I remember the first time I watched The Matrix. It was so foreign to me that I had trouble wrapping my head around it. I had to watch it twice before I began to understand what it was about. Repeated viewings clarified and deepened my understanding.
The same thing happened when I first listened to the music of Tool. I was taken by it but had to listen to Lateralus several times before I could really follow and appreciate the music.
Both The Matrix and Lateralus were foreign to my frame of reference when I first encountered them. It took more than one attempt but once I got them I had "Wow!" experiences. Then I enjoyed them and watched all the Matrix films and listened to all of Lateralus many times.
For some reading what I write about spirit can be like my experiences with The Matrix and Lateralus. What I write about spirit might be foreign to their frame of reference. As a result they might dismiss it too quickly and not give themselves enough time to understand.
Instead of dismissing readers might try to understand within their own current frame of reference. For example, some readers might have their own clear definition of spirit and read their definition into what I write. When they do, they misunderstand what I write.
I am willing to risk my ideas about spirit being foreign to some of my readers. I am willing to risk being dismissed or misunderstood. I am willing to take these risks because I want to offer a new perspective on spirit. I believe a new perspective is needed because, as essential as spirit is to life, most current perspectives on spirit are incoherent and shallow at best.
Current perspectives are incoherent because many assume that there is a broad, general consensus on what the word spirit means. As a result, those who use the word do not say what they mean by it. That there is no such broad, general consensus can be easily confirmed by taking an informal survey in which we ask people what they mean by the word spirit. I've been doing this for years. I have yet to find two people with the same definition of spirit.
That there is no broad, general consensus on what the word spirit means can be further confirmed when we read something about spirit and try to determine exactly what the author means by the word. Sometimes we can tell from the context. Most of the time we cannot.
Since there is no general, broad consensus on the meaning of the word spirit, most of what is said about spirit is shallow. How can we have in-depth discussions about spirit if we do not know what we are talking about? The shallowness is further assured by the rather airy ideas many have about whatever they might mean by the word spirit.
As a consequence of the incoherence and shallowness of current perspectives of spirit, discussions around the concepts of spiritual and spirituality are equally incoherent and shallow. This is the case in spite of the fact that for many spirit, spiritual, and spirituality are very important. This is especially true for the growing numbers of those who identify as "spiritual but not religious".
I want to bring some coherence and substance to the discussion about all three words: spirit, spiritual, and spirituality. I begin my effort by giving short, simple, and specific definitions of the words.
By "spirit" I mean "that which animates and makes alive."
By "spiritual" I mean "that which is of or related to spirit."
By "spirituality" I refer to "a body of words and practices related to spirit."
In order to understand what I write about spirit, spiritual, and spirituality I ask my readers to keep in mind how I define the words.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Friday, January 25, 2013
The Need for Professionals Who Care for Our Spirit
Not everyone can effectively diagnose and treat us when we suffer with physical disease. It takes many years of intense study, rigorous training, and varied experiences to do so. Likewise, not everyone can effectively diagnose and treat us when we suffer with mental or emotional disease. It takes many years of intense study, rigorous training, and varied experiences to do so.
Why do we think it takes less to effectively diagnose and treat us when we suffer with diseases of our spirit? Do we even acknowledge the existence of diseases of our spirit? If not, why not? If so, why do we think that religious professionals such as priests, pastors, rabbis, imams, or other types of religious professionals are qualified to care for our spirits? They're religious professionals.
The expertise of religious professionals is their particular religion, it's sacred writings, history, doctrines, beliefs, moral code, and rituals. They're also trained to be administrators of the faith communities they serve. Religious professionals are experts in religion. They help the adherents of their religions be faithful adherents of their religion.
Some religious professionals do receive some training in psychology and counseling or guidance. Some go through Clinical Pastoral Education. Some become Licensed Pastoral Counselors. As a result they differ little from secular counselors. More importantly, most religious professionals receive no such training much less training in how to assess and treat our spirit. Religious professionals do not study and are not trained to care for our spirits.
Some might say that religious professionals are the experts qualified to care for our spirit. They assume that spirit is within the realm of religion. I disagree. Religion is the realm of religion and has no exclusive rights on our spirit. In my view, every one of us has a body, mind, and spirit. Spirit is essential not to religion but to being human.
