Is the Path of the Mystic Open to All?

Please join us on Saturday, December 13, at 3:00 PM ET, at Benjamin Franklin Pronaos, 8458 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19136-2031, for the next in-person meeting of the Masonic Philosophical Society - Philadelphia Study Centre, as Bro. LaRonda Koffi presents the question: Is the Path of the Mystic Open to All?

Synopsis:
"Mystical philosophy is a way of life by which the individual comes to adjust himself to his environment in response to the inner experience he has had. It is a superior counsel which he interprets in a practical way and which he finds brings into everyday affairs at least some of the cosmic order which he has realized."
— Ralph M. Lewis, Preface to H. Spencer Lewis, Essays of a Modern Mystic (San Jose: Supreme Grand Lodge of AMORC, 1962), pp. 7–8.
Throughout the ages, the mystic has evoked both fascination and misunderstanding. Who, truly, is a mystic—and is this path reserved for the few, or open to all who seek light and understanding? This opening session of the three-part series invites participants to explore the universal nature of mysticism through readings and ideas drawn from H. Spencer Lewis, whose "Essays of a Modern Mystic" describe the mystic's path as a practical science of the soul rather than an abstract ideal. Complementing Lewis's framework, we'll draw from Western esoteric and Eastern philosophical sources to uncover common threads that unite the mystic traditions of Hermeticism, Kabbalah, alchemy, and Eastern contemplative practice.
This will be an interactive discussion that blends short readings, open reflection, and a few hands-on exercises to explore:
• What qualities or perceptions define a mystic?
• How do different traditions describe the journey toward illumination?
• Can mystical awareness be cultivated in daily life?
Together, we will reflect on the idea that the Path of the Mystic is not a secluded trail but the universal potential for inner illumination, available to all who seek it with sincerity and courage.
This discussion launches a three-part series on The Path of the Mystic.

• Part I – December 13, 2025: Is the Path of the Mystic Open to All?

This opening discussion explores the universal nature of mysticism and asks whether this path is for a chosen few or open to all who sincerely seek truth.

• Part II – January 10, 2026: How Does the Path of the Mystic Unfold?

Following the first discussion on the universality of the mystical calling, this second session explores the process of mystical unfoldment.

• Part III – February 14, 2026: What Is the Fulfillment of the Mystic's Path?

This third and final discussion will consider fulfillment as a state of realized unity — where the mystic lives in harmony with the Whole, perceives the Divine in all things, and expresses illumination through love, compassion, and selfless service.

More Resources:
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