The Mystic and the Lover are one and the same.
by Ivan M. Granger
We have an obsession with love, romance and, of course, sex in modern culture. Why? Romance and eroticism, even in their most superficial forms, induce trance. It gives us a taste of pleasure and freedom from the burden of self, even though it is often brief. It brings us a momentary awareness of connectedness and sometimes self-transcendence. At its best, it drops us into the thrilling current of life and purpose.
Although it is not often understood this way, the modern culture of love is a form of mysticism. It is a cult of eros. Romance is a sort of secular mysticism. I would assert that it is the dominant mysticism in our world today.
Love songs and stories are a watered down expression of the same sacred impulse that has motivated saints and sages throughout history. The surface instincts of love and desire are simply a blunted form of the deep impulse for divine union that permeates the universe. Erotic language is, therefore, the natural language for the soul seeking to merge with the Eternal Beloved.
– Ivan M. Granger
Ivan M. Granger is the creator and editor of the Poetry Chaikhana web site, www.Poetry-Chaikhana.com