Mystical Perspective Research Articles

ECOLOGICAL SPIRITUALITY FOR A “NEW HUMANISM”: CONTRIBUTIONS FROM TEILHARD DE CHARDIN AND POPE FRANCIS

Researchers from different fields argue that civilization has unsustainable projects and has reached extreme limits in its evolutionary trajectory. One aggravating factor, among others, is the dramatic environmental crisis. Considering this situation, the research intends to off er clues for the blossoming of a new planetary consciousness to be cultivated in the form of an ecological spirituality. That’s why it's crucial to know, at first in a succinct way, the civilizational imbalance that the Covid-19 pandemic has uncovered. Next, we turn to Teilhard de Chardin who speaks of "critical points" in the course of the evolutionary process. They signal the birth of something new, topic two. The third and fourth topics are dedicated to the contributions of Teilhard de Chardin and Pope Francis, respectively, to the deepening of a spirituality that responds to the ecological crisis and, consequently, inspires a new humanism. The most significant result of the research points to the discovery of the underlying mystical perspective in Laudato si'.
 KEYWORDS: Teilhard de Chardin. Pope Francis. Crisis of Civilization. Ecological Spirituality. New humanism.

Rūmī’s Asceticism Explored: A Comparative Glimpse into Meister Eckhart’s Thought

This paper examines the nature of “asceticism” (rīyāḍat) in Sufism, revolving around the works of the 13th century Persian Sufi Mawlānā Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī Balkī and exploring two critical inquiries: Firstly, it seeks to determine whether Rūmī’s mystical perspective on asceticism is world-rejecting or world-affirming. Secondly, it investigates potential parallels and divergences between Rūmī and Meister Eckhart’s stances—specifically, through the Dominican’s Sermons and Treatises—and assesses the implications for the two figures. In examining Rūmī’s works, the current research primarily relies on secondary sources within the Persian intellectual tradition to provide an intracultural context. Utilizing horizontal and vertical interpretations, this study examines critical themes in Rūmī’s works, such as love, detachment (zuhd), the world’s deceptive nature, and seclusion. The findings reveal that Rūmī’s asceticism is not “monastic” (ruhbānī); instead, it balances moderate abstinence and worldly engagement, underpinned by the Quran and the ḥadīth teachings. Rūmī and Eckhart underscore asceticism as an inner transformation rather than mere physical austerity, emphasizing inner purification, self-transcendence, and spiritual detachment as routes to divine unity. The two thinkers’ teachings are catalysts for profound personal transformation and a more fulfilling life in today’s world.

The Question of Theodicy in Islamic Philosophy—Suggesting a Solution: Badāʾ

The problem of evil is one that has earned much attention in recent decades and is frequently used as a justification for atheism, and increasingly so due to the rise in popularity of secularism and atheism. How is the issue of theodicy considered in Islamic philosophy, and especially in Shīʿa theology? Does this problem arise there at all? The following discussion addresses these questions, examining the basis of the so-called ‘problem of evil’ through the rationale and multiple perspectives offered by Islamic Shīʿa theology on the issue. First, some verses in the Qurʾān dealing with evil and suffering will be illuminated. After that, some mutakallimūn’s views will be presented. Following that, the problem of evil will be investigated from the perspectives of Ibn Sīnā and Mullā Ṣadrā. After briefly highlighting the mystical perspective, finally, a practical theological solution according to Shīʿa theology known as badāʾ will be introduced.

The Aleph and the Real: An Examination of Borges' Short Story through Slavoj Zizek's Psychoanalytic Theory

This research paper examines the concept of the Real, as proposed by Slavoj Zizek, through the study of The Aleph by Jorge Luis Borges. This short story best represents this idea of the Real as intended by the Slovenian philosopher. Yet, Borges displays the idea of the Real through a mystical perspective, whereas Zizek tends lean on psychoanalytical perspectives. Once the short story is read through Zizek, we can perceive a new interpretation of the text. Otherwise, the transformative process after encountering the Aleph remains ambiguous and irrelevant. A similar idea of this transformation is also represented in many religious readings of the concept of God. This paper tends to study this idea of the Real through the psychoanalytic theory of Slavoj Zizek. His theory makes a long journey through Sigmund Freud and Jacque Lacan. The objective of this study is to have a new understanding of the ideas that undergo ambiguities and misunderstanding, including the idea of unseen powers that dominate our life.

