God, or Spirit or whatever one may call the Creator of this
universe,
is mostly beyond human comprehension.
Yet if God is
infinite, then God is all.
Being infinite, God is one, because
there can be no other outside of God
that would limit its infinitude.
Infinite God has no limits and thus is in all, aware of all, has
power over all, and transcends all.
This physical universe apparently exploded in an eruption of
energy and matter forming itself
in time and space, each of which
is limited and can be measured.
Yet we as human beings are proof
that awareness exists in this universe.
The reality we experience
as human beings is based on our conscious awareness.
Only what
we experience is real.
We experience the physical world by means
of sensory perception, which implies
not only what is perceived
but a perceiver as well.
This subject or conscious being is, in
my opinion, directly connected to Spirit
in its individualized
form as the soul.
At the center and the source of our being is
this Spirit, which enables us to be aware,
not only through sense
perception but also by means of
memory, imagination, emotions,
thoughts, and intuition.
Although we are currently experiencing
the physical universe of energy-matter in space-time,
I believe
that our ultimate reality is this spiritual soul that transcends
the physical universe
and is immortal and eternal.
Others may
disagree with this opinion because of the limits on our memories
and awareness,
which they may try to confine to the body and its
brain.
I believe that we are creative beings and are free to choose
how to use our brains and bodies,
which are extraordinary instruments
designed
by conscious choices over a long period of evolution.
I believe that as spiritual beings we transcend our bodies, which
eventually break down
and are abandoned by the soul at death as
no longer habitable.
Then the human body becomes useless as a
whole entity without an inhabiting soul.
Yet Spirit lives in many
forms, and smaller organisms take over as the body decomposes.
Who and what are we?
How can we know ourselves as spiritual
beings?
Our conscious awareness is limited; there is much that
we do not know;
and we often make mistakes.
Although one may live
gently without believing in this spiritual philosophy,
I believe
that spiritual awareness is helpful for mastering our mortal nature
in order to establish and use a higher communication
with our
spiritual source to develop love and wisdom.
The conscious part
of our being can draw upon
the inspirational connection to the
spiritual realms.
The spiritual self is our soul, which has the
potential to know anything
and can guide us with wisdom.
Other
more conscious or “higher” beings, in the sense that
they have developed
more wisdom by experience, may also be guides
or guardian angels for us.
If we realize that we are this spiritual
being that leaves the body at death,
then we can have a transcendent
perspective on physical things that do not last.
By creating a
spiritual life inside ourselves we gain the experience
that stays
with us and develops wisdom.
We do learn much from physical experiences,
but it is the spiritual awareness of how
our actions may be most
loving and beneficial for all
that enables us to apply those lessons
in other situations.
I believe that love for all is the divine way of goodness and
that this is essentially
the art of gentle living that leads to
happiness, not only for ourselves but for others as well.
In the
spiritual reality of the one God we realize that we are one with
everyone and that
the well being of others is intimately connected
to our own well being.
Spiritual awareness is what enables us
to experience this oneness,
which can be ecstatic and the most
fulfilling passion of all.
The spiritual joy we experience in
sharing love with others is
much more lasting and deep than any
physical pleasure.
This is a practical book about how to experience love and happiness
by living gently
in harmony with others and at peace with ourselves.
I write from personal experience of what works for me,
and I fully
respect the autonomy of each person to decide what is right for
you.
I have endeavored to learn from the teachings of the greatest
sages such as
Lao-zi, Confucius, Buddha, Socrates, Jesus the Christ, Francsco of Assisi, Rumi, Nanak,
Emerson, Thoreau, Gandhi,
Jung, Aurobindo, Dorothy Day, Assagioli, and many others.
Most
of all, I rely on the divine connection within for guidance through
prayer and meditation,
and I urge others to follow their own inner
guidance.
I have found that the wisest people are the most loving,
because they realize that we are one spiritually and that our
happiness
and the well-being of all depends on how well we treat
others.
In the 21st century we are blessed with many technological
advantages that the human spirit
has developed to make our living
easier.
Yet as the African saying that “no river is without
its noise” implies,
every part of life has its disadvantages.
Finding peace, happiness, and harmony with others in the modern
age is probably
more of a challenge than it has ever been, especially
since we now have the capacity
to destroy the entire human race.
In the past, learning how to live gently was a benefit
to those
who practiced it and to those around them.
Now it has become necessary
for the survival of our species.
