Word
mysticism
Phoneticsmys·ti·cism
US/ˈmɪstɪˌsɪzəm/
UK/mˈɪstɪsˌɪzəm/
Definition
n. the belief that you can experience a direct connection with God or a higher power through prayer or deep thought. It often involves feelings that are hard to explain with words.
n. the belief that direct knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate reality can be attained through subjective experience, such as intuition or insight. Often involves a focus on internal transformation and the transcendence of ordinary human perception.
Examples
“The poet's work is full of religious mysticism.”
“Scholars of medieval mysticism often study the writings of saints who claimed to have direct visions of the divine.”
“While some critics dismiss mysticism as mere superstition, others argue it represents a sophisticated attempt to bridge the gap between finite human understanding and the infinite nature of the universe.”
Examples
simple
“The poet's work is full of religious mysticism.”
contextual
“Scholars of medieval mysticism often study the writings of saints who claimed to have direct visions of the divine.”
complex
“While some critics dismiss mysticism as mere superstition, others argue it represents a sophisticated attempt to bridge the gap between finite human understanding and the infinite nature of the universe.”
Usage
Uncountable in its abstract sense; can be countable when referring to specific historical traditions or systems of thought.
Real-World Examples
“When he was stuck on a logic problem, he used mysticism as a method: he headed to the mosque and prayed until his mental fog lifted and he solved the puzzle.” “He was especially consumed by hermetic natural magic and the mysticism of ancient Jewish Kabbalah that had been Christianised in the Renaissance.” Etymology
From mystic + -ism, from Old French mistique (“mysterious, full of mystery”), from Latin mysticus (“mystical, mystic, of secret rites”), from Ancient Greek μυστικός (mustikós, “secret, mystic”), from μύστης (mústēs, “one who has been initiated, initiate”) from μῡ́ω (mū́ō, “to close one's lips or eyes; initiate into the mysteries”). Compare Asturian misticismu, Catalan misticisme, French mysticisme, German Mystizismus, Italian misticismo, Portuguese misticismo, Sicilian misticisimu, Spanish misticismo.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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englishreference.com/q/mysticism