In today’s blog, we explore the innate superhero powers of mystics and how this makes them better than even Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman or Iron Man.

Superheroes

We know who the superheroes are. Batman. Wonder Woman. Bat Girl. Iron Man. Superman. Spiderman. The Hulk. Captain America. Catwoman (you’ll know what I mean if you’ve seen Dark Knight Rising!) and one for the kids: The Powerpuff Girls. In the immortal words of Mighty Mouse, superheroes “have come to save the day.”

Superheroes have been gifted with magical powers and/or magical gadgets which allow them to save the world from evil. Superheroes are cool. Superheroes rock. And they have really cool costumes! But, without their costumes, gadgets and magical powers, superheroes are just ordinary people with names like Bruce Wayne, Diana Prince, Barbara Gordon, Tony Stark, Clark Kent, Peter Parker, Bruce (David) Banner, Steve Rogers and Selina Kyle.

The good news is that superheroes are real and are walking among us, housed in the body, mind, spirit and work of the modern-day mystic.

Mystics vs. Superheroes

The difference between mystics and superheroes is mystics don’t need costumes or gadgets, and their powers aren’t what one might call “magical.” Mystics weren’t bitten by a radioactive spider, nor do they hail from the Isle of Amazon and they certainly don’t have the magical crystal which births the Fortress of Solitude where they find guidance and direction from their deceased alien parents.

Instead, the mystic’s magic resides within the innate gifts that they were given at their birth, gifts that could be the possession of each and every human being, should they choose to use them. But, like superheroes, the mystic’s innate gifts are given so that they might… save the day!

The Mystic’s secret weapon and super power

Mystic’s, while gifted and unique, have individual and amazing ways to bring saving into the world and all have one gift in common. It is this one gift that allows the mystic to be present to the human condition in such a way as to be a source of support, healing and inspiration for the world.

If I could choose one superhero movie to portray the mystic’s gift, I would choose the most recent Batman release, “Dark Knight Rises.” The mystic’s gift is not, however, outfitted as Batman with all the padding and bionic supports (Warning: Spoiler Alert). Instead, it is in the foreign prison where a very human Bruce Wayne, crippled and broken, rebuilds his body and his mind.

He then works and works and works to escape Hell on Earth, the inescapable prison, and succeeds through a literal leap of faith. A very human Bruce Wayne used the most important super power of the mystic to accomplish his escape with the power of courage with its sidekick, faith.

Courage and Faith

Courage and faith are the innate super powers born into every mystic because the mystic’s job is to dive deeply into the grit and grime of the human experience. If one is to accomplish the mystic’s mission of saving the world, one needs to be willing to walk into the horrors and struggles of the human condition and one must be willing to experience one’s own pain and to be able to be present for others in their pain.

In this job of saving the day, the mystic has to walk into terrifying situations, to take dangerous leaps of faith and trust that all will be well. And—as every mystic can attest—in the end, it always is. If the outcome of the path is likely to be death, the mystic also knows and proves that even in death, there is always new life.

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Assist Ed: Brian Bruce Casteel Logan/Ed: Sara Crolick