We need medical professionals to care for our bodies. We need mental health professionals to care for our minds. We need religious professionals to care for those of us who are religious. And we need spirit care professionals to care for our spirit. I think this is an idea whose time has come: We need professionals who intensely study the human spirit, are rigorously trained to care for our spirit, and have richly varied experiences in doing so.
Why do we think it takes less to effectively diagnose and treat us when we suffer with diseases of our spirit? Do we even acknowledge the existence of diseases of our spirit? If not, why not? If so, why do we think that religious professionals such as priests, pastors, rabbis, imams, or other types of religious professionals are qualified to care for our spirits? They're religious professionals.
The expertise of religious professionals is their particular religion, it's sacred writings, history, doctrines, beliefs, moral code, and rituals. They're also trained to be administrators of the faith communities they serve. Religious professionals are experts in religion. They help the adherents of their religions be faithful adherents of their religion.
Some religious professionals do receive some training in psychology and counseling or guidance. Some go through Clinical Pastoral Education. Some become Licensed Pastoral Counselors. As a result they differ little from secular counselors. More importantly, most religious professionals receive no such training much less training in how to assess and treat our spirit. Religious professionals do not study and are not trained to care for our spirits.
Some might say that religious professionals are the experts qualified to care for our spirit. They assume that spirit is within the realm of religion. I disagree. Religion is the realm of religion and has no exclusive rights on our spirit. In my view, every one of us has a body, mind, and spirit. Spirit is essential not to religion but to being human.
We need medical professionals to care for our bodies. We need mental health professionals to care for our minds. We need religious professionals to care for those of us who are religious. And we need spirit care professionals to care for our spirit. I think this is an idea whose time has come: We need professionals who intensely study the human spirit, are rigorously trained to care for our spirit, and have richly varied experiences in doing so.
Monday, January 21, 2013
The Inherent Eroticism of Spirit
Spirit, that which animates, is life itself. Some believe life is inherently eternal. I do not know how they can know if it is or isn't. All I know is what I myself see and what rings true in my heart.
As far as I can see the spirited, living universe always has been. I do not see a time when it was not. I cannot imagine a time when there was nothing and then there was the universe. That might say more about me than the universe.
As far as I can see the spirited universe is infinite. I cannot imagine anything outside of or beyond the universe of which I know. The universe is everything that is. Regardless of what "everything" actually is, the word I use to name it is the universe.
It also seems to me that the spirited universe is potentially eternal. I say potentially because I do not think life is inherently eternal. What I see is spirit, life itself, sustaining itself by its own inherent eroticism.
Life is erotic. In flowers, trees, birds and all animals, including us humans I see the spirit of the female desiring to receive and join with the male. I see the spirit of the male desiring to penetrate and join with the female. They naturally attract and are attracted to each other. In their erotic union seed is planted and life, spirit, sustains itself.
Consider, for example, the mutual attraction and union between Earth and Sun. They awaken with the dawn of every new day. Earth lays naked before the naked Sun. Sun awakens and begins to rise as he adores his love. Earth slowly warms in the ascending presence of Sun's shining adoration. The more Sun rises, the more Earth warms. She wets with dew and opens to receive his penetrating warmth. He gladly caresses, kisses and penetrates. Their spirits, their joined breath is the wind. At the climax of noon, Sun releases his the fullness of his power into Earth. She rejoices, takes it in, conceives, and gives birth to all their children: glistening stones, plants, animals and all animate beings. Having released his power, Sun gradually descends and sets. Earth cools. They both, still together, rest and sleep in preparation for more erotic living and loving the next day.
By their daily erotic embrace, Earth and Sun sustain the spirit, the life, of all their children. All their children, flowers and trees, birds and bees, Jane and John, live erotic lives. They join, conceive, give birth, and make eternal life not a given but potential.
As far as I can see the spirited, living universe always has been. I do not see a time when it was not. I cannot imagine a time when there was nothing and then there was the universe. That might say more about me than the universe.
As far as I can see the spirited universe is infinite. I cannot imagine anything outside of or beyond the universe of which I know. The universe is everything that is. Regardless of what "everything" actually is, the word I use to name it is the universe.
It also seems to me that the spirited universe is potentially eternal. I say potentially because I do not think life is inherently eternal. What I see is spirit, life itself, sustaining itself by its own inherent eroticism.
Life is erotic. In flowers, trees, birds and all animals, including us humans I see the spirit of the female desiring to receive and join with the male. I see the spirit of the male desiring to penetrate and join with the female. They naturally attract and are attracted to each other. In their erotic union seed is planted and life, spirit, sustains itself.
