Mystical Experience: The Core of Spirituality and Religion A Panikkarian View
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) July 29, 2026 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21672042 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mystical experience |
| Key points | Argues that mysticism, as Panikkar conceives it, is a universal call that must be integrated with everyday life, and that it offers a necessary route to lasting societal transformation. |
Abstract
Any person aspiring to become a mystic cannot cut oneself off from the banalities of life and pretend to be travelling in a world toto caelo different from this experiential world. Such mysticism cannot be effective nor can it invite others because it will appear to be too ethereal. Hence the challenge for any mystic is to make the real life come into the purview of the mystical dimension and to fill banal existence with it. Mysticism is related to the ultimate experience. It is related to the incommunicable and untransferable experience, and it is highly personal too. But when these personal experiences can be reflected upon and commonalities are arrived at then arises the possibility of discussion on mysticism. Persons are gifts, and opportunities are kairos moments for concerted reflection and action. We need to be charismatic people filled with the power of God to communicate and share experiences which will enrich one another and move forward with commitment to a better society. Mysticism as Panikkar would see it is not the monopoly of any religion or individuals. There is a universal call to mysticism, and we all need to discover the mystical wave that is inundating the universe. Also for the solutions of the problems that the societies and nations face there seems to be no other way other than the mystical for finding a meaningful and lasting transformation. Having these basic attitudes in mind let us go deeper into the mystical theology of Panikkar and find some relevance of it for ourselves and communities that we serve. Keywords: Panikkar, Mysticism, cosmotheandric, Christophany, Turīya, Navasūtrāṇi