This is the blog for Unitarian Universalist Mystics in Community. Our web site is www.uumystics.org and our administrative contact is admin@uumystics.org. This blog is open to the public, with new discussion allowed via the comments feature. You are welcome to join our discussion - comments should be in respectful and in accordance with the purposes of our community.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
UU Mystics in Community Discussion Blog
This is a previous discussion for those visiting or participating in UU Mystics in Community. This discussion is not open for current contributions.
12 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Hi, Thank you so much for existing! It is wonderful to know that there are other UUs out there that are interested in mysticism! How exciting ! I read about you in the classified section of the current issue of the UU World.
Sometimes I find it difficult to be a mystical UU, due to the overwhelming numbers of atheists in the Congregation of which I am currently a member. I completely respect their right to not believe there is a Great Spirit in the world, but I find that many atheists do not show the same respect to those with differing beliefs. As far as I see it, atheists are as equally religious in their belief that there is nothing as mystics for, after all, both positions are myths since we do not have proof in either direction.
So with this in mind, it is simply wonderful to find a site that will help to nurture UUs with a mystical bent!
Here is one of my favorite quotes from Albert Einstein:
"The intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes a leap in consciousness, call it intuition or what you will, and the solution comes to you and you don't know how or why."
How sure are you about the number of atheists out there, especially in UU congregations? I recently finished reading the book "Freethinking Mystics with Hands" about UU's. I didn't get much out of the book overall, but there was one quote saying "UU's belong among the mystics". This is supported by discussions we have had in the Small Group Ministry I attend. Everyone has expressed a belief in some kind of "God", but one more along the idea of God being some kind of energy, etc. I have come to think of UU'ism as a home for those who believe there is some kind of a God, but can't even pretend to believe in a Bible-style personal God. Thus, they are already half-way to being mystics. I don't know why a real atheist woud bother to attend a church. There are plenty of opportunities to be involved in groups and causes outside of a church setting, if involvment is what they are looking for.
Just found this great blog. I have a good bit of mysticism in me too although I am a UU and work constantly on 'my other half-brain' in order to be filled with reason/science.
Hi anonymous, Thanks for posting. I would like to see this site be more active, but it hasn't happened so far. In a choice between mysticism and reason/science, mysticism wins hands down for me.
Paul, Anything to report from the General Assembly?
We have started our mystics group in Portland. We are still working out the details, but are thinking of formally organizing as a Small Group Ministry or Spiritual Enrichment Group. We are not having a problem finding people who are interested. Our meetings so far (two, with the next one scheduled) have consisted of about 1/4 ideas for organizing, 1/4 ideas for meetings, 1/4 talking about books and other resources, and 1/4 sharing experiences. But it is all very unorganized - we just kind of keep talking around the circle. It seems promising. The meetings have been stimulating and fun.
I just re-read the old posts, and realized I had not mentioned here that we were thinking of trying to get a mystics group together. Sorry for jumping ahead. The three of us who met in the UU Theology class thought it would be interesting to get together and talk. Based on what some people in the class said, others were also interested in mysticism, so the idea expanded from just the three of us to starting some kind of a group. I talked to our minister about the idea and we are now underway.
This is intriguing. The big question for me is how do we define a mystic? Are there common shared experiences or is this an intellectual pursuit of various ideals?
Please feel free to share your comments and feelings on this.
I am new here and find it very interesting that there no up to dated comments.An empty house. Well I am here.I was contacted through the web letter but somehow got lost in the shuffle. here I am.Richard Brown
Just found out about the group and joined. I am a ret. UU clergyperson and know most/many of you. My interest in Mysticism is lifelong, but of late I have given some depth study of Gnosticism and Gnosis (which I believe to be the "heart" of all Mystical Expressions in all religious frames. I have also been an initiated and practicing Sufi for more than 30 years.
Oh, I just noticed that the software in use picked up on my Account for the Knights of Pythias where I hold the Office of Vice Chancellor--based on Myth of Damon and Pythias; more later.
I'm glad to see there have been a few more postings since I gave up. I don't know what happened to this forum. It seems to have been set up and then abandoned. I will check back more often if you will.
Our attempt to start a "Spirituality & Mysticism" group in our church in Portland kind of fizzled out. The core of the group stayed together and we are still meeting, but under the radar. We can see there are people in the church, and others that we kow, with a mystical bent, and will approach them individually, if and when it seems appropriate.
