Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Relating to or characteristic of mysticism: Pertaining to the belief in or experience of a reality beyond ordinary human understanding, often involving direct communion with the divine or ultimate truth.
   • Having a spiritual or symbolic meaning that is not immediately obvious: Describing something that has a hidden, profound, or mysterious significance that transcends literal or rational interpretation.
   • Relating to or resembling mysticism: Having qualities that are similar to or evocative of mystical experiences or ideas.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • She had a mystical experience during meditation, feeling a profound connection to the universe.
  • The ancient text is full of mystical symbols that scholars are still trying to decipher.
  • His poetry often explores mystical themes of love and eternity.

Advanced Usage

• "Mystical experience": A personal, often ineffable, encounter with a sacred or ultimate reality.
  • Many saints and poets have written about their mystical experiences.
• "Mystical interpretation": An explanation that seeks a deeper, spiritual, or allegorical meaning beyond the surface level.
  • The rabbi offered a mystical interpretation of the biblical story.

Variants and Related Words

• Mystic (adjective/noun): Can be used interchangeably with "mystical" as an adjective. As a noun, it refers to a person who seeks by contemplation and self-surrender to obtain unity with or absorption into the deity or the absolute.
  • He is a student of mystic traditions. (adjective)
  • The medieval mystic wrote extensively about her visions. (noun)
• Mysticism (noun): The beliefs, ideas, or practices associated with mystical experiences or the pursuit of communion with the divine.
  • The philosophy course included a unit on Christian mysticism.

Synonyms

• Spiritual: Relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things.
• Esoteric: Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest.
• Occult: Involving supernatural, mystical, or magical powers, phenomena, or agencies.
• Transcendent: Beyond or above the range of normal or merely physical human experience.

Related Phrases

• Mystical union: The concept of the soul's union with God or the absolute, a central goal in many mystical traditions.
  • The text describes the soul's journey toward mystical union.

Related Idioms

• A mystical bent/turn of mind: A natural tendency to think about or be interested in spiritual, mysterious, or non-material matters.
  • The composer, with his mystical bent of mind, created music that feels otherworldly.

Adjective

1. having an import not apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence; beyond ordinary understanding
   • mysterious symbols
   • the mystical style of Blake
   • occult lore
   • the secret learning of the ancients
2. relating to or resembling mysticism
   • mystical intuition
   • mystical theories about the securities market
3. relating to or characteristic of mysticism
   • mystical religion