Twelve Ways to Be a Radical Mystic
A Feral Contemplative Perspective
Trust the Silence. It’s already inside you: after every heartbeat, between and beneath each thought. Learn to listen to it. Learn to gently let go of your inner commentator; give that voice the day off. Breathe quietly. Allow the silence to guide you.
Be Your Rooted Self. You are really you, only and completely you all the way down, deep into the soil. And if you are like everyone else, you’ve taken in lots of messages to be someone you’re not. Get rid of that nonsense. Give the world the gift of you.
Live Beyond Belief. Change up your worldview, your creed, your belief system. Not for the sake of chaos but for the sake of staying present and mindful. Discover the treasures that your dogmas tend to filter out. Let those treasures change you.
Embrace Playful Wonder. Giggle and be goofy. Run around screaming with the unanswerable questions. Jump in and out of fountains. Get dirt under your fingernails. Notice just how magnificent it all is. Marvel at just how wonderful you are.
Prioritize Joy. Don’t delay this one: it’s the most important thing after love. Give joy the place of honor it deserves. If joy eludes you, woo it gently and kindly; be patient but persistent. Be intimate with joy’s close friends: delight, awe, gratitude, and fun.
Love Nondually. Cultivate the vision of a world where unity matters more than polarity. The poles don’t disappear — dance with them both. Love them all, and let God sort them out. Watch over your heart, and gently deconstruct your resentments and bitterness.
Break the Rules. Mystics are not sheep; they are woefully incapable of simply doing what they’re told. Test the limits, push back against the meaningless customs and barriers that exist only to serve the convenience of others. Be radically free.
Color Outside the Lines. Take up a new hobby. Join a new religion (or an old one). Love someone you’re not “supposed” to love. Wear the wrong clothes, listen to the wrong music, notice the person everyone mocks and get to know their story — which will surprise you.
Be Psychedelic. The sacred plants are optional — but the transformed consciousness is necessary. Breathe exuberantly. Dream with abandon. Pay attention to everything. Integrate emerging wisdom. Get lost in expansive music and swirling colors. Be alive.
Ignore the Institution. Be kind and responsible, of course, but don’t waste time with bureaucratic officiousness. Question authority (including your own). Be humble but not a doormat. Sneak in through the cracks where no one’s watching.
Dismantle Privilege. For this one, inquire within; recognize who you deem to be “less than.” Share your advantages with others. Listen to those who are not used to being heard. Apologize whenever necessary. Agitate for constructive change.
Cause Good Trouble. Be curious; see what it’s like to rock the boat a little. If something needs to be changed, change it yourself if you can. Otherwise, find some way to get the attention of those in power. Be irritating and annoying. Be a story worth telling.
