I am not at all concerned that these teachings are accepted as truth by all, or any, who happen to read them. My intentions were never to convert the world to my views of Life and human consciousness. Those who are ready and open-minded will hear what I have to say. But, no amount of argument or persuasion will convince those who simply do not want to know. And, that is fine with me. Whatever your convictions and beliefs are, at this point in your life, are exactly what they should be for you. After all, there is no such thing as a wrong opinion.

Teaching, however, is like planting seed. Some grains will immediately sprout into consciousness and bear fruit, while some may lie dormant for many years, and some will never take root at all. But, no esoteric or occult teaching is ever a total waste of time. Even those who refuse to believe will, like squirrels and birds, carry the seed to fertile soil. Spiritual truth has often been obtained from the strangest sources.

Those who are irresistibly drawn to theological debate, metaphysical speculation, intellectual reasoning, scientific research, and all other forms of mental investigation into the nature of Existence, eventually turn to the path of the Mystic. But, one does not have to be a genius or a professional student to avail himself or herself of this discipline. It is open to all who are not satisfied with the childish and commonplace answers which have been given for the great questions of Life, the Universe and Everything by the ordinary sciences, philosophies and religions of our time.

Unfortunately, there are no real guide books to Mysticism. It is a series of experiences, something to be undergone, not merely something to read about. Therefore, this book can only serve as an introduction to Mysticism. It is certainly not a definitive text on the subject.

What is Mysticism? A good question, indeed. The path of the Mystic has, over the centuries, been confused with all manner of bizarre practices. Eliminating some of the most common misconceptions may help define exactly what Mysticism is not. Then, it will be easier to understand what it is.

First, Mysticism has nothing to do whatsoever with the occult. There are no "secret" doctrines, and there can never be any, due to the open and truth-seeking nature of its practices. The only secret in Mysticism is that there are no secrets. Everything is so simple and straightforward, in point of fact, that it can all be grasped by anyone at any time. There is no need to indulge in the unusual, extraordinary, weird or paranormal. No Mystic ever has to exhibit such phenomena as levitation, trances, visions or stigmata. All of these things do exist, and they may appear in the life of a Mystic, but they are neither a necessity nor even desirable. These things merely serve as distractions and diversions from the path to enlightenment.

Secondly, the expanded states of consciousness sought after by the Mystic are not psychologically abnormal. Researchers and doctors, today, actually insist that such experiences are not only healthy but greatly enhance the quality of life itself. A person who enjoys a full range of human experience is a happier, healthier and holier one than someone confined to a monotonous, mundane, nine-to-five routine.

Thirdly, Mysticism is not the sole property and domain of the spiritual "elite" who retire to cloistered monasteries or cavern hermitages, disdaining the company of their less evolved brethren. The path of the Mystic does have its solitary practices, but any human being is capable of realizing and reaching their spiritual potential.

All humans are Mystics at heart, whether they know it or not. The manifestation of the Spirit is, after all, essentially a human phenomenon. It is found in both the least likely places and the most obvious, among the people of every race, creed, color, age, sex, and sexual orientation. The only qualification necessary for advancement is the will to do so, to become in reality what you are in thought and spirit.

Mysticism is a way of living and thinking in which the upper reaches of human nature and potential are consciously approached and, eventually, surpassed. It is a purposeful raising into consciousness the realization that the human mind has a direct relationship to the Absolute, or God.

To fully understand this relationship, we need to look around us and ponder the dual nature of our so-called reality. In other words, we need to consider the physical and spiritual necessities for such a complex manifestation. But, to try to understand this complexity by merely observing its outer movements is like trying to explore the depths of the ocean from high atop a mountain. To comprehend life in the water... one must get wet! I am sorry, but there simply are no miraculous shortcuts to this type of organic understanding. The human mind cannot achieve enlightenment through osmosis.

Yet, the key which unlocks the doors of enlightenment has not been hidden from you. The only secret in all of Life is that there are no secrets. All knowledge and skill lies somewhere within you, waiting to be released into your conscious mind and made manifest in you life. This is accomplished through education--from the Latin educere, which means to draw out, like you would draw water out of a well.

The only type of education that truly exists, however, is self-education, obtained through self-determination and good, old fashioned hard work. If you do not make progress quickly, you must not blame the teacher, because the teacher cannot magically confer his or her knowledge and wisdom upon you. You must internalize all of the information given and correlate it with that knowledge that you draw up from somewhere deep within yourself. Learning cannot be made compulsory or forced upon you in any way. Either you wish to remember the information, guided by your teacher’s gentle promptings, or you do not. It is as simple as that.

Because this book was written for everyone, it does not presume that the reader has a background in physiology, psychology, philosophy, theology, metaphysics, or Mysticism. Therefore, I have minimized the use of technical vocabulary and tried not to use too many of the New Age buzzwords, which are so prevalent today.

