What are Mysticism and Eco-spirituality?

For a long time I tried to figure out how to name my spirituality. During seminary, I was working with a spiritual director and described to him my beliefs and spiritual practices. He said, “Well, you’re a mystic!”

I didn’t write down how he described it way back then, but it resembled what Mirabai Starr says:

Mystic: A person who has direct experience of the sacred, unmediated by conventional religious ritual or intermediaries, transcending established belief systems, bypassing the intellect, and dissolving identification with the separate (ego) self.

She adds: “Living as a mystic means orienting the whole of yourself toward the sacred. It’s a matter of purposely looking through the lens of love.”

Let me clarify that rituals are meaningful to me, and I definitely use my intellect. But I do seek to experience the sacred directly, and each day I hope I become one with it, dissolving the illusion that I’m separate. Especially on the days when I’m cranky, I try to return to the lens of love.

Barbara Holmes says, “The mysticism of everyday life is an opportunity to deeply mine the depths of human experience, relationships with others, and our encounters with nature.”

Eco-spirituality is one way to describe what Holmes means by encounters with nature. Eco-spirituality is a way of thinking and living that connects spirituality with the natural world and the environment. It can be found in many religions and is based on the idea that Earth is sacred, humans are not separate from nature, and we do not own nature exclusively for our own gain.

People who practice eco-spirituality are motivated to:
-See the divine in the material world

-Celebrate creation in all its forms

-Link ecological issues to their faith

-Respect Earth and its resources

-Care for all life to create flourishing for all

I’m an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister. Direct experiences of transcending mystery and wonder are primary sources of Unitarian Universalist inspiration. These experiences open our hearts, renew our spirits, and transform our lives.

If you want to explore mysticism and eco-spirituality, not just intellectually but through practice, reach out to me! www.kellydignan.com.