10 Signs That You Were Born a Mystic

The definition of a mystic is a person who tries to gain religious or spiritual knowledge through prayer and deep thought. However, according to traditional thought, mysticism isn’t faith, belief, principle or dogma. A mystic has to be born to have this innate gift of a certain temperament and outlook on life. It’s a very complicated term, and is often hard to explain in simple words.

For a mystic, the divine is in every aspect of her life, and she is Contacted By The Universe Every Single Day, perhaps every moment. Every impulse the mystic sees as divine direction. She sees all the strings and how it’s all connected to significance in her life and the lives of others. The mystic also is dedicated to serving others, as she sees the connections and is able to guide people, whether through obstacles, relationships, or critical life decisions. Clearly, such intuition and connection cannot be simply taught or learned, but must come from within. This is why Not Everyone Is A Mystic, and this is also why not everyone who is a mystic may know what they really are. They must be awakened to their calling.

Is your intuition the gift of being a mystic? Or are you just very spiritual and connected? There is obviously nothing wrong about being either! However, in order to find clarity for yourself, read these subtle 10 signs that you might have a gift you never knew about:

1. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU THAN DOCTRINE

Mystics, as we covered, have a high level of intuition, so they tend to trust themselves more. They also want to personally connect with divinity, peace, the Universe, God/Goddess/Allah, nirvana, the Tao, enlightenment, whatever they’re seeking! They like to hear about other’s experiences as a sort of reference point, but they don’t trust only this to guide their actions.

2. YOU ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT EXISTENCE

"Who Am I? Where did I come from? What is reality? What is my purpose? What is this universe?" Mystics are curious. They want to know how the universe works and why. They want to understand the world we live in. They want to research the spiritual world.

3. YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH—MAYBE EVEN EXCITED ABOUT—THE UNCERTAINTY OF NOT KNOWING WHAT THE NEXT MOMENT WILL BRING

Mystics are connected to the Universe, and thus have a lot of implicit faith and trust that The Universe Knows What It's Doing. Being so connected also means they don’t have the driving desire to know what’s coming next, because they know the Universe so well. They also trust themselves to be able to interpret the signs they will need to know.

4. YOU VALUE YOUR INTUITION, AND THE INTUITION OF OTHERS

Mystics rely on many forms of insight and knowledge besides language, rationality, and our physical senses. Intuitive perceptions are a powerful part of the mix during your spiritual seeking.

5. YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL HIERARCHIES

The world of spirituality is fairly black and white to mystics, with little room for gray, tenuous rituals or rites. They believe anyone can experience divinity to some extent – that it’s not limited to those who take a vow, join a religious order, or spend years studying books and texts.

6. YOU TEND TO BE A RULE-BENDER…OR BREAKER

Mystics are often spiritual rebels. Think about the People In Our History that are now revered luminary figures, like St. Theresa of Avila in Catholicism, Padmasambhava in Tibetan Buddhism, or Mirabai in Hinduism – were criticized or even persecuted during their lifetimes, for questioning the religious status quo.

7. YOU BELIEVE IN INTERNAL, RATHER THAN EXTERNAL, MEASURES OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Mystics believe it’s all about awareness. External rituals and spiritual practices are meant to trigger internal insights and transformation , but they aren’t the main staples of what they do. It is important to them to not perform them to placate or please a higher power, or to accrue spiritual points.

8. YOU BELIEVE POWER COMES THROUGH YOU, NOT FROM YOU

The last thing a mystic should want it to get a big ego that will detract from showing others the power of the divine. Mystics see themselves as one wave in the ocean of existence. They recognize themselves as a conduit for power, but not as an ultimate source, and acknowledge the connectivity of everyone and everything.

9. YOU BELIEVE LOVE COMES THROUGH YOU, NOT FROM YOU

In a similar vein to #8, love is the ultimate source of life, for every mystic ever studied, regardless of their religious tradition. And mystics know that our individual loves – the people and experiences we value in our own lives – are just a small reflection of the larger love everyone is capable of manifesting.

10. YOU DON’T THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING

You like to reach out and see what new things you can learn, without letting your pride get in the way. Mystics acknowledge that the universe is infinite and mysterious, and are okay with that. They can’t know everything, and they won’t know everything. They stay humbled this way, and are thereby open to hearing what others’ experiences have been.

Being a mystic doesn’t mean that you are higher or more pure than anyone else. If you are not a mystic, this is also not to say that you cannot attain a beautiful spirituality that will rival any mystic’s. It is simply important to know who you are at your core, so that without denying any part of yourself, especially one this important.