Mysticism to the mystic is both science and religion.
Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
Related Material by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
Compiled by Wahiduddin Richard Shelquist – wahiduddin.net
What we generally know as the breath is that little inhaling and exhaling which we feel through the nostrils. We think that is breath and attach little importance to it, while in reality, Breath is a Life-Current running through the innermost part of our being towards the surface. It would be no exaggeration, according to the mystical point of view, to say that the Breath connects Heaven and Earth. …
For the mystic, Breath is not only a science, but the knowledge of Breath is mysticism, and mysticism to the thinker is both science and religion. The mystery of Breath is not a thing that can be comprehended by the brain only. The principles of mysticism rise from the heart. They are learned by intuition and proved by reason. …
If we consider the conditions of life today, we see that, however much people think they have progressed, certain aspects of life are neglected in the way of health, repose, balanced thinking, and in the way of kindness and love to one another. All these things are lacking, and the spirit of the present time seems to be going in quite the opposite direction.
Selfishness seems to be so much on the increase. Real religion, the spirit of forgiveness, generous giving, regard for old age, refinement, culture — all seem to be disappearing. People in general, do not know even if there is a God or Truth. If this is the spirit, how can we expect to find that harmony, peace and love, which make heaven on earth? It is useless to discuss the peace of the world. What is necessary just now is to create peace in ourselves that we, ourselves, become examples of love, harmony and peace. That is the only way of saving the world and ourselves.
Commentary by Murshid S.A.M. (Sufi Ahmed Murad)
Samuel L. Lewis
In Sufic terms, there is no difference between Tasawwuf and Ilm. That is to say, metaphysics, knowledge, mysticism, science, and religion are all one and the same thing to the inner person. The mind may give different names to its different processes, but in the sphere of the Heart there is an eternal grasping which can be called Love, Will, or Intuition. These are but names of the same process according to the method by which it influences mind.
When one considers that all love springs from God, all knowledge springs from God, all being is God, how can there be any difference between science, religion, and mysticism? In the realm of duality, in the region of universal becoming, there seems to be differences, but in the sphere of principle, there is not. Real science is comprehension, which is only possible when the heart is awake. Real religion is knowledge of God. Mysticism is the philosophy that God can be known, discovered in the heart of the human being.