Consider, for example, the mutual attraction and union between Earth and Sun. They awaken with the dawn of every new day. Earth lays naked before the naked Sun. Sun awakens and begins to rise as he adores his love. Earth slowly warms in the ascending presence of Sun's shining adoration. The more Sun rises, the more Earth warms. She wets with dew and opens to receive his penetrating warmth. He gladly caresses, kisses and penetrates. Their spirits, their joined breath is the wind. At the climax of noon, Sun releases his the fullness of his power into Earth. She rejoices, takes it in, conceives, and gives birth to all their children: glistening stones, plants, animals and all animate beings. Having released his power, Sun gradually descends and sets. Earth cools. They both, still together, rest and sleep in preparation for more erotic living and loving the next day.
By their daily erotic embrace, Earth and Sun sustain the spirit, the life, of all their children. All their children, flowers and trees, birds and bees, Jane and John, live erotic lives. They join, conceive, give birth, and make eternal life not a given but potential.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Love: Nourishment for the Spirit
"Love is something you and I must have. We must have it because our spirit feeds upon it. We must have it because without it we become weak and faint. Without love our self-esteem weakens. Without it our courage fails. Without love we can no longer look out confidently at the world. We turn inward and begin to feed upon our own personalities, and little by little we destroy ourselves.
With it we are creative. With it we march tirelessly. With it, and with it alone, we are able to sacrifice for others," Chief Dan George
At this time in the US we live in deep division and strife. We are divided and strive against each other on moral, cultural, religious, economic, political matters and more. Public and private expressions of hatred are common place. Such division and strife nourishes more of the same.
Some choose apathy and depression instead of expressions of hatred . Perhaps more accurately, some of us turn our hatred inward. This feeds apathy and depression. Apathy and depression lead to victimization and breed more of the same.
I find deep wisdom in the words of Chief Dan George. His words ring true in my heart. We must have love. Our spirit is nourished by love. When our spirits lack love and are malnourished we become weak, our self-esteem weakens, our courage fails, we lose our confidence, turn inward, feed on ourselves, and in the end destroy ourselves.
When our spirits are nourished with love, we grow strong, esteem ourselves, have courage and confidence, we have strength and endurance, create beauty, and are able to pour ourselves out for great accomplishments.
What nourishes spirit? Love. What helps a spirit grow strong? Love. What heals a broken or wounded spirit? Love. Yes, we must have love. We must receive it from and give it to ourselves and others.
What is true for our human spirit is true for all spirits- the spirits of all other animals, the spirits of all plants, all the spirits of this earth. Every spirit needs love.
With it we are creative. With it we march tirelessly. With it, and with it alone, we are able to sacrifice for others," Chief Dan George
At this time in the US we live in deep division and strife. We are divided and strive against each other on moral, cultural, religious, economic, political matters and more. Public and private expressions of hatred are common place. Such division and strife nourishes more of the same.
Some choose apathy and depression instead of expressions of hatred . Perhaps more accurately, some of us turn our hatred inward. This feeds apathy and depression. Apathy and depression lead to victimization and breed more of the same.
I find deep wisdom in the words of Chief Dan George. His words ring true in my heart. We must have love. Our spirit is nourished by love. When our spirits lack love and are malnourished we become weak, our self-esteem weakens, our courage fails, we lose our confidence, turn inward, feed on ourselves, and in the end destroy ourselves.
When our spirits are nourished with love, we grow strong, esteem ourselves, have courage and confidence, we have strength and endurance, create beauty, and are able to pour ourselves out for great accomplishments.
What nourishes spirit? Love. What helps a spirit grow strong? Love. What heals a broken or wounded spirit? Love. Yes, we must have love. We must receive it from and give it to ourselves and others.
What is true for our human spirit is true for all spirits- the spirits of all other animals, the spirits of all plants, all the spirits of this earth. Every spirit needs love.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
A Common Spirit Unifies All
"From the Great Spirit there came a great unifying life force that flowed in and through all things-the flowers of the plains, blowing winds, rocks, trees, birds, animals- and was the same force that had breathed into the first human. Thus all things were kindred, and were brought together by the same Great Mystery." Chief Luther Standing Bear
We live in a time and place of deep divisions. The words of Chief Luther Standing Bear remind us that deeper than all of our divisions is a unifying reality: spirit.
