Are Mystical Experiences Valuable?

“It was the recommendation of John of the Cross (in a manner similar to that of Gamaliel) that one should not pay particular attention to any phenomena or experiences. If an experience were truly and directly of God, he felt, its truth would become evident naturally in one’s life. If it were of something “else,” it would certainly not be worthy of attention. Therefore, no special attention was necessary.”

                           -Gerald G. May, Care of Mind/Care of Spirit

The world’s spiritual traditions are rich with claims of mystical experiences. From the "Dark Night" of John of the Cross and the "Interior Castle" of Teresa of Avila to the visions of Paramahansa Yogananda and the great Shinto and Buddhist masters, to name just a few-all authentic spiritual traditions have a long-standing mystical tradition. Interestingly we do not find a strong tradition of mysticism in Evangelical Christian circles, where there is a profound distrust of “experiences”. Unfortunately, most Christians live their lives as though growing in wisdom (enlightenment) is a "sinful" practice, and as though the Divine Being were mute. My criticism here isn't to suggest that we accept any claim to mystical experiences as legitimate, nor that we trust every experience we have as if it carried some deep spiritual meaning (though many do). Of course, if we’re serious about spiritual life, we certainly do need to be careful of our experiences, discerning what is real from what is psychologically or emotionally desired, manufacturing meaning or the experience itself to affirm our current beliefs. Some people have been misled by their emotions and illusory desire to force proof of belief into existence, believing they experienced something spiritual, when in fact they simply created their own version of the Buddha's Maya and capitulated to it. The mind and will, untethered from the safe port of experienced guidance, can create some powerful illusions.

Serious spiritual adepts will approach mystical experiences with a healthy dose of reason and examine them within the context of the witness of the authentic spiritual traditions. Instead of being swept away by the experience, spiritual seekers should examine it through the microscope of reason and the witness of the mystics of the past. Ask such questions as:

• Does it encourage me to spiritual life, or does it simply feed my ego?

• Does it deny, either implicitly or explicitly, any of the perennial truths?

• Does it in any way encourage the rejection of spiritual authority, again feeding the ego?

• Does it move me to unhealthy behaviors?

• Do I have some material motive for pursuing such an experience?

It is important to keep in mind that mystical experiences are meaningful only for the individual experiencing them, not for the sangha (community) or other seekers. They do not prove anything to anyone else. Let me explain. 

I’m not someone who pursued or even gave much thought to mystical experiences. I accepted intellectually that some people had them, but I gave it no other thought than that. For me, the issue was unimportant, until I attended a kirtan and aarti (divine worship) one evening. There was a time of congregational chanting of a mantra, during which I suddenly had the profound experience of the presence of the divine and my voice was seemingly disconnected from the physical action of my body. The temple had become so filled with this overwhelmingly peaceful presence that I felt it in every fiber of my being and had to struggle to hold back tears. I’m hardly an emotive person, so for me this was profound. This experience is attested to in the Bhakti tradition as one which only an advanced soul will have. I didn’t think of myself as such a soul (and still don't), but I couldn’t deny the experience. I went to my teacher privately and asked him about it. He responded, “No need to worry. The experiences always go away. And in the end, they only confirm something for you, not for your fellow sadhakas. Outside yourself, they’re meaningless.” My teacher was correct. What did my experience prove to anyone outside myself? The answer is nothing. In fact, others present at that kirtan (community chanting) didn’t share the experience. It did, however, serve as a powerful witness to the truth of spiritual practice to me.

“We do not see God in contemplation – we know Him by love: for his pure love and when we taste the experience of loving God for his own sake alone, we know by experience who and what he is.”-Thomas Merton, Seeds of Contemplation

Did I need the experience to believe the guidance of my teacher or the sacred writings they came from? No. The experience was simply a confirmation, impressing upon me the reality of the perennial truths I sought. I don’t seek to reproduce the experience (since that is artificial and leads to seeking experiences for their own sake), but now simply reflect on that moment whenever I’m discouraged. I know, both intellectually and experientially, that there is something beyond the material world, beyond the normal scope of the bodily senses, and that this divine "thing", whatever one chooses to call it, is magnificent. My experience doesn’t prove it to others, but certainly makes my witness to the veracity of spiritual training much more confident. My experience was in no way superior to my teacher or the sacred writings, nor equal to them, but simply a confirmation of what they taught.

So, what I'm saying is, you can embrace your mystical experiences if you're careful to adhere to these same common-sense principles. God, Kami, the Universe, choose your own terminology, speaks to us primarily through sacred writings, through spiritual teachers, sometimes by impressions; and when you need it, through experiences that reach into the soul and touch it in such a way that one can never again doubt the value of an encounter with the Divine. In this sense, they are of amazing value to you personally. Approached in this way, you will be less likely to find yourself swept away by such experiences, whether real or imagined.