Excerpt from David Frawley's _Awaken Bharata_. As with any excerpt or
review, if you like it, buy the book and if you like the book, tell your
friends.
Devic and Asuric Forms of Mysticism
Hindus are inclined to accept anything that calls itself religion,
particularly if it is also mystical. They would like to believe that all
mystical states are valid and that all religions are true. This exposes them
to manipulation by groups who use a religious or mystical appearance to
promote their own agendas that may be anti-Hindu in nature. It is also
contrary to their tradition.
The Hindu Yoga tradition is well aware of the fact that there are many
different states of altered consciousness or mysticism. Not all of these are
true, much less wholesome. There are various types of mysticism from what is
little more than black magic to the highest Self-realization, and even
experiences of Self-realization can be partial or mixed with lesser states.
The Yoga tradition relates that even Asuras, beings of great pride and
ambition, take to Yoga practices to gain greater powers to further their aim
of world domination.
Religion, on one hand, has certainly been the greatest help for humanity in
our eternal quest of Self-realization. Yet, on the other hand, it has also
caused the greatest harm, inciting every sort of crime justified by the name
of God. Religion can be not only the means of eradicating our human ego and
its intractable biases, it can become the last and greatest attachment for
the ego and the place in which our deepest prejudices can hide.
Superstitions and hatreds can rest unquestioned in religion, particularly
when they are attributed to God or his will.
That individuals may have mystical experiences, therefore, does not
necessarily indicate that they have gone beyond the limitations of the human
ego. Major human faults can still exist in a person who can achieve genuine
mystical states, if his development is not comprehensive or complete.
Mystics can become greater religious fanatics than ordinary people if they
take their experiences too personally. Some mystical states can exaggerate
human emotions creating a superego, a being who has a greater awareness to
manipulate others for his own ends. Such powerful egos can strongly impact
society, as when the masses fall under the influence of a misguided
charismatic mystic or religious leader. Such superegos themselves want to
become God or his only representative, which affords them great power and
authority. Their mystical experiences cause people to blindly follow them,
which leads to aggression and destruction.
The spiritual realm therefore is not just a realm in which we can advance
into divinity; it contains an antithetic possibility of drawing out subhuman
or anti-divine forces. Even a person who at times can speak the highest
wisdom can fall into pride and anger, if he is not careful.
Even good mystics can be so blinded by their idealism and otherworldliness
that others can manipulate them for worldly aims. Such a naive saint can
be used as an image of holiness to justify religious aggression by the
church or religious order. In addition, even if the attainments of a mystic
are entirely wholesome, his teaching can be misunderstood and distorted by
his followers. This usually begins after the death of the mystic but
sometimes its starts while he is still alive. Disciples of great teachers
may not themselves be great and can become fanatics of another type, warring
with one another for control of the teacher's memory and the resources of
his organization. They may use the image of the great teacher to further
their own private ambitions or to promote their own personal prejudices.
This is quite common when religions become institutions or gain government
or military patronage. Misguided followers can turn a spiritual teaching
aimed at self-development into a religious ideology aimed at world
domination.
DEVIC AND ASURIC MYSTICISM
Mysticism therefore can be divided into two basic types, what can be called
the light and dark, or pure and impure. The first, I would call Devic
mysticism, after the term Deva or Godly, which exists for purposes of union
with the Divine or higher Self. It is based upon yogic principles of
truthfulness, non-violence and tolerance and emphasizes yogic practices of
self-control, asceticism and meditation. It is an internal mysticism that
has no external need to convert the world to a belief. Devic mysticism
promotes Devic qualities of love, peace, selflessness and compassion.
The second could be called Asuric mysticism, after Asura for demon, titan
or anti-god, subtle beings of great pride, ambition and cunning. Asuric
mysticism exists for promoting power or domination and projects a subtle but
powerful ego. It is mixed with non-yogic values and practices like
intolerance, aggression, and violence. Asuric mysticism works through Asuric
qualities of anger, hatred, pride and vengeance. Though it may employ
internal