Mengupas Stereotipe Mistis Ritual Seblang Olehsari dalam Ruang Virtual

The mystical stereotyped of Seblang ritual with an innacurate understanding spreads informations presented in the mass media. Some of people’s comprehension not entirely true because virtual space triggers people to realize that Seblang is a hideous ritual. Informations spread in the mass media make the reader not really understand with the intention of information provider. The comprehension of Seblang ritual as a hideous ritual will continue build people’s meaning construction especially in virtual space. Presentation of this paper researcher uses qualitative research with an ethnographic approach to explore stereotypes that spreads in virtual space regarding hideous mystical perspectives using simulacra theory.
 

Encountering the Other. André Scrima’s Hermeneutics of Spiritual Hospitality

A key figure in the ecumenical dialogue in the second half of the 20th Century, Fr André Scrima was also involved in the academic and interreligious life in Lebanon as a co-founder of the Institut d’Études Islamo-Chrétiennes at St.-Joseph Catholic University. In his courses, articles, and occasional papers, he developed a hermeneutical method to study the diversity of religious traditions, especially of the three Monotheisms, and to make possible the encounter with the religious otherness. This article aimed to shed light on hospitality as a hermeneutical category and spiritual practice in Scrima’s thought, having as a background Louis Massignon’s intellectual and mystical perspective on the relations between Christianity and Islam.

The offering of incense make : Jewish mystical perspectives on disease and healing*

AbstractAn examination of a passage from the Zohar on Exodus (2:218b‐219b) provides Jewish mystical perspectives on disease, which may help inform a Christian response of solace and healing to illness and suffering in general, and to the COVID‐19 pandemic in particular. The aforementioned passage in the Zohar describes the preparation of incense. The primary purpose of the portion maintains that incense has special healing powers that even relieve people from severe diseases. The relating Midrash Ha‐Ne'lam explains the passage further by referring to the 4th century Palestinian Rabbi Aha arriving at a town that struggles with an epidemic. It describes how R. Aha initiates a ritual containing a study of the Talmud on incense, after which the village is healed from the epidemic. The Jewish theological background and reception of the passage may shed new light on how ritual and sensory experience can alleviate the experience of disease and suffering.

Pemberitaan Isu Tsunami Megathurst 20 Meter Jawa dalam Tinjauan Jurnalisme Sains

News coverage on natural disaster issues often appears from various academic, theological, and mystical perspectives. This article explores how the reporting model developed by Detik.com, Kompas.com, and pikiranrakyat.com in writing on the megathrust tsunami issue from the perspective of science journalism and how the three media's writing differs on this issue. This article uses the constructivist paradigm and the perspective of science journalism to see an overview of the practice of producing natural disaster issues in online media. The results show that the three online portals have succeeded in providing actual and factual information about natural disaster issues scientifically and, at the same time, increasing the reader's understanding of the early-warning system. Thus, this article illustrates that media should report disasters issues scientifically so the readers will think critically and empirically and support the change of disaster approach from curative to preventive.

Javanese cosmology: Symbolic transformation of names in Javanese novels

In the past, no research has been found on onomastics from a mystical perspective in literature. This study investigated onomastics in the tetralogy of novels by Ki Padmasusastra (after this referred to as TNKP). The main point of view is the meaning of Javanese cosmology. Qualitative methods are used as research guidelines. The primary data are four Javanese novels. Hermeneutic techniques and content analysis are applied to analytical strategies. The results showed that the onomastics in TNKP are symbols of Javanese cosmology. This element of Javanese cosmology has transformed onomastics through three things: the novel title, figure’s name and location name. The symbolisation of the onomastic is implicit because it is wrapped in the aesthetics of the literary language. The name structure of each onomastic subsection has no clear meaning because the name element is intended for the sense of ‘the other’. Names have an explicit function, namely as hypertextual fragments of symbols that transcend the narrative text structure. An important implication of this investigation is that onomastics can promote the transdisciplinary aspects of religion in international theology in the study of narrative texts. The cosmological transformation of Java can be reflected in various parts of culture, including in novels. TNKP is a cross-disciplinary meeting: fiction, linguistics, mystical, social, cultural and philosophical, contributing to further theological studies.Contribution: This article contributes to the purpose of HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies to promote the transdisciplinary aspects of religious studies in the international theological arena of hermeneutic and philosophical studies behind the narrative text.

