Religious Experience In Contact with the Divine

A religious experience is one in which an individual has believed himself or herself to have been in contact with the Divine or Ultimate Reality. As a result of the encounter the individual decides to act or change his or her outlook.

Types of Religious Experience §There are five orientations of religious experience. l 1. Moral (Legal) l 2. Mystical l 3. Aesthetic l 4. Magical l 5. Ecstatic

Moral or Legal Orientation §To religion seeks to subordinate behavior and attitudes to a pattern of conduct and intention held to have ultimate significance. This pattern may have been given through the commandments of a Divine Being or Beings. It may be held to be intrinsic to basic reality, the universe, or human nature. Or it may be the moral code of society.

Mystical Orientation §Attempts to negate or subordinate every reality, world, society, self, and all their relationships to Divine Reality--God or universe, absolute spirit or nature, truth, goodness, beauty--so that at its deepest level or core the self can realize oneness-- union or unity--with the Divine Reality.

Mysticism defined §“... Is the direct intuition or experience of God; and a mystic is a person who has, to greater or lesser degree, such a direct experience--one whose religion and life are centered, not merely on accepted belief or practice, but on that which regards as first-hand personal knowledge.”

Kinds of Mystical Experiences §There are two kinds of mystical experiences: introvert and extrovert §The extrovert, when looking through the senses in the world around finds divine reality in everything. §The introvert finds divine reality inward, in the deepest part of the self.

Aesthetic Orientation §Attempts to interpret all experiences in such a way that they are seen to manifest a divine transcendental pattern as their underlying and guiding reality--God’s mind or will, wisdom, truth, order, beauty.

Magical Orientation §Seeks to discover and exercise methods that allow the control of transcendental power(s) for human purposes.

The Place of Magic §Religion does have a magical orientation to it. It can be used as a way of “cultivation spiritual power by individuals or groups, a way of self-development and self- discipline--or be mixed with other forms of religion, such as the moral or aesthetic.”

Malinowki’s Distinction §Magic -- “seeks to tap transcendent or mysterious powers for specific goals (safety, health, wealth, love, success) of groups or individuals in order to manipulate the environment when technological or commonsense knowledge is not available to achieve these goals.”

Ecstatic Orientation §Seeks supernormal experiences that bring individuals or groups under control of or in close contact with transcendental power(s).

Ecstatic Phenomena §Ecstatic phenomena is often called spirit filled and is in every major religious tradition. It is where the practitioner while meditation or praying believes himself to be in contact with the Divine. §Another example is when a person is in a highly emotional state and he or she display unusual physical feats.

Examples of Ecstatic Outbursts “Whirling Dervishes” in Islam l Native American invoking spirits through songs l Hindu holy men walking on hot coals.

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