My Mystic Manifesto
I. Beliefs
1. The Mystic Way
I am a mystic, a solitary practitioner of the Mystic Way. It is not a separate religion, but the lifeblood of all religions of light and love.
2. Monotheism
I believe in the One True God—the Ground of Being, beyond name and form, the Source of all becoming; the silent wellspring from which all life flows and to which all returns.
3. Cosmos
I believe we dwell in the realm of Becoming. The Cosmos is a sacred unfolding—an ever-flowing dance of energy and information. All things arise together: interdependent, impermanent, and without any abiding essence.
4. Reincarnation
I embrace the journey of consciousness through lifetimes of learning and purification, drawn ever closer to the Divine by grace, through suffering and spiritual transformation.
II. Practices
5. Wisdom
I humbly seek wisdom from many teachers and spiritual traditions, guided by reason and science, and enlightened through personal experience to know the true nature of reality.
6. Liberation
I turn from a self-centered life to a God-centered one, daily resisting selfish tendencies. In my failures, I seek God’s forgiveness—and I extend that grace to others, forgiving as I am forgiven.
7. Devotion
I seek to know, trust, and love God with all my heart, mind, and strength. I strive for deeper union with God through the classic stages of the mystic path: awakening, purification, illumination, desolation, and deification.
8. Discipline
I craft and commit to a Rule of Life—anchored in spiritual reading, prayer, meditation, silence, solitude, simplicity, and other spiritual disciplines—that nurtures self-discipline and mindful living.
III. Ethics
9. Humility
I recognize my limitations and resist the illusions of ego and pride. I walk the Mystic Way with reverence and openness—teaching gently those who are receptive, never imposing, always inviting.
10. Love
I will unselfishly love my neighbor as myself, do no harm, and show compassion to all who suffer. I honor every person as my spiritual kin, beyond the boundaries of race, gender, creed, or nation.
11. Service
I commit to a generous life of compassion and justice, freely offering my time, gifts, and resources to ease the burdens of others.
12. Stewardship
I honor the Earth as sacred ground. With reverence and gratitude, I care for her and all living beings as part of the Divine whole.