Sobornost’ and Humanism: Cultural-Philosophical Analysis of V. Ivanov Essay “Legion and Sobornost’ ”

This paper addresses the philosophical and cultural significance of the concept of «sobornost’» both in the cultural context of Silver Age and in the historical context of World War I. The analysis of Ivanov’s thought is based on a philological approach of his essay «Legion and Sobornost’» (1916), in which the author explains his understanding of such terms as organisation, cooperation, collectivism in order to clarify his own idea of collegiality and the ontological opposition of the title. The opposition between legion and collegiality duplicates the confrontation between Germany and Russia. Vyach. Ivanov first conducts a cultural analysis of such a confrontation, and criticizes Nietzscheanism in German culture at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. He proves the false understanding of the organization in modern German culture. In his opinion, the main values of freedom and personhood are the measure of lies or truth. In the last chapter of his essay, Vyach. Ivanov gives his own definition of collegiality, not referring to Russian thinkers, but quoting the two cities of St. Augustine’s thought. The author of the article shows that the culturological perspective is overcome by the Christian anthropological and mystical perspective, which proclaims humanism and Christocentrism. Therefore, accordind to Vyach. Ivanov, the word “sobornost” is a “universal word”, which mentions that the true social union has Christ as its center. In this sense, the concept of collegiality signifies the same mystical reality that the City of God of St. Augustine.

Parabolic Structure of Essay/Short Parable Story “Za Hotar” by Olha Kobylianska

The paper deals with the story “Za hotar” (“Beyond the Boundary”) by Olha Kobylianska from the point of view of modernist sacral aesthetics, since, as it has been observed, its architectonic structure comprises the parable of the Good Samaritan. It is proven that the relationship between the parable and the story is displayed at different levels of the literary text.
 The plot of the story “Za hotar” has many obvious parallels with the Christ’s parable, down to the coincidences in the image of a merciless priest. The modernist sacral perspective of the literary work by Olha Kobylianska makes it possible not only to observe the presence of hidden signs of the New Testament parable, but also to interpret the possibility of a genre shift. This procedure allows denoting this literary work not as an essay, but as a short story, since the parable of the Good Samaritan has a characteristic feature of a short story (its main idea is represented in showing mercy by one of the Samaritans, who in biblical times were considered as people lacking any sympathy towards strangers).
 The work by Olha Kobylianska provides an extremely powerful and philosophically deep insight. The plot includes the death of a daughter. On the one hand, it is perceived as quite substantiated (the child ran outdoors undressed in winter), but in terms of the mystical perspective it becomes a symbol of Christian mercy, or even a Christian self-sacrifice.
 Thus, the literary work “Za hotar” by Olha Kobylianska is based on the architectonical ground of the parable about the Good Samaritan. From the realistic perspective it may be interpreted as an essay revealing the mental traditions, everyday life, ideological foundations of the Bukovynian village contemporary for the writer. Although it becomes a parable in the modernist sacral perspective, which hides the fundamental gospel basis behind a realistic plot.

Transformasi Negasi Dimensi Kehambaan Pengamal Sholawat Wahidiyah dan Implementasinya pada Lembaga Pendidikan Formal

This article examines the disappearance of the dimension of servitude among the members Sholawat Wahidiyah. The results of this study indicate that the variety of human normative responsibilities as a manifestation of the dimension of servitude to God (takālif) is valid for negation without reducing the degree of obedience. The validity of the negation occurs when the members are on their spiritual journey in the phase of fānī al-majdhūb. The provisions of the validity of the negation depend on the time of the phase of the journey. Practitioners who have arrived at this degree are totally free from all their responsibilities theo-centrically, as servants who are bound by devotion to their Lord. The validity of the negation refers to the mystical perspective and experience of prominent sufis, such as Ibn ‘Arabī and ‘Abd al-Wahāb al-Sha‘rānī. As an inseparable part of mujāhadah, the doctrine of fānī al-majdhūb is also transformed into a formal education environment managed by the practicioners Sholawat Wahidiyah. Thus, this doctrine is not only projected for members who have been mature in terms of age and spiritual journey, but also for students at the elementary and secondary levels of education.

