Abstract

The journey of liberation is a multifaceted path that involves not only letting go of the notion that one has an ego that separates one from the Universal Self but also requires discarding the strong psychological component of this ego construct. In addition, as one discovers the nature of the True Self, one recognizes that he or she is all of existence. This existence, which includes all life on the earth, needs to be treated with respect, rather than be exploited as if it were some external resource put here for the benefit of the false ego structure. ;This work on mysticism includes comments and interpretations based on the author's own mystical experience. Chapters include the Veda, introducing the Guru of the Kat&dotbelow;ha Upanis&dotbelow;ad, Yama, and the Upanis&dotbelow;ads---emphasizing its nondual Advaita Vedanta philosophy. The journey of the seeker is also investigated cross-culturally. The psychological aspects of the mystical journey are investigated through the medium of Transpersonal Psychology. The mystical Enneagram shows a way out of the emotional entanglements of the developed ego neurosis. ;Classical science worked against the awakening of the non-rational insights essential to the mystical seeker but the emerging wholistic "New Science" may aid the seeker and, indeed, all beings, in recognizing we are one earth, one people, and a planet wide life force working in harmony, or in self-destruction. ;Finally, the Kat&dotbelow;ha Upanis&dotbelow;ad is translated and interpreted. It emphasizes the Advaita Vedanta position that only the Self exists. All else is appearance constructed by the mind and social convention so that the world and our ego structures seem real. This pseudo-reality causes much confusion and harm as we fail to recognize our true nature---thus causing much spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical dis-ease to our environment and ourselves