We humans are unified in that one spirit enlivens us all. We share a common spirit. We breathe a common breath.
On a larger level everything of Earth shares the same spirit. The same spirit that makes us humans alive also makes everything else of Earth alive.
Since one spirit animates all of us, we are related to each other. We are kin. We are family. In a very real sense the Earth and everything of it is one, single living being animated by one spirit: the Great Spirit. This is the Great Mystery.
Since one spirit animates us all, since we are one living being, what we do to others we do to ourselves and what we do to ourselves we do to others.
When we love and esteem ourselves, we take good care of ourselves. We do not harm ourselves. Likewise, when we love each other we, take good care of each other and do not harm each other.
I'm not promoting an absolute love. Neither am I promoting an absolute "do no harm." Spirit, that which animates, lives on death. Life feeds on death. Death feeds life. Such is the way of nature. It is not all peace, love, and light.
I am promoting mindfulness of the spirit in all. I am promoting an awareness of the common spirit that animates Earth and everyone of Earth. I am promoting love: love that honors and respects all life, love that is grateful for one's own life and that of all others, love that feels the profundity of killing another in order to live, love that gives thanks to those who die for others to live. I am promoting a love and mindfulness of the common spirit that animates all, makes us kin, and is deeper than anything that divides us.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Why Define Spirit?
OK, so a question asked by a reader prompted me to write a bit about why I think it is important to spend time defining spirit.
I'll begin by sharing reasons not important to me.
It's not important to me to restrict the definition of spirit to my definition alone. However, I do think it would be helpful to have a general consensus of the definition of spirit. Let the public discussion of spirit begin. I'm in favor of the best agreed on definition.
It's not important to me to standardize my definition of spirit. My definition might not be the best. However, just as it is helpful for the purposes of communication to have standardized definitions for "car", "motorcycle", "horse", "house", "emotion", "ego"and countless other words, I do believe it would be helpful to have a standardized definition of spirit for the purposes of being mindful of and investigating spirit. That being said, I do not see standardization happening anytime soon.
It's certainly not important to me to consider my definition of spirit right and all other definitions wrong. I am just not interested in playing the "I'm right, you're wrong" game.
Neither is it important to me to persuade you to adopt my definition and understanding of spirit. If you find my perspective meaningful and helpful and adopt it in whole or in part, wonderful! If you find it meaningless, useless, or plain wrong, wonderful! Either way is fine with me. I am not writing to persuade anyone to adopt my perspective. I'm writing to draw attention to spirit, to be mindful of it, and to promote both discussion about and investigation of it.
So why is it important to spend time defining spirit?
First, as I mentioned in an earlier post in this blog, there is no broad, general consensus on the meaning of the words spirit, spiritual, or spirituality. Whenever I ask individuals what they mean by the words I learn that they mean a lot of different things or nothing at all. It is difficult to know what different individuals mean when they use the words. Given this lack consensus, in the interest of clear communication, it is important for me to say what I mean when I use the words. It is important to me that you, my reader, understand what I mean when I use the words spirit, spiritual, and spirituality. It makes communication clearer even when our understandings differ.
Secondly, I draw attention to being mindful of spirit. I find value in it. I'm confident others do too. The process of defining spirt is one way of being mindful of spirit. When we ask, "What does 'spirit' mean?" "To what is she referring when she says "spirit?" What does he mean when he writes the word "spirit?" we're being mindful of spirit.
Thirdly, and most important to me, I aspire to promote mindfulness of spirit in everyday life. I also aspire to promote scientific investigation into spirit. Given my aspirations, it is important to define the object of mindfulness and investigation. What is the spirit of which we do well to be mindful? What exactly is the spirit that we do well to investigate?
In my own experiences of spirit it has been natural for me to ask, "What is that?" What am I experiencing here with this woman, man, dog, cat, water fall, oak tree, crow, hawk, dandelion? It's not just their personality. It's not just my own emotions. What is it? It's their spirit, that which animates them. That's the definition I'm working with right now. As are answers to many important questions, it's tentative and open to revision as I learn more.
What do spirit, spiritual, and spirituality mean to you? Take some time to decide and feel free to post your view.
I'll begin by sharing reasons not important to me.
It's not important to me to restrict the definition of spirit to my definition alone. However, I do think it would be helpful to have a general consensus of the definition of spirit. Let the public discussion of spirit begin. I'm in favor of the best agreed on definition.