Chinese Martial Arts: Add-on Therapy and Application in Cardiovascular Rehabilitation. A Review

Background. Martial Arts (MA) are complex systems that involve both psycho-motor facets and cultural traditions. Although Western approaches tend to discern between meditative movement for health, competitive sports, and ethnic rites, many martial arts have to be regarded as holistic entities that comprise medical features, physical exercises, and mystical perspectives. Methods. Review, critical comparative analysis. Results. Cardiologic studies upon the martial arts mainly explore the Chinese disciplines of Tai Chi Chuan 太极拳and Qigong 气功and speak about cost-effective and safe ways of treatment. These approaches are applied to reduce hypertension and high heart rate and might have positive effects on endothelial function and heart rate variability. In addition to these cardiac perspectives, Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong proofed to exhibit preventative and therapeutic effects on anxiety and depression, hence their function for controlling psychopathological sequelae of heart conditions. A wealth of studies highlights that these martial arts also improve the patients’ quality of life and enhance their adherence to rehabilitation programmes. For some years, also Karate and Judo have gained ground in cardiology. Conclusion. Chinese Martial Arts are a viable means in cardiac rehabilitation. From the perspective of cross-cultural research in medicine, more studies on the martial arts that involve both Western and Chinese theories of cardiology are required.

The challenge of the oceanic feeling: Romain Rolland’s mystical critique of psychoanalysis and his call for a ‘new science of the mind’

ABSTRACTIn a letter written in 1927, the French writer Romain Rolland asked Sigmund Freud to analyse the ‘oceanic feeling,’ a religious feeling of oneness with the entire universe. I will argue that Rolland’s intentions in introducing the oceanic feeling to Freud were much more complex, multifaceted, and critical than most scholars have acknowledged. To this end, I will examine Rolland’s views on mysticism and psychoanalysis in his book-length biographies of the Indian saints Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda, which he wrote just after he mentioned the oceanic feeling to Freud in 1927. I will argue that Rolland’s primary intentions in appealing to the oceanic feeling in his 1927 letter to Freud – less evident in his letters to Freud than in his biographies of Sri Ramakrishna and Vivekananda – were to challenge the fundamental assumptions of psychoanalysis from a mystical perspective and to confront Freud with a mystical ‘science of the mind’ that he felt was more rigorous and comprehensive than Freud’s psychoanalytic science.

Sylvia Plath's “Mirror” and Forough Farrokhzad’s “The Bird May Die” Comparative Analysis from a Mystical Perspective

Sylvia Plath’s mirror and Forough Farrokhzad’s the bird may die are two of the best known poems in the aspect of femininity, fighting for feminine rights and equality. The two poets though living distances apart, respectively in America and Iran, had the same poetic perspectives. These poems can be viewed in the aspect of mysticism and mystical state. The term mysticism defined by William James and Frederick Crossfield Happold, is a state of mind experiencing the finding of the hidden truth and the true self. Many have said that the poem mirror dictates the feministic aspect of Sylvia Plath's life, and how women are visualized or valued by men, or that the poem demonstrates the aging of Plath into a wise and old woman. In this paper however we aim to introduce another perspective in which claims Sylvia Plath's mirror seeks mysticism and finding the true self. The narrator in the poem, first a mirror and then a lake, thinks its reflections out loud. This paper also aims to relate this matter to Forough Farrokhzad's poem the bird may die, a poem believed by critics to state the sufferings from social injustice of her time, though now seen through mystical spectacles. In the poem Farrokhzad declares her sorrow of darkness, and seeks an invitation to the birds’ feast. Furthermore, this paper briefly introduces the troubled life of the two poets demonstrating the similarities of their situation and circumstances, and the effect of these difficulties on their poetry. On this paper first mysticism, it’s definition and theoretical studies by William James and Frederick Crossfield Happold are introduced, followed by a brief biography of Sylvia Plath and Forough Farrokhzad, stating the difficulties and problems they encountered, and then the mystical analysis of the two poems, analyzing each line for elements, metaphors, and symbolic features through a mystical point of view, are indicated accordingly. The bird, mirror, lake, night, water, fish, moon, and sun are all signs and symbols the poets used to demonstrate seeking mysticism, reality, and finding the true self, and also the obstacles which prevents them to do so. These two poems were the latest works of the poets, before they committed suicide.