12 comments:
Hi, Thank you so much for existing! It is wonderful to know that there are other UUs out there that are interested in mysticism! How exciting ! I read about you in the classified section of the current issue of the UU World.
Sometimes I find it difficult to be a mystical UU, due to the overwhelming numbers of atheists in the Congregation of which I am currently a member. I completely respect their right to not believe there is a Great Spirit in the world, but I find that many atheists do not show the same respect to those with differing beliefs. As far as I see it, atheists are as equally religious in their belief that there is nothing as mystics for, after all, both positions are myths since we do not have proof in either direction.
So with this in mind, it is simply wonderful to find a site that will help to nurture UUs with a mystical bent!
Here is one of my favorite quotes from Albert Einstein:
"The intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes a leap in consciousness, call it intuition or what you will, and the solution comes to you and you don't know how or why."
Thanks for being!
Meredith from New Haven, CT
How sure are you about the number of atheists out there, especially in UU congregations? I recently finished reading the book "Freethinking Mystics with Hands" about UU's. I didn't get much out of the book overall, but there was one quote saying "UU's belong among the mystics". This is supported by discussions we have had in the Small Group Ministry I attend. Everyone has expressed a belief in some kind of "God", but one more along the idea of God being some kind of energy, etc. I have come to think of UU'ism as a home for those who believe there is some kind of a God, but can't even pretend to believe in a Bible-style personal God. Thus, they are already half-way to being mystics. I don't know why a real atheist woud bother to attend a church. There are plenty of opportunities to be involved in groups and causes outside of a church setting, if involvment is what they are looking for.
Just found this great blog. I have a good bit of mysticism in me too although I am a UU and work constantly on 'my other half-brain' in order to be filled with reason/science.
Hi anonymous,
Thanks for posting. I would like to see this site be more active, but it hasn't happened so far. In a choice between mysticism and reason/science, mysticism wins hands down for me.
Dan C.
Paul,
Anything to report from the General Assembly?
We have started our mystics group in Portland. We are still working out the details, but are thinking of formally organizing as a Small Group Ministry or Spiritual Enrichment Group. We are not having a problem finding people who are interested. Our meetings so far (two, with the next one scheduled) have consisted of about 1/4 ideas for organizing,
1/4 ideas for meetings, 1/4 talking about books and other resources, and 1/4 sharing experiences. But it is all very unorganized - we just kind of keep talking around the circle. It seems promising. The meetings have been stimulating and fun.
Dan C.
7/5/06
I just re-read the old posts, and realized I had not mentioned here that we were thinking of trying to get a mystics group together. Sorry for jumping ahead. The three of us who met in the UU Theology class thought it would be interesting to get together and talk. Based on what some people in the class said, others were also interested in mysticism, so the idea expanded from just the three of us to starting some kind of a group. I talked to our minister about the idea and we are now underway.
Dan C.
7/5/06
This is intriguing. The big question for me is how do we define a mystic?
Are there common shared experiences or is this an intellectual pursuit of various ideals?
Please feel free to share your comments and feelings on this.
I am new here and find it very interesting that there no up to dated comments.An empty house.
Well I am here.I was contacted through the web letter but somehow got lost in the shuffle.
here I am.Richard Brown
Just found out about the group and joined. I am a ret. UU clergyperson and know most/many of you. My interest in Mysticism is lifelong, but of late I have given some depth study of Gnosticism and Gnosis (which I believe to be the "heart" of all Mystical Expressions in all religious frames. I have also been an initiated and practicing Sufi for more than 30 years.
Cheerfully, Roger Kuhrt
Oh, I just noticed that the software in use picked up on my Account for the Knights of Pythias where I hold the Office of Vice Chancellor--based on Myth of Damon and Pythias; more later.
Also, I live in Tacoma, WAshington
Things must have happened before I got here.Now I wonder if it could have been the......No there is no evidence of that.
I'm glad to see there have been a few more postings since I gave up. I don't know what happened to this forum. It seems to have been set up and then abandoned. I will check back more often if you will.
Our attempt to start a "Spirituality & Mysticism" group in our church in Portland kind of fizzled out. The core of the group stayed together and we are still meeting, but under the radar. We can see there are people in the church, and others that we kow, with a mystical bent, and will approach them individually, if and when it seems appropriate.
Post a Comment