Turtles All The Way Down. “History of Mysticism, The Unchanging Testament,” by Swami Abhayananda

Why Read It

Swami Abhayananda was born Stanley Ross Trout in 1938 in Indianapolis, Indiana, and by his own account, his childhood was very typical of that period in American history. Books, though, were portals into another world for Stanley, an escape hatch from the monotony of suburban American life with all of its conventional trappings. He read widely throughout his childhood, devouring poetry, philosophy, classic novels and popular science, and in his early 20’s, he was exposed to the mystics and Zen Buddhism. This exposure to new, expansive ideas created a fertile ground for awakening. In his mid-20’s, Trout got his hands on Vedanta for the Western World, by Christopher Isherwood and Swami Prabhavananda, and it was this introduction to non-dual thought that led to a profound shift in consciousness and put his feet squarely onto “the path of personal God-realization.”

Shortly after, in his late 20’s, Trout withdrew from society and retreated to an abandoned cabin in the Santa Cruz mountains and after a short time, he received what he called a “unitive vision,” in which the felt sense of being an individual gave way to an expansive openness that brought an end to the illusion of duality and realization of the inherent oneness of Existence.

A few years later, Trout met Swami Muktanana and received the name, Swami Abhayananda, which he has carried since as his public identity. Abhayananda shares, “A Swami is a member of an independent spiritual brotherhood that was established thousands of years ago whose members renounce association with any established religious body such as Hinduism, Shaivism or Vaishnavism, and who regard themselves as teachers and representatives of the universal non-sectarian philosophy of Advaita Vedanta, or non-dualism. That was my orientation when I was initiated as a sannyasin, or Swami, and it is my orientation now.”

It is from this position as an adherent to non-dual teachings that Abhayananda discovered that mystics and seers in every religious path are all saying the same thing. The sense of being an individual separate from nature and others, with an endless internal drama playing out in the imagination, is all an illusory state of existence that is acting as a cover over a more fundamental, seamless, unitive nature of being that is the actual true reality and is who we actually are.

In the History of Mysticism, Abhyananda presents a comprehensive survey of the mystical writings of history from dozens of spiritual and religious paths, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Advaita Vedanta, Kashmir Shaivism, Christianity, Neoplatonism, Indigenous and Shamanic Traditions, Sufism, Taoism, and Judaism. It is an essential read for those interested in understanding the tenets of the Perennial Philosophy.

Overview

In “The History of Mysticism,” Swami Abhayananda provides an authoritative and comprehensive exploration of mystical traditions across various cultures and epochs throughout all of recorded history. The book presents an in-depth study of the Perennial Philosophy, the idea that a singular spiritual truth underlies all religious and mystical experiences. Abhayananda articulates how this truth manifests in diverse forms, from Hinduism and Buddhism to Christian Mysticism and Sufism, illustrating a universal theme of unity and interconnectedness. This exploration is particularly resonant for those interested in the transformative power of spiritual enlightenment and awakening.

The narrative weaves through the concept of transcendence beyond language and thought, highlighting the limitations of verbal expression in capturing the essence of mystical experiences. It emphasizes the significance of direct, personal encounters in spiritual practices, paralleling the profound insights often reported in psychedelic experiences. Abhayananda discusses the transformative impact of these experiences on self-identity, particularly the concept of ego dissolution, which is a central theme in many mystical and psychedelic experiences.

Key Takeaways

Unity of Mystical Experiences: The book reveals that across various cultures and times, mystical experiences share a common core of unity and oneness. This insight is crucial for those exploring spirituality and psychedelics, as it suggests that beyond the diversity of practices and substances, there is a universal experience of transcendence and interconnectedness.

Transformation of Self-Identity: A key theme is the transformation or dissolution of the ego or self-identity in mystical experiences. This mirrors the ‘ego dissolution’ often reported in psychedelic experiences, where the sense of self is transcended, leading to a profound sense of unity with the universe.

Ethical and Compassionate Living: The book discusses how mystical experiences often lead to a deeper sense of compassion and ethical responsibility. Similarly, psychedelic experiences can heighten empathy and a sense of connectedness, guiding individuals towards more compassionate and ethical choices.

Diversity and Richness of Mystic References: The book provides a comprehensive survey of a vast array of mystics from different traditions and eras. This extensive reference serves as a valuable resource for anyone interested in spirituality, offering insights into how diverse cultures and historical periods have approached mystical experiences. For those exploring psychedelics and the perennial philosophy, this broad spectrum of mystic references helps in understanding the varied landscapes of mystical thought and practice. It underscores the richness of the mystical tradition, allowing readers to draw parallels and distinctions between various mystics’ experiences and their own, potentially psychedelic-influenced, spiritual journeys.

Alignment with the Perennial Philosophy: “The History of Mysticism” aligns closely with the central tenets of the perennial philosophy, which posits a fundamental spiritual truth underlying all religious and mystical experiences. The book showcases how different mystics, across various traditions, tap into this universal truth, offering a concrete illustration of the perennial philosophy in action. This comparison is especially enlightening for those interested in both psychedelics and spirituality, as it provides a historical and philosophical context to the idea that there is a core mystical experience common to all humanity. It reinforces the notion that despite the diverse expressions in different mystical traditions, there is a shared spiritual essence at the heart of all mystical experiences.

Extended Passage from the Author’s Introduction:

“Mysticism is that point of view which claims as its basis an intimate knowledge of the one source and substratum of all existence, a knowledge which is obtained through a revelatory experience during a rare moment of clarity in contemplation. Those who claim to have actually experienced this direct revelation constitute an elite tradition which transcends the boundary lines of individual religions, cultures and languages, and which has existed, uninterrupted, since the beginning of time. It is, as Aldous Huxley points out, the ‘Perennial Philosophy’ that resurfaces again and again throughout history in the teachings of the great prophets and founders of all religions.

When we study the many speculative philosophies and religious creeds which men have espoused, we must wonder at the amazing diversity of opinions expressed regarding the nature of reality; but when we examine the testimonies of the mystics of past and present, we are struck by the unanimity of agreement between them all. Their methods may vary, but their ultimate realizations are identical in content. They tell us of a supramental experience, obtained through contemplation, which directly reveals the Truth, the ultimate, the final, TRUTH of all existence. It is this experience which is the hallmark of the mystic; it goes by different names, but the experience is the same for all.

By many of the Christian tradition, this experience is referred to as ‘the vision of God;’ yet it must be stated that such a vision is not really a ‘vision’ at all in the sense in which we use the word to mean the perception of some ‘thing’ extraneous to ourselves. Nothing at all is perceived in the ‘vision of God;’ rather, it is a sudden expansion, or delimitation, of one’s own awareness which experiences itself as the Ultimate Ground, the Primal Source and Godhead of All Being. In that ‘vision,’ all existence is experienced as Identity.

We first hear of this extraordinary revelation from the authors of the Upanishads, who lived over three thousand years ago: ‘I have known that spirit,’ said Svetasvatara, ‘who is infinite and in all, who is ever-one, beyond time.’

In this experience, called samadhi by the Hindus, nirvana by the Buddhists, fana by the Muslims, and the mystic union by Christians, the consciousness of the individual suddenly becomes the consciousness of the entire vast universe. All previous sense of duality is swallowed up in an awareness of indivisible unity. The man who previously regarded himself as an individualized soul, encumbered with sins and inhabiting a body, now realizes that he is, truly, the one Consciousness; that it is he, himself, who is manifesting as all souls and all bodies, while yet remaining completely unaffected by the unfolding drama of the multiform universe.