:Understanding Mysticism

VISUALIZATION
The end of the thought process of those who are really into mysticism is visualization. There is a legitmate use of visualizing things as done by the artist, the architect, the farmer or the athlete. They visualize the end product and then use their gifts or talents or hard work to make them into a reality. But visualization is also an occult practice shaped by demonic activity of altering the natural world, people in it, conditions under which one lives by casting spells, having visions, contacting spirits, and other means without personal work to get it done.

It was and is a genuine foundation for the positive- and possibility-thinking gurus such as Peale, Schuller, and even Zen Buddhism. Further, in the world of sports it is the plan for bettering yourself. In some mega-churches the zeal for self-betterment sounds off in improvement of self-esteem and urging to find the "better you". Today, in the Word-Faith Movement, it is often the creation of a new reality:

• In the spirit of man, a new concept or desired item is imagined and then visualized in the mind of one. An action or reality is now conceived.
• Faith is applied to this visualized item and it is now in incubation.
• Through faith, the item visualized and conceived in the spirit world is now realized or birthed in the natural world and is spoken into being. This is increasingly popular in Word-Faith churches.
• The visualized item is now materialized in the natural world. "We have what we see; we get what we speak."

Mysticism is the tool for bringing the spirit world into the natural world:

• The mystic clears his mind as with the method in contemplative prayer.
• He is now free to receive images from God.
• He may visualize "Jesus" so much that he senses he is not only having a direct communication with Jesus but can actually "touch or feel" Him.
• The visualized object may not and usually is not Jesus but another manifestation such as a deceased relative, famous person or one unknown to the mystic who guides him into some "new truths" he is to live by or some revelation of conditions about which the mystic knew nothing prior to this experience.