RESPONSE
MYSTICISM
Philosophical Investigation
Pranati Suna
First of all, I congratulate you Br. Shijin Pulimottil, for the systematic description offered through your paper mysticism – philosophical investigations.
Our quest for knowledge and attaining God’s perfection are deep and basic ones. They are the basic and major elements that exist in the very nature of human beings. Mysticism achieves oneness with God and also helps the person for the personal encounter with God.
Br shijin began his presentation with explaining the general notions of mysticism, in which he clearly mentioned about the meaning and definition of mysticism.
You rightly observed that eastern spirituality and mysticism is intuitive and receptive whereas in the western approach is characterized by motif of service.
Your presentation highlighted the debate on the philosophical implications of mysticism. And you have made a valuable attempt to present the various classifications of mysticism, i.e., extrovertive and introvertive, theistic and nontheistic, apophatic and cataphatic, etc…
The blending of ineffability and paradoxicality as the various attributes of mystical experiences made a colorful blend within your presentation.
It was very sensible to note that, Br. Shijin had succeeded in presenting the philosophical relevance of mysticism. He could forward an important definition of mysticism, given by Margaret Louis that “mysticism is the recovery of immediacy”. And this notion of “immediacy” has interpreted with 3 types of metaphors.
He also mentions about the basic and fundamental difference between philosophy and mysticism in which it is importantly noted that philosophy is by reason whereas the mysticism is led by faith aspect as in theology. The explanations for the common aspect present in these philosophy and mysticism I.e., the self actualization and self realization or Brahman itself are very much commendable.
Blending of the PowerPoint within the presentation made the paper more attractive and meaningful. The logical sequence of each point and the mode of presentation were also praiseworthy. In a nutshell within the given time limit Br shijin has marvelously presented the topic.
Having appreciated the significant points, I would like to request you some clarifications. As you have mentioned that Mysticism is led by faith aspects. It looks for a direct experience of God and it seeks to reach the ultimate reality whereas Philosophy involves rationality, reflection and reason. As I was reflecting on these points, i was a bit confused about how these two great schools, that is, Mysticism and Philosophy meet! Do they have a common meeting ground? Or they are completely independent of each other, or diverging from each other? Is there any meeting point?
It was good to see that you distinguished the Western and Eastern concept of mysticism, given as service and silence respectively. Now my question is, according to you which concept, Western or Eastern Mysticism would draw us closer to God or help us to have deeper experience?
You have explained well about the exstrovertive experience such as experiencing God’s presence when gazing at the rain drops or any marvelous creation of God. It would be better if you would have given a little more explanation, more examples about the introvertive experience.
Once again I congratulate Br. shijin for your wonderful presentation upon the mysticism and its philosophical investigations.
Thank you so much.
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