in becomes
a transparent backdrop; another reality presents itself.”
(text by Paul De Bois ocd)
TRAINING COURSE
Video's
This website features the first episode of a mini-course on mysticism and the Carmel. In this series of videos, Fr Paul De Bois ocd, provincial superior of the Flemish Carmel, discusses the meaning of the concept of mysticism and the spirituality of the Carmelites. If you subscribe to the newsletter, you will receive the four remaining episodes in the near future. What’s more, you will receive inspiring words from the Carmel tradition, and themes that can help you on your path of discernment to find out what your unique calling might be.
