As if it was not enough an honor for me that Rafi Aamer, himself a practitioner of micro-dissection of human thought, while reviewing my article, has invoked the names of giants like Noam Chomsky and Steve Pinker in the review. It leaves no word for my feeling but humility. Thank you for being so gracious.

On question of religion-mysticism connection; it is interesting for several reasons and I wish to note, if I may, that the premises for this question are tied with the preceding assertion where language is thought of as a social institution, which is right and yet a curious observation.

First of all, I think it is the other way around. Language, to my understanding is tool for mental institution of thought and perceptions. If on an unfortunate day the human-thought collapses, so would language, essentially carved out, over time, with hard labor from phonetics as a tool. I do not want to digress into elaborating that language has certainly given us good reasons to acknowledge its own vitality.

I think mystic experience can exist independent of organized religion. To think of mysticism otherwise, is probably due to powerful influence, in some minds, of monotheistic religions of middle eastern belt. However, Mysticism in Native-Indians (That does not fall in category of religion)  can be cited in favor of my ideas. I have gone as far as calling the moment of scientific formulations and musical ecstasy as experiences of exhilaration just as a mystic experience where lingo would be borrowed from their respective cultures. I think, this is precisely why you have descriptions of association with 'Nature' in mystic literature also.

To touch on that mystic experience is not necessarily a religion experience, I would also refer to Buddhism, which can be looked at as a religion but it also defies its being a religion. I realize, it is a separate discussion whether it is a religion or not? Suffice to say that meditative exercises in Buddhism are a process of introversion and internalization for which all religions do have a niche too, subliminal part of religion that I call the mystical conception of religion.

Lets look at it slightly differently. Some of the theological questions pertain to 'Mythos' (Isn't it interesting to see what 'we' believe is religion and similar concepts that 'others' believe is mythology). Anyway, I think, it is approach to such facets of human psyche where mythology, religion and mysticism freely borrow from each other. It is also a known social anthropological fact that religion has taken over the human race and not surprisingly, religious lexis would help out practitioners of mysticism as well in expression.

With these words, acknowledging my own limitations, I think the questions raised by Rafi Aamer are very intriguing and hopefully I have touched on them satisfactorily. I thank you again for your kindness.

With best regards.