It's not important to me to standardize my definition of spirit. My definition might not be the best. However, just as it is helpful for the purposes of communication to have standardized definitions for "car", "motorcycle", "horse", "house", "emotion", "ego"and countless other words, I do believe it would be helpful to have a standardized definition of spirit for the purposes of being mindful of and investigating spirit. That being said, I do not see standardization happening anytime soon.
It's certainly not important to me to consider my definition of spirit right and all other definitions wrong. I am just not interested in playing the "I'm right, you're wrong" game.
Neither is it important to me to persuade you to adopt my definition and understanding of spirit. If you find my perspective meaningful and helpful and adopt it in whole or in part, wonderful! If you find it meaningless, useless, or plain wrong, wonderful! Either way is fine with me. I am not writing to persuade anyone to adopt my perspective. I'm writing to draw attention to spirit, to be mindful of it, and to promote both discussion about and investigation of it.
So why is it important to spend time defining spirit?
First, as I mentioned in an earlier post in this blog, there is no broad, general consensus on the meaning of the words spirit, spiritual, or spirituality. Whenever I ask individuals what they mean by the words I learn that they mean a lot of different things or nothing at all. It is difficult to know what different individuals mean when they use the words. Given this lack consensus, in the interest of clear communication, it is important for me to say what I mean when I use the words. It is important to me that you, my reader, understand what I mean when I use the words spirit, spiritual, and spirituality. It makes communication clearer even when our understandings differ.
Secondly, I draw attention to being mindful of spirit. I find value in it. I'm confident others do too. The process of defining spirt is one way of being mindful of spirit. When we ask, "What does 'spirit' mean?" "To what is she referring when she says "spirit?" What does he mean when he writes the word "spirit?" we're being mindful of spirit.
Thirdly, and most important to me, I aspire to promote mindfulness of spirit in everyday life. I also aspire to promote scientific investigation into spirit. Given my aspirations, it is important to define the object of mindfulness and investigation. What is the spirit of which we do well to be mindful? What exactly is the spirit that we do well to investigate?
In my own experiences of spirit it has been natural for me to ask, "What is that?" What am I experiencing here with this woman, man, dog, cat, water fall, oak tree, crow, hawk, dandelion? It's not just their personality. It's not just my own emotions. What is it? It's their spirit, that which animates them. That's the definition I'm working with right now. As are answers to many important questions, it's tentative and open to revision as I learn more.
What do spirit, spiritual, and spirituality mean to you? Take some time to decide and feel free to post your view.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
A Different View of "Spiritual Life"
It seems to me that many think that a "spiritual life" is living a life focussed on "spiritual things" rather than "material things". In this view reality is divided into spiritual and material things.
Spiritual things are immaterial, invisible, non-physical, intangible things. Such spiritual things might include a person's god or goddess, participation in the corporate worship and other aspects of one's religion, private prayer, reading sacred writings, contemplation, meditation, denying oneself, giving up physical pleasures like sex, eating certain foods, drinking certain liquids, dancing, or playing games. Giving away money and possessions to the weak, poor, sick, and dying might also be included.
Material things are physical, visible, tangible things like our bodies, sex, food, drink, clothing, housing, possessions, cars, money, manual labor, physical exercise, shopping, dancing, playing games, and reading for pleasure. Material things also include the earth, water, wind, plants, and animals.
Those who think a spiritual life is a life focussed on spiritual things and withdrawn from material things tend to think that the more one engages spiritual things and withdraws from material things the more spiritual one's life is. For example, the more individuals withdraw from bodily activities, physical pleasures, work, material possessions, and the world around them and instead engage in worshiping their god or goddess, reading sacred writings and praying, denying themselves and giving to others, then the more spiritual their life is.
It's also thought that the more spiritual one's life is, the more spiritual one is as a person. So, the more a person withdraws from material, physical, earthly and worldly things and instead worships, prays, reads sacred writings, denies oneself and gives to others, then the more spiritual a person is.
Furthermore, it's thought that the more spiritual one is the better a human being one is. In other words, the true value of a person is in how spiritual the person is. The best human beings are the most spiritual and have the least to do with material things.
A Different View
I'd like to propose a different view of living a spiritual life. In my view, reality is not divided into two separate realms, the spiritual and material. Reality is a unified, complex, varied, and interconnected whole. I base my view of reality primarily on my own experience.
