LDS Mysticism?

[muziko]

My dear Saints, I've got two questions that I am curious about.

What is the LDS understanding of mysticism?
Do you have special prayers or activities you do personally that you would describe as mystic?

Thanks

 

[Katzpur]

My dear Saints, I've got two questions that I am curious about.

What is the LDS understanding of mysticism?
Do you have special prayers or activities you do personally that you would describe as mystic?

Thanks

Hi, muziko. I'm sorry no one has responded to your post before now. People so seldom use the LDS DIR to ask questions that I sometimes forget to look to see if there are any new threads here. And now that I finally spotted your thread, I'm really not sure how to answer you. I don't typically think of the LDS Church has being a "mystical" in nature. As a matter of fact, I don't think I've ever heard the term used in an LDS worship service, class, etc. But maybe I'm just not understanding you. If, by mystic, you are referring to certain esoteric rites, I suppose you could describe our temple worship in that way. My gut feeling, though, is to say we are really not much into mysticism.

 

[muziko]

Hi, muziko. I'm sorry no one has responded to your post before now. People so seldom use the LDS DIR to ask questions that I sometimes forget to look to see if there are any new threads here. And now that I finally spotted your thread, I'm really not sure how to answer you. I don't typically think of the LDS Church has being a "mystical" in nature. As a matter of fact, I don't think I've ever heard the term used in an LDS worship service, class, etc. But maybe I'm just not understanding you. If, by mystic, you are referring to certain esoteric rites, I suppose you could describe our temple worship in that way. My gut feeling, though, is to say we are really not much into mysticism.

Thanks for your answer I just learned recently at my Institute class that the Our Father prayer also isn't very popular in the LDS church, which I was to a large extent surprised at.

Is Lectio Divina at all a practice? I can certainly see how people can use it for the Book of Mormon if it isn't. Thanks again for your time!

 

[Nitzchia Bat Tsur]

My impression, from living more than 20 years in Salt Lake City, among the LDS, is that many are mystical in a sense. That is, they don't necessarily have daily mystical practices other than prayer and reading scriptures. They do, however, seem to think of, and be motivate by, their status. (see note) in the Celestial Kingdom. Those with Temple recommends have often had a mystical experience in the Temple that reinforces that otherworldly focus.
** By status, I mean the sense that a person giving help is calculating not whether the help is exactly what the receiver needs or wants, but whether the help will count towards their higher status in the Celestial Kingdom. It's similar to the way one can sometimes sense that a junior executive is knocking herself or himself out on your behalf because there is a corporate promotion in the balance. I'm not knocking doing good, but doing good is different from being good. That invisible calculus of some LDS seems mystical to me.

 

[Katzpur]

Thanks for your answer I just learned recently at my Institute class that the Our Father prayer also isn't very popular in the LDS church, which I was to a large extent surprised at.

If you're speaking of what I have always called "The Lord's Prayer," we don't ever recite it in unison, but we do use it as a pattern for how we should pray. I would assume that any Mormon teenager and older would be able to recite it for you by memory, though, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir frequently performs the hymnn based on it. This is an

[youtube]yjR9N8M46DE[/youtube]
incredible rendition featuring Andrea Bocelli. We actually have only about three prayers that are always said verbatim: the prayers on the bread and water when we receive the Sacrament (the Lord's Supper, Communion, etc.) and the baptismal prayer.

Is Lectio Divina at all a practice? I can certainly see how people can use it for the Book of Mormon if it isn't. Thanks again for your time![/quote]Wow, I'm feeling really stupid! I've never ever heard the term "Lectio Divina." I'd definitely need an explanation before I comment further.

 

[Orontes]

My dear Saints, I've got two questions that I am curious about.

What is the LDS understanding of mysticism?
Do you have special prayers or activities you do personally that you would describe as mystic?

Thanks

Hi Muziko,

Sorry, I only come to the site sometimes, so didn’t see your question until today. I think we need to qualify terms in order to properly address your question. Mormonism does not have a hermetic or monastic tradition. If you are using mysticism in the sense of intuitive* knowledge of the Divine, then Mormonism does assert personal revelation as fundamental. Revelation may cover a spectrum, from the subject feeling the Spirit move upon them to direct encounter with Deity. Revelation does not require or depend on any liturgy or set formula. However, Mormonism does include temples. Temple rites are meant to instruct and move the participant toward a holier order. Therefore, they serve as bridge between the mundane and the sacred which include binding the temporal to the eternal. As a brief reply, does that help?


*Unmediated direct knowledge to the subject of the Divine.

 

[Norman]

My dear Saints, I've got two questions that I am curious about.

What is the LDS understanding of mysticism?
Do you have special prayers or activities you do personally that you would describe as mystic?

Thanks

Hi Muziko, I looked up the word mysticism.
Mysticism: 1 a : having a spiritual meaning or reality that is neither apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence <the mystical food of the sacrament>

That would be a no. The LDS believe that a spiritual meaning in our faith Is apparent to the senses and to the intelligence.

b : involving or having the nature of an individual's direct subjective communion with God or ultimate reality <the mystical experience of the Inner Light>

I would say no.

Marriam-Webster on-line Dictionary; Mystical - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

"I believe that we move and have our being in the presence of heavenly messengers, and of heavenly beings, that we are not separated from them, we are closely related to our kindred, to our ancestors in the spirit world. We cannot forget them, do not cease to love them, always hold them in our hearts, in memory, and thus we are associated and lifted by them by ties we cannot break.... they can see us better than we can see them, know us better than we know them, they love us now more than ever, see the dangers that beset us... their love for us is greater than the love we have for ourselves." (Richard G. Scott, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints General Conference 2012)

 

[s2a]

My dear Saints, I've got two questions that I am curious about.

What is the LDS understanding of mysticism?
Do you have special prayers or activities you do personally that you would describe as mystic?

Thanks

Thought you asked about LSD.

Nevermind.