The mystical practice is meant to prepare us for the heavenly gifts of grace. The central point is the attitude - the purity and openness of our hearts. This is where the inner path leads.

First, this requires finding our own access to this level of our being.

Holistic preparation

Preparation is not limited to the heart; it involves our entire being - body, psyche, and spirit. It is a practice that leads to the unity of our whole self, guided by our innermost essence.

The aspect of practice

In Buddhism, meditation and mindfulness are often referred to as exercise. In Christianity, on the other hand, it is rather unusual to understand prayer as exercise.

Basically, however, prayer combines both aspects:

We prepare ourselves - body, psyche, and spirit - for an encounter with God. That is the exercise aspect. And at the same time, we turn to God with our full devotion -thus, every prayer also becomes a mystical event.

Where the exercise ends

When we enter a deeper state, grace begins to work. At this point we can let go of the exercise and allow ourselves to be carried along with the power of the real spirit in the present moment.

Here, only the mystical experience in the present counts. We fully surrender to the divine occurrence.

The stages of inner preparation

The practice usually begins with external exercises that lead us step by step inward. They prepare those aspects that become effective in the experience of grace:

Practice usually begins with external exercises that lead us step by step inward. They prepare those aspects that become effective in the experience of grace:

• Grounding
• Gathering
• Defocusing – opening into vastness
• Perceiving the spiritual heart
• Going inward

For each of these aspects, there is a corresponding exercise.

At some point, everything happens simultaneously - this is the state we ourselves can prepare, in order to make space for grace.

Then grace carries us into the mystical experience.