Visishtādvaita and Wahdatul-Wujūd: Points of comparison and departure

Not only in philosophy but in religion as well, concepts such as God, World and Man are discussed quite considerably. Nevertheless, an understanding of these concepts requires careful, detailed and systematic analyses. One of the methods of achieving the same is to use a comparative framework. Within Islam, Wahdatul-Wujud (Unity of Existence) is an important mystical and philosophical perspective that has witnessed a tumultuous journey. It has however played a dominant role in Islamic thought. Within Indian philosophy, Vedānta has played a very influential role. Visistādvaita as a school of thought has also played a great role to interpret core philosophical concepts of Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and Brahma Sutras. In this research paper, we attempt to provide a comparative analysis of Visistādvaita and Wahdatul-Wujud marking out the aspects of similarity and departures. What stands out as relevant and insightful as an implication of the comparative method is an understanding of these two approaches. Wahdatul-Wujud is redefined as a panentheistic philosophy which believes that God exists inside of everything, but is at the same time, transcendent of everything. In this type ofbelief, God is seen as an eternal spark of all things, the Prime Mover. Quite similarly, Visistādvaita, on the other hand is conceived as a Qualified Non- dualistic philosophy which believes in subsuming every diverse phenomena and experience under an underlying unity.

Mystical Perspectives in Interreligious Dialogue

This article discusses the distinction that is being made between the unknowability of God, the source of all that is, and Jesus of Nazareth, the body language of God, from the view­ point of spirituality with Paul’s address at the Areopagus in Athens (Acts 17:16­32) as point of departure. This speech virtually represents the oldest Christian interfaith meeting in which there is a dialogue between religious Athenians and Paul. The article reflects, first of all, on Paul’s reaction to the questions and challenges of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers in his audience that relates to this distinction. A second part will investigate the mystical unity of the unknowable God and his body language in Christ. In a third part some mystical perspectives on this distinction in Islam will be analysed.

Mystical Perspectives in Interreligious Dialogue

This article discusses the distinction that is being made between the unknowability of God, the source of all that is, and Jesus of Nazareth, the body language of God, from the viewpoint of spirituality with Paul’s address at the Areopagus in Athens (Acts 17:16-32) as point of departure. This speech virtually represents the oldest Christian interfaith meeting in which there is a dialogue between religious Athenians and Paul. The article reflects, first of all, on Paul’s reaction to the questions and challenges of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers in his audience that relates to this distinction. A second part will investigate the mystical unity of the unknowable God and his body language in Christ. In a third part some mystical perspectives on this distinction in Islam will be analysed.

A palavra poética, o simbolismo místico e os constantes paradigmas

Upon the comparison of two contemporary poetic works from Portugal, As palavras by Antonio Ramos Rosa and Por outras palavras by Joaquim Pessoa, we see the presence of a clear mystical symbolism, facing the (non)utility of the poetic word, in the work of each poet. This process serves to demonstrate that there exists, in Portuguese poetry, a simultaneously activist and mystical thematic trajectory which merits a greater attention. From these mystical, critical and activist perspectives, we open ourselves to the notion of the “paradigm shift,” from Modernism to Postmodernism, in Portuguese poetry. In this study I propose that, despite having created a basis for such a shift, it could not yet have happened in Portugal, at least according to the thematic evolution that has developed in recent work.

Mysticism and/in the Old Testament: Methodological orientation and a textual example

This contribution is the second in a series on methodology and Biblical Spirituality. In the first article, ‘Biblical spirituality and interdisciplinarity: The discipline at cross-methodological intersection’, the matter was explored in relationship to the broader academic discipline of Spirituality. In this contribution, the focus is narrowed to the more specific aspect of mysticism within Spirituality Studies. It is not rare for Old Testament texts to be understood in relationship to mystical contexts. One the one hand, when Old Testament texts are interpreted from a mystical perspective, the methods with which such interpretations are studied are familiar. The same holds true, on the other hand, if texts in the Old Testament, dating from the Hellenistic period, are identified as mystic. However, African mission history has taught us that the Western interpretative framework, based on ancient Greek philosophical suppositions (most directly the concepts rendered by Plato and Aristotle) and rhetorical orientations, is so strong that it transposes that which it encounters in other cultures into its terms, thus rendering the initial cultural understandings inaccessible. This is precisely the case too with Old Testament texts dating from pre-Hellenistic times, identified as mystic. What are the methodological parameters required to understand such texts on their own terms? In fact, is such an understanding even possible?