Mystics of all lands and ages have claimed that 'Truth' is the One Supreme Principle which underlies all existence and non-existence, and can be realized as mystical experience. The realisation is not an event but is a 'process'.
Peace, progress, prosperity and goodwill among all communities and creeds of the world is a lofty ideal. Can it be realised? This can happen only when universal brotherhood reigns. Believing in One God - One Spiritual Principle that underlies all existences - cosmic, psychic, epistemological and mystical; One Religion, One World and One Humanity.
Scientists seeking a final theory of everything have now accepted after conviction that the existence of consciousness cannot be derived from physical laws and a theory of physics or, for that matter, any branch of science is not a final theory and must contain an additional fundamental component namely Consciousness - Atman.
Efforts on war footing are underway to determine the nature of consciousness. At the University of Arizona, International Conference entitled "Toward a Scientific Basis of Consciousness" was organized in 1994. The second debate took place in 1996 and the third took place in 1998. Experts from diverse fields like philosophy of mind, cognitive science, medicine, experimental neural science, sub-neural biology, quantum theory, to name a few participated. Mystical experience, it may be roted, was given a prominent place.
It has been put forth during the debate that mysticism is another way of acquiring knowledge. The knowledge obtained in mystical states is direct and immediate. It is not discursive and out of purview of philosophical materialism. Today, it is becoming more and more of a truism that neither science nor philosophy has proved the existence of the external world - aptly called as the 'Scandal of Philosophy' by Kant. Further, mystics from all lands and creeds talk in the same language about their experiences which are bereft of phenomenal contents and cannot be dismissed as fake. They demand serious research.
The third Tucson Conference of 1998 witnesses bestowment of $1.4 million award to the University of Arizona. The Centre has granted $10-20,000 grants per year for studies in various fields aimed directly at the problem of consciousness.
Ultimate Reality is a meta-physical fact. Its realization in direct, immediate and first-hand manner is intuitive and connoted as 'Mysticism'.
A glimpse into the Unitary Principle underlying Truth will bring us closer making 'One Humanity', living in 'One World', following 'One Religion' and worshiping 'One God'.