Just some thoughts...
The early Jewish Christians called Jesus teachings, "The Way." Good word. Maybe instead of the word religion, if we called this journey to experience human purpose and happiness,"the way to experience human purpose and happiness" young people would be inclined to take a look. Around the turn of the last century the Dalai Lama taught all day at a theater in New York City. I sat transfixed in the balcony. He opened by explaining the idea of religion's purpose as The Way so simply. I recall the Dalai Lama saying in his throaty English,
I am not here to convert anyone. Whatever religion your culture has brought you up in, stay with it. His Holiness went on. The purpose of your religion is to introduce you to God. Then, once introduced, it is up to YOU to cultivate that relationship. A religion cannot do that for you.
In that line of thought a word about what we call, Mysticism. I think we call it mysticism because we have been taught to fear it. A shame, because that's held so many of us back from cultivating our relationship with God. Unfortunate for us, since the Spirit of God is a principle way God communicates with us. Our fear of hucksters, fake "spiritism" and "seances" is valid. We over-correct to avoid thinking we're going batty or experiencing bad psychic wiring. But God has ways of letting us know when it's the real thing. Our lives could be richer if we took a little risk and followed up on some signals.
Here are some notes about a particular "mystic," one revered by the Catholic Church but never awarded the title, Saint.
Julian of Norwich is a Saint in Anglican and Lutheran traditions and remarkably a Doctor of the Catholic Church. Her "showings" or visions and deep understanding presented by the Holy Spirit over the course of her life are meant to be passed on to those today who are ready to bear this teaching.
First we don't even know her given name. Born in 1342, she lived as an "Anchoress" attached in some way to the Church and died at an unknown date sometime after 1416. Since she spent the last part of her life as a recluse attached to St. Julian's Church in Norwich, England, she is known today as Julian of Norwich.
I'll pass on what notes I can about her showings. When or if you feel ready, you might want to access this information yourself by downloading a copy of Mirabai Starr's insightful translation. I said it was remarkable she is called a Doctor, or Teacher of the Catholic Faith. Her visions at first could seem to conflict with the accepted teachings of Catholicism but Julian is careful to always place these showings as consistent with the wise teachings of Mother Church. As she explains relationships within the Trinity, us and our souls and creation I am reminded of the seeming conflict between Jesus teachings and Judaism, which "open" and explain the meaning of Moses and pre-Talmudic Judaism. Jesus taught by actions, words and stories, parables. In Mirabai Starr's translation of Julian's medieval Spanish we are present as the Holy Spirit teaches Julian by words and visions.