Reddit reviews Mysticism: A Study and an Anthology, Third Edition

What 'God' are you looking for, and for what purpose?

In order to find the divine, you may need a realization of what it actually is in your life. That may simply mean an altruistic ideal, or a deep yearning to understand the mystery of life itself. These things, of course, are not 'God', but can help one to obtain a better understanding of spirituality.

Also, I would reccomend this book. It has helped me immensely in my contemplation of spirituality and divinity in life.

I, too, was raised Christian, and was bothered by the fact that foreign religions and anything to do with occultism or new age ideologies was immediately shunned. It is a connotation still prevalent in our culture, but it seems to be diminishing as more and more intelligent and sincere people seek to dispel the inconsistencies and illuminate the bonds among all forms of esoteric spirituality.

Whatever you do, be cautious of disparaging your previous beliefs. Although I was once outright opposed to Christianity, I have come back to it many times in light of newly acquired knowledge, seeing what purposes its core teachings can serve. As you will find out, occultism is very much of a journey through the histories of not any one specific religion, but of them all.

After leaving the church, the first time I had felt comfortable with a body of beliefs that dealt with things like the world of occultism was when I started reading up on Theosophy. For me it was a great place to start, not really even knowing the vastness of what I was getting into, as it is inclusive of philosophy, religion and science, and emphasizes the importance of ancient knowledge and traditions.

Some books to read:

F.C. Happold - Mysticism: A Study and an Anthology

H.P. Blavatsky - Isis Unveiled

Manly P. Hall - The Secret Teachings of All Ages

You're describing mysticism.

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• God is a Verb
  
• Sufism