The Difference in Magic and Mysticism

[Rob]

Nice.

The way I look at mysticism is the direct experience of reality (through myself), and with this knowledge comes the power to manipulate. The magician seems to gain his power to manipulate first, and this opens up new ways of seeing.

Rob

[Adrian]

Greetings,

I thinks it is true to say that a Magician is usually also a mystic, but a mystic is not necessarily a Magician.

It is inappropriate to generalise about these things, but broadly speaking a Magician will strive to master Universal laws, the Elements and of course him/her self, while a mystic will make use of certain Universal laws while approaching the Divine principally on the path of Love; like certain disciplines of Yoga.

With best regards,

Adrian.

[n/a]

some of the truth captured here:

>Mysticism and Magic both climb the same mountain, even though they may use diferent routes.
+
>Magician is usually also a mystic,
but a mystic is not necessarily a Magician.
[]

[n/a]

and I would like to add:

mysticism is the Explorers way.
Magic is a users way.

the true mysticism is finding the right laws.
the true magic is using the right laws
and twisting it sometimes[]

[Radha]

There has, at different times, been a greater or lesser amount of discussion over diffferences in these two seemingly divergent paths.
The concept I used to hear bandied about was that Mysticism was sort of vague and ephemeral and "not quite down to earth".  I have myself met those who were like this.  This is a false path under the delusion that it is "mysticism".  The truth in Mysticism lies not in thought and theory so much as in Being.  It's basic "Law" is that Change of Being is the soul's way of growth.  As a student learned to first see, then feel, the Be the object of meditation, their own personna was transmuted by the change of Being.  After all it is Being which attracts life to us.  AS the Mystic reaches higher and higher realms and can succeed in blending with thos areas, he or she doesn't have to command the elements etc.  The elements will always obey the Golden Mean.  Nature is to Man, as Man is to God.
Magic takes a different tack.  Moreso at the onset of study rather than later has been my observation.  As the erstwhile young Magus or High Priestess moves along, they develop a certain oneness with each sephiroth, moving as it were up the Tree of Life as they do.  As they grow with their ascent they also realize that only by blending with these energies will one have success.
Dion Fortune (from her magical name Deo Non Fortuna) wrote an excellent essay on this in her "Mystical Qabala".  She describes it similar to this:  The person who tries to control or coerce the elemental forces soon finds that they are treated by the astral light the same as a splinter is when it enters our body.  White blood cells surround it and isolate it from the rest of the system, and then try to eject it from the body.  The astral light does the same function to interlopers who seek to storm heavens keep.
The astral light only obeys its Master.  Become one with Him and THEN you will see that Mysticism and Magic both climb the same mountain, even though they may use diferent routes.
A.O.M.