Showing posts with label monism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label monism. Show all posts

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?