If we continue to be misled by
those who use violence and wars to promote selfish
advantages for themselves and their wealthy friends, then we may blunder
into a nuclear war
that could contaminate the Earth with radiation
that could make vast regions,
if not the entire planet, uninhabitable
for many centuries.
I believe that at the center of our consciousness is a divine
being that may be called the soul,
which is an eternal reality
and the source of all awareness.
If you think about it, as did
Socrates, Plato, Shankara, al-Ghazali, Descartes, Berkeley,
and
Kant, you will realize that our basic reality is not our physical
body but our consciousness,
which enables us to perceive our body.
The eternal spiritual paradigm is analogous to the Copernican
theory of the solar system
in that the soul (Sun) is the center
and source of consciousness (energy), not the body (Earth).
I
believe that souls are free and that we create our own experience
by the choices
we make before we are born, during life, and after
death of the body.
Being eternal, the consequences of all our
actions will eventually come back to us
because we have to live
with them forever.
I call this the law of infinity.
Thus karma,
or the spiritual law of cause and effect,
is our own process of
being responsible for what we create.
On the street this is known
as “what goes around comes around.”
This spiritual principle,
or golden rule of loving others as you would want them to love
you,
is found in all the major religions and philosophies.
I have
written other books describing those histories.
This book gives
my own suggestions on how we can help ourselves and all humanity
by being loving and aware of the consequences of our actions
so
that they may benefit others and ourselves.
In the great complexity of our being we can contact the spiritual
reality
that is above our conscious awareness.
Some may refer
to this lofty self as a guardian angel or an ascended master.
The spiritual self is always higher or greater than our conscious
awareness
so that as we evolve in our intelligence and consciousness
we may be guided by masters and angels.
These transcendent spirits
serve God and the good of all life.
They may inspire us to reach
higher and deeper in our consciousness
and to accomplish altruistic
purposes that benefit many.
Thus divine guidance comes to us and
may protect us.
Conscience is this awareness that enables us to
make wise decisions
that in the long run will be better for us
and others.
Sometimes by denying a physical desire or more earthly
goal
we may accomplish a higher purpose.
The spiritual self helps
us to realize these greater values.
Our conscious mind is only able to be aware of a few things
at a time,
but we can consciously direct our attention into the
spiritual realms by prayer and meditation.
By calming our conscious
thoughts we can open ourselves to the subtlety of the Spirit.
Many techniques of prayer, meditation, yoga, or spiritual exercises
may be used,
but most important is what works for you.
If it becomes
so habitual that it is mechanical, is that conducive to increased
enlightenment?
Does a religious ritual help to center and connect
us to Spirit,
or does it become a substitute or a distraction
from authentic spiritual experience?
The answers to these questions
are not simple,
and they vary according to person and circumstances.
What is our purpose?
The sincerity of our intention enables us
to communicate directly with God,
who may give us some tests to
see how sincere we actually are.
Jesus and others have taught
that a humble prayer is more likely
to be answered than a self-righteous
one.
By confessing or admitting our shortcomings we can begin
to work on them to improve ourselves.
By examining our weaknesses
we can learn how to diagnose
and treat the causes of our problems.
Everything that happens to us is what we have created, chosen,
or allowed to occur.
To avoid repeating an unpleasant experience
we can learn how to change
our life so as not to create that again.
Breathing is essential to living.
The Greeks used the same
word (pneuma) to mean breath and spirit.
One of the most
basic methods of meditation is to concentrate on one’s breath.
As we breathe in, we can imagine the Holy Spirit flowing into
us through the top of our head.
As we breathe out, we can emanate
love and visualize Light going out in all directions.
This spiritual
breathing of bringing in the Spirit and sending out love is a
spiritual exercise.
Meditation is centering our consciousness
on the divine soul that we are.
Prayer is calling upon God and
aligning ourselves with the divine will.
Henry David Thoreau said
that one with God is a majority.
We can practice this attunement or spiritual breathing at any
time in any place.
The Spirit we are calling upon is infinite
and perfect, instantaneously available, inexhaustible,
is everywhere
all the time, and useful in every situation; it always does what
is best;
you can never wear it out; and it is absolutely free.
Send this Light to all your friends; it is the greatest gift of
all.
Send it to everyone in the world, and always remember it
is to be used
for the highest good of all concerned.
In our limited
consciousness we do not know everything;
but when we trust in
God, that omniscient awareness arranges all for what is best.
Prayer is asking for that divine energy, and meditation is
attuning ourselves to the Spirit
so that we may understand the
answers that are for us.
