The Encyclopedia Syncretica

An Evolving Compilation of the Varieties of Mystical Practice

Philosopher in Meditation by Rembrandt

About this Project

Welcome to the Encyclopedia Syncretica, the foundation of the Mystic’s Almanac project. This is an ever-updating, ever-evolving project devoted to compiling meditations, prayers, mental exercises, spiritual endeavors and practices from contemplative traditions around the world.

The Encyclopedia is divided into seven sections, each devoted to a category of practice: Recollecting, Developing, Reflecting, Noticing, Understanding, Being and Special. These divisions are nebulous and selected only for their usefulness in the context of the Mystic’s Almanac - they are nothing more than expedient labels, so feel free to dispute and re-categorize them as you see fit.

At the outset of this project, each category has just a handful of practices to choose from. As the Mystic’s Almanac evolves over time, so will this Encyclopedia, with the mission of becoming the most comprehensive and practical contemplative resource on the Internet. For the time being, I have included short links and videos to quality resources that can teach something about the practices. In the future, this page will update with new practices, deeper explanations and better resources as I discover and create them. I also plan to launch a podcast project of conversations with master practitioners to add extra depth.

If you have any questions about a practice, or about an interpretation or resource as listed here, please e-mail me at vividvoid@substack.com.

On Context

It’s important to me to be sensitive to the setting, history and ethnic context of these spiritual practices. Many contemplative practices become nonsensical outside of their religious context, or outside of the broader ecology of practice in which they have developed (Many Tibetan and Jewish practices are like this, for instance.) Others can generate quite a lot of controversy even within their own religious traditions (such as contemplation within Christianity and Islam.)

I have done my best to wisely include only those practices that both stand alone and work well in a syncretic ecology - that is to say, they remain effective and resonant across contexts. All of these can be performed by “spiritual-but-not-religious” practitioners, and many can be performed in a totally secular context.

However, it’s important to note that changing the context of a practice fundamentally changes the practice. Most religions have established theological traditions for experimenting with and interpreting contemplative practices across contexts, but SBNR and secular practitioners will lack this structure, so to those readers, I would advise: suspend your expectations, attend closely to what the practice is doing for you, and determine whether it is effective in helping you become a truer, more alive contemplative.

Practices like Tibetan deity yoga or Brother Lawrence’s Remembrance, for instance, will almost certainly be ineffective outside of their belief systems. The principles behind some Orthodox Christian or Zen Buddhist practices may produce effective results when paired with some traditions, but may fail to do much (or even be harmful) in others.

As with all contemplative exercise, it is crucial that you accept nothing on authority and see for yourself what the practices are doing for (and to) your mind.

I deeply encourage you to follow your heart toward learning more about the faith traditions, cultures and geographies from which these practices came - if they are calling you to take them deeper into you, or you into them, I hope you will respond in a humble, loving spirit. Whether or not you choose to commit to a tradition, I hope you will continually move toward greater skill and sensitivity with your chosen practices and their sources in culture, history and geography.

Trying and Choosing Practices

I encourage all who are new to the Mystic’s Almanac to try as many practices as you can, at least three times, even if you are already an experienced meditator. There is much to gain from practicing in a totally different way than you are used to, even if you ultimately return to your same old routine. When you find a practice that deeply resonates, I hope you will adopt it and practice it into your bones.

Last, I hope you will insist that all practices earn their keep. Life is short. You should only practice something to mastery if you find it engaging, challenging and fruitful. If you find that a Recollecting practice is doing a better job of strengthening a particular skill than anything in the Understanding category, in Being, or Noticing, or whatever the case, feel free to shuffle practices around into your own personal scheme. I categorized these practices according to my experience of them and as best as I have been able, but most of them naturally defy easy definition. There’s no need to be a stickler. Break the rules and color outside the lines. Ultimately, the staples of your routine will come down to just a handful of practices, so do what works.