What I Believe – The Path of Christian Mysticism
A Journey Beyond Religion into Divine Reality
Firstly, I think it is important here to begin with the outward declaration that Jesus is my Lord and Saviour. The undeniable truth of the death and ressurection as the final sacrifice for our sins is, as I say, undeniable. This walk would be impossible without that truth to guide and shape our faith. Understanding the literal death and ressurection is at the centre of my faith. I also see the importance of the inner death and ressurection that needs to take place within me on a daily basis.
Faith has always been more than a belief system to me—it is an invitation into something deeper, something transformative. My journey has led me to a path that resonates profoundly with the ancient wisdom of Christian mysticism, a path that embraces both the beauty of traditional Christianity and the inner, experiential reality of God’s presence.
I have great respect for the rich heritage of the Church—its sacraments, its liturgies, and the sacred texts that have been passed down through generations. There is a beauty in the rhythms of worship, the echoes of ancient prayers, and the community of believers seeking God together.
While I appreciate these traditions, my heart has always been drawn to the mystical dimension of faith—the direct experience of the Divine, the profound silence where God speaks beyond words, and the realisation that Christ is not only a historical figure but the living presence within us (Colossians 1:27).
Christian mysticism is not about rejecting the Church but about moving beyond doctrine into divine union. It is about seeing faith not as a set of external rules but as an inward transformation—what the Apostle Paul described as being “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).
Why Christian Mysticism?
Christian mysticism is the path of direct encounter with God—the deep knowing that goes beyond theology into lived experience. It is the recognition that faith is not just about believing in God but about experiencing God within.
In many church traditions, faith is often presented as a means of avoiding sin and securing salvation. While I believe in the significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection, I do not see it as merely a legal transaction to atone for sins (in part it is). I also view it as a cosmic act of reconciliation, a mystical event that restores divine union between God and humanity (Colossians 1:19-20).
Jesus’ resurrection was not only a triumph over sin but an invitation into new life, a new way of being (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The mystics have long understood that faith is not about earning salvation but about awakening to divine reality. Meister Eckhart, a 13th-century Christian mystic, put it beautifully:
"The eye with which I see God is the same eye with which God sees me. My eye and God’s eye are one eye, one seeing, one knowing, one love."
This is the essence of Christian mysticism: God is not separate from us, but within us, waiting to be realised.
The Role of the Church and Tradition
I have deep respect for the Church in its various expressions—Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions each carry a sacred legacy. The Church has preserved scripture, nurtured spiritual communities, and provided a framework for encountering God through prayer, liturgy, and sacraments. Many Christian mystics—Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, Julian of Norwich—were deeply rooted in the Church while also pursuing a more contemplative, experiential path.
Many churches focus on external worship, moral laws, and creeds, but the mystical path asks us to go inward—to encounter God in the stillness of our being (Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God”). I believe the Church has a sacred role, but faith must not be confined to a building, a doctrine, or a hierarchy. Jesus himself challenged religious legalism and called people into direct relationship with God (Matthew 23:27-28). His teaching was about inner transformation, not just external observance:
"The Kingdom of God is within you." – Luke 17:21
This is the mystery I embrace—that God is not a distant being to be worshipped from afar but the very ground of our being, the breath within us, the love that sustains all things.
The Role of Solitude and Contemplation
One of the key elements of Christian mysticism is the practice of solitude—not as an escape from the world but as a means of deepening one’s awareness of God. Throughout scripture, we see prophets, saints, and even Jesus himself withdrawing into silence to commune with the Father.
Moses encountered God alone on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:12-18).
Elijah found God not in the wind or fire, but in a "still small voice" (1 Kings 19:11-13).
Jesus frequently withdrew to solitary places to pray (Luke 5:16).
The mystics understood that God is most clearly heard in silence. St. John of the Cross described the Dark Night of the Soul, a stage where all external certainties fall away, leaving only the naked soul before God. In this solitude, faith is no longer about belief in a distant deity but about direct experience of divine reality.
This is why contemplation, meditation, and stillness are central to my faith. I seek to encounter God in the silence of my own heart.
The Purpose of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection
Traditional Christianity often focuses on penal substitution—the idea that Jesus died as a punishment for human sin. While I acknowledge that sin separates us from God, I believe the crucifixion was not only about appeasing God but about revealing the path to divine union.
Paul writes in Romans 6:5:
"If we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his."
This means that Jesus' death and resurrection invite us into transformation. The crucifixion symbolises the death of the false self (ego), and the resurrection is the awakening of divine life within us. This aligns with mystical traditions that speak of dying to the lower self to be reborn in God’s presence (Galatians 2:20).
Jesus did not come just to forgive sins but to awaken humanity to its divine nature—to reconcile us not only with God but with our own true identity as bearers of the divine image (Genesis 1:27).
My Faith as a Living Journey
Christian mysticism is not about rejecting Christianity but about going deeper into its mysteries. It is about moving beyond intellectual belief into spiritual transformation. It is not a faith of fear, rules, or guilt but of love, awakening, and divine presence.
I honour the Church, but my heart is drawn to the inner path of communion with God. I do not claim to have all the answers, but I seek to live in the mystery—walking the path of faith not with certainty, but with trust in the divine unfolding within and around me.
And so, Walks of Faith is not just about the landscapes I explore, but about the spiritual journey—an invitation to walk in the beauty of creation and discover the presence of God in the stillness, in the depths, and in the wonder of life itself.