how can a mystic function in this world?

[I-stone]

When people hate you. Call you crazy. Curse you.
Then various spirits do the same because they fear you.
Society shuns you, and tries to subdue you at every turn.

I dont see how it is possible to be spiritual these days.

[IA56]

Hi I-stone,
You can not abonden you, or what you keep as dear to you, even if you are total alone to feel and think as you do.
You can not give up yourself to please others.
Keep up the good work.

Love
ia

[John Sorensen]

When people hate you. Call you crazy. Curse you.
Then various spirits do the same because they fear you.
Society shuns you, and tries to subdue you at every turn.

I dont see how it is possible to be spiritual these days.

To be Spirit is not a choice.

It is what you are.

There are no words for it.

[ButterflyWoman]

Build psychic and spiritual protections around yourself and your home and your vehicle, etc. Energy shielding, belief shifting, all of that. Practice shielding always. Cut ties regularly. If someone (or something) is afraid of you, it's either their own projection of you (i.e., they're making up an image of what and who they think you are and attacking that) or it's because they have reason to be afraid. In the former case, you can ignore them. In the latter case, you can use that to keep them from bothering you.

"These days" are not much different from any other days, except that now you're not likely to be burned at the stake or boiled in oil or torn apart by wild dogs or some other horrible punishment that people used to like to use on spiritual non-conformists. People have always, unfortunately, been people, and they still are.

Narrow minds only see things narrowly. Don't try to enlighten them, teach them, guide them, or otherwise tell them anything they don't want to hear, and they won't have any reason to hate you, call you crazy, or curse you. Of course, they might still, anyway, because people can be like that, but for the most part, you have to learn to just move on from hostile people. They're really not worth your effort. You know that thing Jesus said about not throwing your pearls before swine, because they'd just trample them and maybe you? Yeah. That.

Basically, you have to learn to judge what to reveal and what not to reveal, and to whom. There will always be those who will take anything you say and twist it around or try to tell you you're doing it wrong (because they know your path better than you do or something) or call you crazy because they don't get it. It can be a lonely existence, just ask any saint or mystic from the annals of history. Balance is always the key.

[Sinera]

I dont see how it is possible to be spiritual these days.

"How 'spiritual' you are has nothing to do with what you believe, but everything to do with your state of consciousness." - E. Tolle

In other words: true spirituality is an individual and "internal" thing, not a societal and external thing, that is what today's religion is all about.

Spirituality and personal spiritual practice/experience is not a "mirror" thing but a look deep into your"higher"self. A mirror is always your outer reflection to society, the "persona" as C.G. Jung called it. Many people nowadays are too worried about their "persona" being right in order to "function" in society. That is why many people are wearing a "mask", a façade nowadays. This can make you sick in the long run, if you suppress your true self, because expressing this is your soul's purpose here.

Therefore: Rather be yourself, at all costs. Today I couldn't care less about what "people" (meaning: those in the mainstream / 'society') think of me. I did that in the past when I was younger. I think many people have problems with this today. Not being 'conform' enough, not to fit in.

Actually I believe we should make non-conformity a virtue, not for the sake of being different, but for the need of being yourself. How can you be yourself if you comply to all the rules here? Is it really worth it?

"It is no measure of good health to be well-adjusted to a sick society." - J. Krishnamurti

True spirituality (not religion) is about your relationship to the larger reality, your Higher Self, God, the "Source", Gaia/nature, whatever... and not to the society (and its norms) you happen to (or chose to) have been born into.

If they bring you down because of your views/beliefs/practices it has nothing to do with you(r state of consciousness), but everything with them and their state of UNconsciousness. Ignore them. They deserve none of your attention anymore.

[John Sorensen]

When people hate you. Call you crazy. Curse you.
Then various spirits do the same because they fear you.
Society shuns you, and tries to subdue you at every turn.

I dont see how it is possible to be spiritual these days.

Like attracts like.

If you dare to, imagine being around people who share you values, and surely they will be there, when you least expect.

[ButterflyWoman]

"Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble makers. The round pegs in square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward. Maybe they have to be crazy. How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art? Or sit in silence and hear a song that’s never been written? Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels? We make tools for these kinds of people. While some see them as the crazy ones, We see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.
In all adversities there is always in its depth, a treasure of spiritual blessings secretly hidden"

~ Jack Kerouac, from his book: "On The Road"

[CFTraveler]

When people hate you. Call you crazy. Curse you.

Like someone (many ones) said, you are what you are. Spiritual just is. It doesn't matter what they call you. But you don't have to share your interests with them, unless you want to convince them of your beliefs. Then it's something else.

Then various spirits do the same because they fear you.

There is a bible quote (I don't remember which book specifically) that goes something like "If God is with you, who can be against you?" If spirits attack you because they feel your power, you need to ignore them, because you know you're stronger than them. Make sure the spirits are not the embodiment of your self-doubt or self-loathing. This sounds rough but I say it with love. You know you're awesome.

Society shuns you, and tries to subdue you at every turn.

This one is interesting. Isn't that what society always does? Try to make everyone conform?

[Dreamweaver]

People can stand in most opposition to stereotypes they are fighting their own internalization of. Angst is like humor in that it reveals what we are trying to be bigger than. Sometimes the opposition is built up over a straw man though.

There is lots of acceptance for alternative spiritual belief systems - this forum is proof of that. Maybe relaxing and letting like minded folks magnetize to you instead of putting up your dukes?

[wstein]

Like attracts like.

If you dare to, imagine being around people who share you values, and surely they will be there, when you least expect.

Seems mocking to me.

While having a bad attitude certainly makes things harder, this is not realistic in many environments or at many skill levels. Though I am sure some advanced mystics can get this to work, many are not THAT powerful.

Further while a few attitudes around may change, most people don't change much. Trying to change others is fraught with its own issues. When the majority of your environment is hostile, its still extremely difficult to cope.

If you have any doubts, ask any minority about the problems. Some attitudes have shifted over time, meaning over a few generations. How long were women, gays, witches treated horribly or even killed?