205: What is Mysticism? Can Mormons Be Mystics?

In this terrific episode, Terri Petersen interviews Jana Spangler and usual LDF host Dan Wotherspoon about "mysticism." The ultimate goal of their conversation was to take this word and topic and drop it down from the clouds (how many people imagine it) and into our lives here and now.  Through great questions from Terri and sharing their personal experiences, Jana and Dan emphasize that mysticism basically means getting in touch with the Divine/God/the Universe directly. Instead of staying in the realm of talking about God with words that can't capture the depth and wideness of of the Divine, when we give ourselves permission and imagine that what underlies and gives life to all things can be accessed directly we are never again the same. When we are able to touch it, everything in the foreground changes. As the mystic and spiritual teacher James Finley says, what happens isn't that we can see more of the nature of things as much as it is we are able to see all things by utilizing more of ourselves. Mystical experience teaches us directly about our actual depths. A fun part of the discussion focuses on the question, "Can Mormons be mystics?" The answer, of course is a resounding "yes," but the perspectives everyone brings to that question reveal various layers to that answer. Listen in! You are a mystic, after all, just like everyone is, you just may just not know it yet.