Not all prayers can be granted, because
only what is best for all can occur.
Epicurus once noted that
if all human prayers were granted,
the world would soon be depopulated
because some people pray to destroy others.
Conflicting prayers
may not be fulfilled.
We are blessed with spiritual freedom as
the essence of God,
and not even God will interfere with our choices.
Yet our power is limited by divine wisdom, and how much one can
interfere with the liberty
of others is limited by circumstances
that hold one to account for one’s actions.
To attempt to control
others is practicing black magic, which recoils upon oneself.
Thus true prayer is never an order nor a demand but always a request
or a humble petition
that may be granted if it is best for all
and does not harm others.
We also can apply this humble respect
for others by not insisting on our way
but always letting others
freely decide.
Thus the gentle way may ask others but does not
demand,
respecting their freedom and autonomy as divine beings.
Because we are one with all,
it is best to consider others as
equally important as ourselves.
You may also pray for personal objectives; but if you do not
qualify your request
by asking for the highest good, you may not
be happy with what you get.
Thus the wise always ask for guidance
toward what is best for all.
If everything were given to us without
a struggle, life would have no challenges.
We learn by the process
of our experience, and those lessons, not the objects we gain,
are what stay with us forever.
We may give thanks for the blessings
we have already received,
for God is guiding our every breath.
This attitude of gratitude is the humility that keeps us in contact
with the higher power.
I have found that attitude is the strongest
determining factor in human happiness.
Joy bubbles up from within
like a warm spring,
and no one can take it away.
Those who find
happiness in the physical things of this world will eventually
lose all of them.
Then where will their happiness be?
We may expand our auras to include everyone present and than
ask Spirit to be with us all.
The aura is a subtle electro-magnetic
field in and around our bodies
that can be seen as colors by clairvoyants.
Practice breathing in the Spirit and emanating love to every person.
When you make personal contact with people, let the love flow
from your eyes into theirs.
Young children are especially responsive
to this gentle love.
Yet everyone thrives on this wonder of the
universe.
Meditation is attuning ourselves to the guidance of Spirit.
Meditation calms the mind and gives it a rest without falling
asleep.
Do not be concerned if you fall asleep.
Most adults spend
between a quarter and a third of their time asleep.
Rest is essential
to the health of the body and the mind.
The Buddha once advised
one of his disciples to sleep if he is tired and then meditate.
Getting enough rest is essential to peace of mind and gentle living.
When we are lacking sleep, we get dark circles under our eyes.
Tired people tend to be anxious and irritable.
Replenish your
spirit, not only with adequate sleep, but with meditation as well.
Sleep is analogous to death, because the soul can leave the body
and experience
other realms in the dream consciousness, which
may or may not be remembered.
Relax and rest the body.
Close the
eyelids and go within yourself.
If you notice a sound or a thought,
come back to the awareness of your breathing.
If the thought is
worth examining, observe where it goes.
Do not be afraid to learn
more about yourself.
Contemplate your life and its meaning, what
you have done, what you are doing,
and what you may do next.
Ask
yourself, “How can I improve on that?
What can I learn from
that experience I am remembering?
How could I handle a situation
like that better the next time?”
If you find yourself awake
at night when usually you sleep,
maybe this self-examination is
needed.
Meditation is a preparation for death because in this experience
the body is not important.
This is learning how to live as a non-physical
being.
Socrates and Plato advised us to practice dying,
as dying
is the separation of the soul from the body.
When our body dies
and we leave here, we only take with us our experience.
Thousands
of near-death experiences, which have been studied recently,
indicate
that part of the transition of dying is experiencing a review
of one’s life.
A significant aspect of these reports is that people
experience not only what they did
but also how it affected others.
This again is the essential oneness of karma and our responsibility.
If we harmed someone else, who is really like our self and thus
in ultimate reality us,
then we need to understand how we did
that.
The key to unlocking the secret treasures inside ourselves
is love.
To love others we need to love ourselves first;
we can
only love others as much as we love ourselves.
By taking care
of ourselves first we are better able to take care of others too.
We are in charge of our own life, and we must make our own decisions.
No one can make us do anything we do not choose to do.
Thus, our
first responsibility is to handle our self well.
Understanding
our own personal idiosyncrasies can help us do this.
Although
our souls are essentially the same, we all have different experiences.
What works for me may not work for you and vice versa.
Our glorious
freedom enables us to choose what we want to experience.
