Mysticism

noun

/ˈmɪstɪˌsɪzəm/

The belief in and pursuit of direct, personal experience of the divine through spiritual practices such as meditation, prayer, and asceticism, rather than through scripture or ritual alone.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

While the secular fabric of the Indian Constitution privileges reason and public deliberation, the enduring appeal of mysticism in popular religiosity reminds policymakers that spiritual aspiration, not merely material want, often shapes how citizens negotiate their relationship with the state.

Synonyms

spiritualitytranscendentalismcontemplationesotericismotherworldlinessasceticism

Antonyms

rationalismmaterialismempiricismscepticism

🌱 Word Family

mystic (n./adj.), mystical (adj.), mystically (adv.), mysticism (n.), mysticise (v.), mystique (n.)

🔡 Root

Greek mystikos = secret, of secret rites; mystēs = one initiated; myō = to close lips/eyes

📜 Etymology

From mystic + -ism, from Old French mistique, from Latin mysticus ("of secret rites"), from Ancient Greek mystikos (μυστικός, "secret"), from mystēs (μύστης, "one who has been initiated"), from myō (μύω, "to close one's lips or eyes"); first attested in English c. 1722.

🧠 Memory Hook

Hear "MYSTERY" inside MYSTicism: the Greek mystes was an initiate sworn to secret mysteries, "closing the lips" (myein) to the uninitiated; mysticism seeks the hidden, mysterious union with the divine.

🏛️ History & Culture 📖 Seen in: Bhakti & Sufi Movements

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