Mystical Christianity: lesson 4 (assignment)

Mystical Christianity: lesson 4 1. What does it mean to "know yourself"? How well do you know your True Self? Who are you? "Knowing yourself" is more than just knowing your personality, wants, needs, etc. It means, rather, knowing your inner "Self", your soul personality, your Inner Master, or the Divine within. We must carefully distinguish between the ego, which many people identify as their self, and the True Self or Higher Self which is pure and connects us to the Divine. 2.    Have you ever had a visionary or mystical experience? If so, describe how it affected you. I can't honestly say I've had a profound or dramatic mystical or visionary experience. I've experience moments of inner peace and connection with the Divine/Cosmic during meditation, as well as moments of insight in daily life – but nothing particularly dramatic. 3.    How do you define imagination and how do you experience it in your life? Imagination is the ability to envision known things in new ways – the first step to mental creation.  I always had a rather active imagination since childhood.  Especially as a child, this had both positive and negative aspects. On the one hand, I could imagine things that went far beyond my limited mundane experience. On the other hand, my imagination could carry me away into dark/frightening places – and often plagued me with obsessive thoughts about imagined dangers. 4.    What role does breath play in your life? Describe a moment when you were intensely aware of your breathing. Having suffered from frequent respiratory problems as a child (and to a lesser extent now), I've always been aware of breathing and how important it is – and how troubling it is when you can't breathe as deeply or easily as you should. I find that now, having studies certain mystical teachings, and can use breathing techniques to make me feel better physically, elevate my mood and calm anxiety.