Mystic path for a busy person

Mystics were mostly hermits living a contemplative life. If you live "normal" busy life in the profane world then it seems to be more difficult to cultivate this Intimacy. Nevertheless there have to be some possibilities for everyone. I invite you to share some advice and experience.

PearlSeeker said:

Mystics were mostly hermits living a contemplative life. If you live "normal" busy life in the profane world then it seems to be more difficult to cultivate this Intimacy. Nevertheless there have to be some possibilities for everyone. I invite you to share some advice and experience.

Click to expand...

In my experience, relative reality is only as profane as one makes it.

PearlSeeker said:

Mystics were mostly hermits living a contemplative life. If you live "normal" busy life in the profane world then it seems to be more difficult to cultivate this Intimacy. Nevertheless there have to be some possibilities for everyone. I invite you to share some advice and experience.

Click to expand...

In this era, for most people being a hermit is not the way to go. Instead, every day life presents countless opportunities to work on living one's ideals.

Instead of meditating on God in a cave, one of my practices is to work on seeing God in everyone and everything. It's much much harder and my failures are countless, but I am called to do that.

I'm reminded of the Buddhist story with the note that such being are not very rare to find these days. But being mindful in the midst of daily life is much more challenging and for me much more enjoyable than sitting in a cave focused on my breathing.

PearlSeeker said:

Mystics were mostly hermits living a contemplative life. If you live "normal" busy life in the profane world then it seems to be more difficult to cultivate this Intimacy. Nevertheless there have to be some possibilities for everyone. I invite you to share some advice and experience.

Click to expand...

Where there is a will there is a way. By that I mean a way you make for yourself, but in addition the way God makes (clears up) for you, seeing your perseverance or interest.

It is up to you --- how much you want to be in the world.

Do you work ? Then can you work quietly by yourself for a major part of the day? Can you work from home? Have some solitude?
Do you have a family? Can you not let them know about the space you prefer? They will make sure you get your quiet space. They won't pull you in each time.
Do you socialize for yourself? Do you have to?
Do you socialize for the sake of your family? Can you minimize that?
Do you HAVE TO be on facebook Whatsapp Instagram Twitter or whatever else? Just delete your profiles. Who can stop you?
Have you unknowingly subscribed to meaningless things? Can you not click unsubscribe?
....

Do the superficial "parties" HAVE TO drive your life? Say NO

Wake up early to contemplate, meditate, go inward and find the stillness there.

Not everyone's dharma is to lead a meditative life in a Himalayan cave. Your most beneficial path may be one of activity.
What feels comfortable to you?

Practice mindfulness meditation in some of your day-to-day tasks. This will help to induce lucid dreaming. Then you can have a contemplative dream life.

Thanks all for your reply!

It's good to find some time in a still place but a crowded place also has some benefits. In a cave it's easy to fall in self-delusion of hollyness and peacefulness while in a traffic jam or babysitting for example you quickly see your real state. It is written a tree is known by it's fruit. Spirituality is displayed in how you treat people, especially the rare jewels as sun rise said.

ameyAtmA said:

Where there is a will there is a way. By that I mean a way you make for yourself, but in addition the way God makes (clears up) for you, seeing your perseverance or interest /... /

Wake up early to contemplate, meditate, go inward and find the stillness there.

Click to expand...

Waking up earlier has been very helpful to me. I am also aware of the need to simplify my life.

PearlSeeker said:

Mystics were mostly hermits living a contemplative life. If you live "normal" busy life in the profane world then it seems to be more difficult to cultivate this Intimacy. Nevertheless there have to be some possibilities for everyone. I invite you to share some advice and experience.

Click to expand...

I share the same frustration, I have to work jobs like everyone else but spiritual pursuits are the only thing I want to or have the Will to spend my time on.
I guess the flip side is that service to other people, giving for the benefit of others is the other aspect of the spiritual pursuit. I think capitalism has milked that in a way that imprisons our hearts, minds, souls, spirits though unfortunately (you know, where you HAVE to work to keep the water running... and buy food etc...)

I think doing both while keeping on the minimalistic side of things is probably the best thing to do, even though it's not so much the 'cool thing to do' in the 21st century.

This problem of active people is not new. Jesus already taught not to worry too much about worldly things/plans and to focus on the Kingdom of God ...

The medieval Europe was flourishing with mysticism. Clergy and laymen were taking part in semi-monastic communities/movements with strong mystic tendency: beguines, begharts, Friends of God, Brethren of the Common Life. There seems to be a possibility of a spiritual third stream between active and contemplative life.

Meister Eckhart caught my attention because his mysticism was very original. For the first time in Christianity it was spirituality of active life or mysticism of everyday:

Whoever truly possesses God in the right way, possesses him in all places: on the street, in any company, as well as in a church or a remote place or in their cell… Grasping all things in a divine way and making of them something more than they are in themselves cannot be learned by taking flight, but rather we must learn to maintain an inner solitude regardless of where we are or who we are with.

/... /

Either a man must find God in works or abandon all works, but, since a man cannot in this life be without works, he must learn to possess God in all things.