In the past 20 years, several books have come out comparing Jesus and Buddha and attempting to put them on the same level, claiming that they have similar teachings. Are […]
Where Does Tai Chi Come From? Ads for Tai Chi are popping up on phones. It is as though Tai Chi proponents are trying to make it the new Yoga […]
This article had two parts. The first part addresses the idea about the Bible being like a finger pointing to the sunset, which is similar to […]
This article has two parts. The first examines some of the Sayings of the Desert Fathers; the second part looks at the book by John Climacus, The Divine Ladder. […]
This article examines only some shamanistic elements of the movie “KPOP Demon Hunters” and not other areas such as trans/queer sexuality, violence, or materialism, all of which are themes that […]
I knew about tantra when I was in the New Age. Tantra is a system within Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism that is also connected to Kundalini Yoga. (In Buddhism, it […]
Most of the book, Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools, by Tyler Staton, is not about Contemplative practices. Staton uses what is often called the Lord’s Prayer as a template […]
What this adds up to is mysticism, and a mystical view is a natural result of contemplative practices that apparently have captivated Mackie. Mysticism is not a matter of transcending logic or thought; it is actually contra logic and thought. This is why all contemplative teachings downgrade the mind . It is always found in esoteric teachings that there is something profound beyond words and reason that one can experience – a hidden or secret experience and/or wisdom. This is exactly how I thought for over 20 years.
Mackie is planting not only the idea that gaining perception of “another reality” or a “super reality” is positive, but he is offering the means for it through the contemplative practices, which will alter perceptions over time.
“Breathe in God’s peace, breathe out anxiety.” Are such prayers for the Christian? These techniques do not appear out of nowhere but have mystical, Eastern, and New Age origins and purposes. If they work, are they compatible with God’s word? Read more and find out.
I have had many questions over the years about astral travel, something I experienced. Initially, it was spontaneous, but later it also happened during meditations if I focused a certain […]