Many religious scholars consider mysticism as the cornerstone of the religious experience life, although there are many mystics who do not subscribe to any particular religion. Most mystics believe that their experiences are so egregious that it is impossible to describe them to others who lack these experiences.
It is an intuitive experience beyond linguistics that at best can be expressed by negations: not there, but not so. Another way of trying to imply anything about these experiences is to enlist the help of paradoxes and metaphors - to thus break the rigid habitual thinking - as when a mystic speaks of a blinding darkness.
One of the first major mystery scientists, William James (1842-1910) signified the ineffable as the first criterion of mysticism. Now, if a mystical experience is totally ineffable, it would be totally meaningless at all to write and talk about it.
But the fact is that many mystics devotes considerable energy and time trying to describe, interpret and understand their experiences. The medieval mystics John of the Cross and Theresa of Avila, for example, has written several books which treat this subject. The question is whether the words can still give a glimpse of understanding. If a mystic claims to have experienced a cosmic love, so maybe I can get some understanding by comparing with the love that I've experienced. It is perhaps only the degree of intensity that is different.
Modern mystery, researchers have tried to demystify mystique by seeing it as an experience among others. And what the mystics claim unspeakable can be said that many of our experiences are ineffable. It can be very difficult for others to explain and describe our feelings of suffering, love and beauty. Actually, our whole existence filled with ineffable and mysterious events and contexts. And all our words, signs and symbols are vain attempts to capture and organize what we call reality. It is like trying to capture human with a fjärilshov.
William James and other characteristics of mysticism is that it gives knowledge. This knowledge is obviously not the intellectual type, based on facts, but has more similarities with emotion to dental: markedly but still elusive. Nor is that to get any new knowledge, but this knowledge has been there all the time, though it has not been understood.
But what this knowledge actually consists of is very difficult to utter, because it is outside and beyond all our words and concepts. Understanding of man and of reality is revealed in a mysterious way of the mystic. It is in this context to distinguish between cultivated and spontaneous mysticism. Cultivated mystique is found mostly in the monasteries and groups who regularly practice prayer and meditation. Their common knowledge is that the soul achieves a union with God, Brahman, the universe, Tao, or whatever name is used. This experience provides an unending sense of peace, joy and relief, as having finally found his way home after a long and perilous journey.
Many mystery researchers discuss how these experiences should be interpreted. Some believe that the mystic is characterized by his belief, his previous knowledge and that there is no pure experience. Others believe that the experience itself is clean, but concepts but that the subsequent interpretation are influenced by personality, and belief, and more. I believe that all interpretations and descriptions is like trying to keep a freshly caught fish in his hands. Soon it slips away and disappears into the water.
Those who only had a few mystical experiences probably do not undergo a profound and lasting change. The door to this strange world has opened up for them a moment and then closed. In the Zen Buddhist Enlightenment, however, the gate remains open. This means that the individual is experiencing a complete exemption - from self and from the sensuous world's illusions - and now see things as they are, but counterfeiting and adulteration. It can be like a wingless bird regains its wings and soar into freedom.
In enlightenment you realize that everything that exists consists of emptiness, pure emptiness without content and substance, and we realize that it is pointless to hold on to her self and at appearances. A Zen master says that this emptiness is the ultimate ground of existence from which everything arises and to which everything is continually return. This insight is always accompanied by strong feelings of joy and relief.
Another fundamental insight is that everything is linked in the same reality. In Zen Buddhism practice is meditation on the so-called sesshin - a form of retreat - about eight hours a day for one week to reach enlightenment. This may continue for several years. When individuals reach the final enlightenment, there must be a Zen master who can confirm that he reached it.