mysticism research

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Got it! You want a classification table of mysticism. I’ll organize it clearly, highlighting the main types, characteristics, and examples. Here’s a structured table:

Type of Mysticism	Core Focus / Goal	Key Characteristics	Notable Examples / Traditions
Theistic Mysticism	Union with or experience of a personal God	Prayer, devotion, visions, ecstasy	Christian (St. Teresa of Ávila), Islamic Sufism (Rumi), Hindu Bhakti
Panentheistic / Nature Mysticism	Experience of the divine in nature or the cosmos	Feeling of oneness with all, transcendence beyond self	Taoism, Hermeticism, Indigenous spiritualities
Monistic / Non-dual Mysticism	Realization that self and ultimate reality are one	Dissolution of ego, meditation, direct experience of unity	Advaita Vedanta, Zen Buddhism, Plotinus (Neoplatonism)
Ecstatic / Experiential Mysticism	Altered states of consciousness to experience the divine	Trance, ecstasy, visionary experiences	Shamanism, Christian mystics (e.g., John of the Cross), Sufi whirling
Philosophical / Intellectual Mysticism	Understanding the divine or ultimate reality through reason and contemplation	Abstract, meditative, metaphysical reflection	Jewish Kabbalah, Neoplatonism, Islamic philosophical mysticism
Mysticism of Love / Devotion	Union with God through love or heartfelt devotion	Emotional, relational, devotional practices	Bhakti Yoga, Sufi poetry, Christian mystics like St. Francis of Assisi

This table shows the main currents of mysticism across cultures, classified by their goal and method of attaining the mystical experience.

If you want, I can make a visual diagram too—so you can see all types and their overlaps at a glance, which is especially helpful for study purposes. Do you want me to do that?