In other words, reality is spirited material. It's spirited; that is, animated, organic, dynamic, alive. It breathes. It is constantly moving and changing. Materially, it varies in thickness. Iron is thicker than flesh which is thicker than blood which is thicker than breath which is thicker than thoughts.
Spirit is breath, wind, that which animates, that which makes alive. Spirited is breathy, windy, animated, alive. Spiritual is of or related to spirit-breath, wind, that which makes alive. To be a human being is to be spirited material, of the earth. It is to breathe, be alive, be spirited, and be of or related to spirit; that is, breath, that which animates.
To live a spiritual life, a life of or related to spirit, is simply to live. There is no such thing as living and not being of or related to spirit, that which makes one alive. All life is spirited and therefore spiritual.
Conversely, all that is spirited, breathed, animated, and changing is alive: the earth, streams and seas, crystals and stones, plants and animals, the wind, rain and snow, planets, moons and stars-everyone.
If everyone is alive and therefore spirited and spiritual, everyone is living a spiritual life and by everyone I mean everything that exists. We all are living spiritual lives, animated by that which makes all of us alive. To live is to live a spiritual life.
It seems to follow that the more spirited one is the more spiritual one is. The more animated and alive one is, the more one is of or related to spirit.
It also seems to follow that the more spiritual one is, the more deeply engaged in living one's life in this world one is. In other words, the more spiritual one is the more one embraces breathing, eating, drinking, speaking, walking, running, singing, cooking, dancing, playing, working, fighting, killing, creating, relating with others, having sex, bearing children, raising children, and more. Greatly spirited persons live greatly animated lives.
Many think that living a spiritual life is about withdrawing from material things and focussing on so-called spiritual things. They think that the most spiritual humans are those who are the least engaged in life in this world. Indeed, those who live and promote such spiritual lives often care little about and contribute little to life in this world. Ironically, what they do contribute is often what they themselves do not value or want: material things, money, clothes, shelter, food and drink.
My view is different. In my view living a spiritual life is about living a life of or related to that which animates us, spirit. It's about living a spirited life. The more spirited, the more engaged and productive the life. The more engaged and productive, the greater the life. In my view, those who live great spiritual lives produce and share with others what they themselves enjoy, all the pleasures of life. The most spiritual life is one lived to the fullest in this world.
Spiritual things are immaterial, invisible, non-physical, intangible things. Such spiritual things might include a person's god or goddess, participation in the corporate worship and other aspects of one's religion, private prayer, reading sacred writings, contemplation, meditation, denying oneself, giving up physical pleasures like sex, eating certain foods, drinking certain liquids, dancing, or playing games. Giving away money and possessions to the weak, poor, sick, and dying might also be included.
Material things are physical, visible, tangible things like our bodies, sex, food, drink, clothing, housing, possessions, cars, money, manual labor, physical exercise, shopping, dancing, playing games, and reading for pleasure. Material things also include the earth, water, wind, plants, and animals.
Those who think a spiritual life is a life focussed on spiritual things and withdrawn from material things tend to think that the more one engages spiritual things and withdraws from material things the more spiritual one's life is. For example, the more individuals withdraw from bodily activities, physical pleasures, work, material possessions, and the world around them and instead engage in worshiping their god or goddess, reading sacred writings and praying, denying themselves and giving to others, then the more spiritual their life is.
It's also thought that the more spiritual one's life is, the more spiritual one is as a person. So, the more a person withdraws from material, physical, earthly and worldly things and instead worships, prays, reads sacred writings, denies oneself and gives to others, then the more spiritual a person is.
Furthermore, it's thought that the more spiritual one is the better a human being one is. In other words, the true value of a person is in how spiritual the person is. The best human beings are the most spiritual and have the least to do with material things.
A Different View
I'd like to propose a different view of living a spiritual life. In my view, reality is not divided into two separate realms, the spiritual and material. Reality is a unified, complex, varied, and interconnected whole. I base my view of reality primarily on my own experience.
In other words, reality is spirited material. It's spirited; that is, animated, organic, dynamic, alive. It breathes. It is constantly moving and changing. Materially, it varies in thickness. Iron is thicker than flesh which is thicker than blood which is thicker than breath which is thicker than thoughts.
