Mysticsm

Mysticism has it's roots in the mystery cults of classical Greco-Roman time. It is believed to have been derived from the term myein ("to close the eyes and lips", referring to the oath sworn by the mystes (initiates) to keep inner workings of their religion secret), and has over the centuries come to be known as secret knowledge.

Religions across the World use the term to describe a quest for divinity, for unity with the one God or principle and/ or a personal experience of some religious truth. In occult or psychic circles, it is usually regarded as the knowledge of an additional part of paranormal communication or esoteric knowledge. Some simply regard it as mystical knowledge.

Whatever the approach, mysticism seems to have various common characteristics: a unifying perception or vision of the one God/ principle; the perception of the same as part of the inner self; a true and objective sense of reality; a religious sense of the sacred or holy; emotions such as joy, satisfaction or bliss and either paradoxical or inexpressible feelings.
It is clear that experiences vary between individuals and theories of the Divine Reality subscribed to by a variety of mystics are either emanation (in this view all things are flowing over from God) or immanence (here the universe isn't seen as projected from, but as being immersed in God).
In religious terms, it can be either monistic (the seeking of unity and/or identity with one universal principle) or theistic (the seeking of unity with God).

Apart, although not entirely separate, from religious type mysticism we find the non religious type, which is much more of an experience through, from or withi
Nature, where an individual will become one with Nature, with no separation or boundaries between them.
This type can be seen clearly in the Goddess related religions, including neo - paganism, as well as neo - pagan witchcraft, where Nature is worshipped. This worship places love where the barriers between individual and Nature vanish, and it has been defined as immanence, one of three fundamental core principles of this religion (community and interconnection being the other two).
The definition of immanence here is that the Goddess is embodied, each individual is a manifestation and part of the living earth and nature, as well as life in all it's diversity and culture are sacred. It calls to everyone to live their spirituality within the world and to take actions to preserve and protect the life of the sacred Mother Earth, as well as to live with responsibility and integrity.

Neo - pagans openly, and knowingly call the Earth Mother, and most of us have done so instinctively at some point or another. This instinctive recognition of Earth as our Mother is perfectly justified, as we all depend on her for survival. As a child loves it's Mother for caring and nurturing it, so we love our Mother Earth for loving and nurturing Humanity as her children. This, by definition, is what mysticism is.