Mysticism and Meditation: Techniques to Deepen Your Practice

Mysticism and meditation have long been intertwined as paths to self-transcendence, spiritual awakening, and profound inner peace. While both practices originate from different spiritual traditions—mysticism being the pursuit of direct, personal experiences of the divine or the ultimate truth, and meditation serving as a disciplined method for cultivating mindfulness, awareness, and insight—they often converge in their shared goal: to dissolve the barriers between the self and the greater reality.

In this article, we’ll explore how mysticism and meditation intersect, and offer practical techniques to deepen your meditation practice through mystic principles. These practices can lead to greater spiritual insight, peace, and an enhanced connection to the mysteries of life.

The Essence of Mysticism and Meditation

Mysticism involves seeking to experience the divine or ultimate reality in a direct, personal way. It transcends dogma, ritual, and intellectual understanding, focusing instead on direct communion with the sacred. Mystics often speak of moments of unity with the divine, experiences of oneness with the universe, or transcendence of the ego. In many ways, mysticism is an experiential, rather than doctrinal, approach to spirituality.

Meditation, in its most universal sense, is the practice of focusing the mind to achieve a heightened state of awareness and self-realization. Meditation can take many forms, including mindfulness, concentration, visualization, and mantra repetition. At its core, meditation helps to quiet the mind, deepen concentration, and bring awareness to the present moment.

When mysticism and meditation are integrated, meditation becomes not just a tool for relaxation, but a portal to the deeper mysteries of the self and the universe. It opens a pathway for mystical experiences that transcend ordinary perception.

Mystical Meditation Techniques to Deepen Your Practice

1. Contemplative Meditation: Seeking the Divine WithinA foundational mystical practice is contemplation, where you focus your attention on a divine symbol, a sacred text, or a profound question about existence. The goal here is not to analyze or answer the question but to allow the heart and mind to enter into a deep state of awareness. This practice often leads to insights and intuitive realizations about life’s mysteries.

   How to Practice:

   • Choose a question or phrase that resonates deeply with you, such as “Who am I?” or “What is the nature of love?”
   • Sit in a comfortable position and allow your attention to rest gently on the question or phrase.
   • Let go of any need to “answer” the question. Instead, open your heart and mind to receiving deeper insights or simply sitting in the question itself.
   • If your mind begins to wander, gently bring your focus back to the contemplation without judgment.

   Benefit: This technique helps deepen your connection with the mystical realms, encouraging a direct, intuitive experience of spiritual truths rather than intellectual understanding alone.

2. Mantra Meditation: Invoking Divine PresenceIn many mystical traditions, the use of sacred sounds or mantras is a way to invoke the divine and enter into a deeper state of awareness. The repetition of a mantra—whether in the form of a word, phrase, or sound—becomes a focal point for the mind, allowing it to dissolve distractions and quiet the ego.

   How to Practice:

   • Choose a mantra or sacred word that has personal meaning for you. It might be something like “Om,” “Aum,” “So Hum,” or “Marana” (a Sanskrit term meaning “death” as a way of contemplating the transient nature of life).
   • Sit in a comfortable position, and begin repeating the mantra aloud or silently in your mind.
   • Allow the vibration of the mantra to penetrate your being. Focus solely on the sound and its resonance within you.
   • As you repeat the mantra, let go of thoughts or images that arise, bringing your attention back to the mantra each time.

   Benefit: This practice helps silence the ego and the mind’s chatter, creating space for mystical experiences where you can feel a direct connection to the divine or the infinite.

3. Breath Awareness: Entering the Present MomentBreath is often regarded as a bridge between the body and spirit. In many mystical traditions, conscious breathing is a technique used to deepen meditation and promote a sense of unity with the universe. As you become more aware of your breath, you come into a direct, present moment experience that transcends ordinary thinking.

   How to Practice:

   • Sit comfortably with your spine straight, and begin to notice your breath without trying to change it.
   • Focus on the natural rhythm of your inhale and exhale. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to the breath.
   • As you breathe, envision the breath as a sacred energy moving through you. With each inhale, imagine you are breathing in divine light or energy; with each exhale, imagine releasing any tension or negativity.
   • If you feel ready, try deepening your breath by inhaling slowly and deeply through your nose, and exhaling fully through your mouth. Allow the breath to become a tool for relaxation and connection to the present moment.

   Benefit: This practice helps ground you in the present moment and creates a deep sense of inner peace, making it easier to enter mystical states of consciousness where the ego dissolves and a deeper unity with the divine is felt.

4. Visualization: Opening the Third EyeVisualization is often used in mystical practices to cultivate a connection to higher consciousness or divine realms. In particular, the “third eye” or inner vision is considered an important gateway to mystical experience. By visualizing sacred symbols, lights, or deities, practitioners believe they can align themselves with higher spiritual energies.

   How to Practice:

   • Sit in a quiet space and close your eyes.
   • Focus on the area between your eyebrows (the location of the third eye chakra). Visualize a light, symbol, or image that represents spiritual wisdom, truth, or the divine.
   • Allow the image to become clearer and more vivid with each breath. Let it expand and envelop your awareness.
   • As you focus on this image, feel yourself merging with it, experiencing a sense of oneness with the symbol or light.
   • If you feel a sense of awe, wonder, or peace, stay with the experience. If distractions arise, simply return to the visualization.

   Benefit: This practice can help unlock mystical experiences by tapping into deeper layers of consciousness and opening your awareness to divine insight.

5. Silent Sitting: Becoming the WitnessSilent sitting, or “just sitting,” is a core practice in many mystical traditions, including Zen Buddhism. It involves sitting in stillness and observing whatever arises in the mind without attachment or judgment. The goal is to transcend the ego and experience the vastness of pure consciousness.

   How to Practice:

   • Sit quietly with your spine straight and hands resting on your lap.
   • Let go of any specific goals or expectations. Simply observe whatever comes into your mind without trying to control it.
   • Acknowledge thoughts, emotions, or sensations as they arise, but don’t identify with them. See them as passing phenomena in the vast ocean of your consciousness.
   • If you feel your mind becoming distracted, gently return to the present moment without judgment.

   Benefit: This practice fosters a deep sense of awareness and allows you to experience the “witnessing” consciousness that underlies all thoughts and experiences—a key element in many mystical traditions.

Integrating Mysticism into Daily Life

To deepen your meditation practice, try integrating mystical principles into your everyday life. Approach each moment with a sense of sacredness, seeing the divine in the mundane. Practice mindfulness in daily activities, such as eating, walking, or washing dishes. As you go through life with an open heart and a mystical mindset, you may begin to experience more moments of connection and insight.

Final Thoughts

Mysticism and meditation offer complementary paths to spiritual awakening, providing tools to pierce through the veils of ordinary perception and access deeper layers of consciousness. By combining these practices, you can cultivate a profound sense of inner peace, clarity, and connection to the divine. Whether through contemplation, mantra repetition, breath awareness, visualization, or silent sitting, these mystical meditation techniques can help you deepen your spiritual practice and unlock transformative insights on your journey toward self-realization.

Thank-you for reading.

Much Love and Light,

Brenda Marie