Spirit is breath, wind, that which animates, that which makes alive. Spirited is breathy, windy, animated, alive. Spiritual is of or related to spirit-breath, wind, that which makes alive. To be a human being is to be spirited material, of the earth. It is to breathe, be alive, be spirited, and be of or related to spirit; that is, breath, that which animates.
To live a spiritual life, a life of or related to spirit, is simply to live. There is no such thing as living and not being of or related to spirit, that which makes one alive. All life is spirited and therefore spiritual.
Conversely, all that is spirited, breathed, animated, and changing is alive: the earth, streams and seas, crystals and stones, plants and animals, the wind, rain and snow, planets, moons and stars-everyone.
If everyone is alive and therefore spirited and spiritual, everyone is living a spiritual life and by everyone I mean everything that exists. We all are living spiritual lives, animated by that which makes all of us alive. To live is to live a spiritual life.
It seems to follow that the more spirited one is the more spiritual one is. The more animated and alive one is, the more one is of or related to spirit.
It also seems to follow that the more spiritual one is, the more deeply engaged in living one's life in this world one is. In other words, the more spiritual one is the more one embraces breathing, eating, drinking, speaking, walking, running, singing, cooking, dancing, playing, working, fighting, killing, creating, relating with others, having sex, bearing children, raising children, and more. Greatly spirited persons live greatly animated lives.
Many think that living a spiritual life is about withdrawing from material things and focussing on so-called spiritual things. They think that the most spiritual humans are those who are the least engaged in life in this world. Indeed, those who live and promote such spiritual lives often care little about and contribute little to life in this world. Ironically, what they do contribute is often what they themselves do not value or want: material things, money, clothes, shelter, food and drink.
My view is different. In my view living a spiritual life is about living a life of or related to that which animates us, spirit. It's about living a spirited life. The more spirited, the more engaged and productive the life. The more engaged and productive, the greater the life. In my view, those who live great spiritual lives produce and share with others what they themselves enjoy, all the pleasures of life. The most spiritual life is one lived to the fullest in this world.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Spirit, Spirited, Spiritual
For the purposes of this blog, at this time-
"Spirit" is that which animates; it's breath, wind.
"Spirited" is animated, alive, breathing, windy.
"Spiritual" is of or related to spirit, that which animates, breath, wind.
These definitions are radical. They go to the root meanings of the words. The root meaning of "spirit" is breath, wind and not a ghost-like, non-physical double of our physical body.
These definitions are primitive and pre-Christian. They do not assume a dualistic view of reality in which there are two realms, the physical and spiritual. They do not assume that we humans are spirits trapped in physical bodies awaiting a liberating death.
Rather these definitions are monistic. They assume a unified reality. All is one, connected and interrelated. We humans are breathing, spirited bodies. Everyone is spirited too- all the other animals, plants, wind, earth, water, fire, sun, moon, stars-everyone.
Since we humans are spirited, we are spiritual. We are of or related to spirit, the breath that animates us. Everyone living is spiritual because everyone living breathes.
Try this experiment: Suspend your current belief if differs from what I wrote above. Look at everything as if it everything is animated, spirited, alive. Look at everything as being spiritual.
How does this spirited and spiritual world differ from your normal reality? Do you relate differently when everything physical in this world is spirited and spiritual?
"Spirit" is that which animates; it's breath, wind.
"Spirited" is animated, alive, breathing, windy.
"Spiritual" is of or related to spirit, that which animates, breath, wind.
These definitions are radical. They go to the root meanings of the words. The root meaning of "spirit" is breath, wind and not a ghost-like, non-physical double of our physical body.
These definitions are primitive and pre-Christian. They do not assume a dualistic view of reality in which there are two realms, the physical and spiritual. They do not assume that we humans are spirits trapped in physical bodies awaiting a liberating death.
Rather these definitions are monistic. They assume a unified reality. All is one, connected and interrelated. We humans are breathing, spirited bodies. Everyone is spirited too- all the other animals, plants, wind, earth, water, fire, sun, moon, stars-everyone.
Since we humans are spirited, we are spiritual. We are of or related to spirit, the breath that animates us. Everyone living is spiritual because everyone living breathes.
Try this experiment: Suspend your current belief if differs from what I wrote above. Look at everything as if it everything is animated, spirited, alive. Look at everything as being spiritual.
How does this spirited and spiritual world differ from your normal reality? Do you relate differently when everything physical in this world is spirited and spiritual?
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