While it is true that there is no map to the discovery of the Self, many pathways have been developed over the centuries. So, be careful about accepting any tradition or concept merely because it has been around for ages. The Asian health and spiritual sciences were developed and practiced for centuries before the discovery of the true nature of the body’s vital functions. Evil spirits and demons were thought to cause illness, intestinal grumblings, fevers, palpitations, and all manner of other physical discomforts. Red dragons were believed to course through the veins, instead of blood. Magical spells and curses were considered to be valid methods of defense, while crude talismans and charms were believed to be the best forms of personal protection.

However, even today, there are far too many people who are still ridiculously uninformed and continue to spread archaic philosophies, traditions, rituals, superstitions, scientific misconceptions, and pure ignorance. That does not mean that philosophy and tradition are unimportant. Such concepts should be founded in reality and true science, though, and not in the dogma which passes itself off as science today, nor in the fantasies or superstitions of the past. But, remember that not everything of the past is obsolete and not all of the current discoveries are factual or practical.

If you are serious about your own spiritual growth, you have a responsibility to be as thoroughly informed and educated as humanly possible. Do not, therefore, accept anything from anyone (including myself) just because that person says it is so. You should thoroughly ponder and contemplate, try and test every bit of information that comes your way.

Contrary to the opinions of many teachers and practitioners of esoteric disciplines today, it does not require ten years of dedicated practice in Oriental techniques to improve one’s health and expand the awareness into the infinite. If an instructor tells you that you will need to study his or her methods for years and years before you will be good enough to progress to the next level, politely tell him or her, "No, thank you," and get away from there as quickly as you can, while you still have your money. He or she is not concerned about your welfare, only your dollars. This does not, necessarily, mean that he or she is a bad person. He or she may truly believe what he or she teaches, but there are still bills to pay and that cannot be done unless he or she has X number of students paying him or her X number of dollars each month. So, the teacher must meter out what he or she teaches carefully, and make it last as long as possible. Or, the art is simply being taught as it was taught to him or her, and the teacher merely does not know any better. Either way, be careful of the ignorant.

This book, in addition to providing a lifetime of information, encourages the reader to personally integrate the ideas and concepts for an increased understanding of his or her own individual Human Experience. The eager and open-minded reader will readily see the merits of such an approach. But, the simplicity and common sense of this method will escape the narrow-minded followers of many of the so-called "traditional" forms of Mysticism, who will skim through this book, looking for similarities to what they already know (or think they know) so as to proudly dismiss the entire system as being beneath their level of expertise and not worthy of their contempt. All I have to say to this is, "Common sense, so it would seem, is not as common as its name implies!"

Do not become discouraged with your performance as you practice the exercises, meditations and rituals described in this manual, though, no matter how crude your actions may seem to you. No one can perform the techniques of Mysticism perfectly, because perfection is a relative thing, an ideal dependent upon one’s own individual perceptions of the present moment. It is, therefore, a constantly evolving dynamic, since one’s perception of the Universe is constantly evolving and expanding. Perfection is a never-ending journey, a process of becoming, not a destination. The more you practice, the better you will become.

The meditations, physical disciplines and rituals presented here are merely some of the countless tools which the student may use to reawaken his or her mind to the latent powers within himself or herself. Please, feel free to adopt and/or adapt any or all of the material that appeals to you and apply it to your own "Inner Quest" for your True Self. Toward that end, you may wish to keep a hard copy of this little book near you at all times; in your briefcase or backpack, at your desk, beside your toilet, or on your bedside nightstand... as a cure for insomnia.

What can you expect from this book? Well, it may serve as a series of written signposts, pointing the way along a few of the many pathways which may be taken in your search for your Self. But, you will not find the Self in any one of the passages or pages of this, or any other, book. You can only realize your True Identity in the act of living your uniquely individual life.

As this book is being completed, I am mindful of the tremendous role so many people have played in making it possible. A seemingly endless string of individuals have contributed to my accumulated knowledge and experience, over the last four decades, that I can no longer say precisely where each piece of information was first obtained. All I can do, here and now, is gratefully acknowledge the debt I owe to each and every one of them (physical or not) who have given so freely of their time and spirit. For, without their wisdom, the scattered fragments of Truth would never have made any sense and the book you now read would never have become a reality.

To my other teachers and students (who were most often one and the same persons), friends and family, colleagues and acquaintances, I owe each of you more than I will ever be able to repay. But, ultimately, the final and determining responsibility for the entire content of this book lies squarely on the shoulders of its author. So, if any of the material within these pages proves to be less than you had hoped for, it is no reflection upon the efforts of any person(s) but myself.