Ultimately
the only thing we must do in this life is to die and leave the
body;
everything else is a free choice.
Take time to get to know
yourself.
The Greeks inscribed the words “Know yourself” on their most sacred temple at Delphi.
Pythagoras recommended
reviewing your day at night and again the next morning.
Socrates
said that for a human the unexamined life is not livable.
During sleep we dream what we most need to experience
in order
to keep our psyche (soul) healthy.
Everything in the dream is
created by our own consciousness.
Only rarely is some physical
impression incorporated into a dream
so that we may not yet awaken.
When you first begin to wake up is the time to retrieve your dreams
before they are forgotten.
Dreams are like movies in which we
are the writer, director, actors, scene artist,
costume designer,
and audience;
all the characters and events come from what is
inside of us.
Often our subconscious mind uses clever symbols
to
disguise the meaning from our conscious awareness.
Dreams release
subconscious karma and help us
to resolve the psychological tensions we have experienced.
We can become conscious in a lucid dream,
and that indicates we are gaining self-awareness.
Our consciousness
is not limited by our physical circumstances,
and thus we can
relate to anyone in the world or to those who have passed beyond
this world.
Some dreams that indigenous peoples call “big
dreams” may actually be communications
with other souls on
higher planes of awareness.
The more we are able to center our
consciousness in the soul and find peace of mind
the more easily
are we able to have these transcendent experiences.
Some may want
to keep a dream journal;
others are content to recall dreams and
carry them in their memory.
Our life and awareness have many dimensions beyond what is
conscious in our minds.
What psychologists call the subconscious
and unconscious minds contain many subtle levels
of awareness
that affect and provide resources for our conscious self.
This
chapter discusses the spiritual side of those realms
that might
also be called the superconscious.
The next chapter will relate
to the parts of the unconscious that are closer to the physical
body
in what I call the natural self.
The spiritual self has been
called the higher self, conscience, soul, spirit, angels, God,
avatar,
Buddha, Messiah, or Christ.
George Washington wrote, “Labor
to keep alive in your breast
that little spark of celestial fire, called conscience.”
In human experience the conscious self
is responsible for making conscious decisions
and thus tends to
mediate between the divine principles of the more abstract spiritual
realms
and the more basic or lower needs, instincts, drives, and
desires of the physical body
and the emotions that have developed
from the conditioning of experience.
I have conceptualized twenty-seven ideals or divine principles,
which I believe are
attributes of God and can be used to guide
our consciousness to what is best for all.
They are goodness,
truth, beauty, reality, awareness, joy, will, freedom, responsibility,
love, wisdom, power, courage, faith, patience, law, justice, peace,
life, growth,
fruition, creativity, balance, harmony, life, growth,
fruition, creativity, balance,
harmony, wholeness, health, and
perfection.
In the created worlds of form every positive principle
has its opposite contrary or lack.
In this philosophy the negative
expressions are like temporary shadows
that will pass away eventually,
while the divine principles, in addition to their relative meaning,
also have the absolute reality of God.
Because God is the only
infinite being, in the creation the negative expressions of misguided
souls are only temporal and will not last forever.
In this world
we make errors or pursue limited objectives
that bring about suffering for ourselves and others.
From the spiritual perspective these
experiences teach us how to be responsible creators.
If we are
wise, we hold to the divine principles as best we can so that
our experiences
will be of the quality of these principles,
which
I believe are all interrelated and mutually affirming.
God is good, the most general concept of value.
Choosing what
we believe is good while rejecting what we think is bad
is how
conscious intention works and is the basis of ethics.
As spiritual
beings everyone naturally chooses what one thinks is good,
although
others may disagree.
We direct our consciousness intentionally
with purpose by what we think is good.
From experience of the
consequences of decisions people learn that what one thought
was
good may not turn out as one expected.
Thus we are continually
learning what is good and thus approach closer to God realization.
Many people only consider what is good for oneself,
and they may
often find themselves in conflict with other selfish people.
Some
even argue that this is how people are,
and they denounce idealism
or altruism as unrealistic.
However, I am suggesting that considering
what is good for all
will in the long run yield better results.
This does not have to be unrealistic.
We can be aware that others
often act selfishly and take that into consideration.
If we are
more considerate, we may seem to have more difficulties immediately;
but these experiences give us lessons about life.
If we remain
true to our ideals, some will realize that we are a “good
person” in that
we take others into consideration.
Such a
person tends to gain cooperation and friends.
The Chinese philosopher
Mencius believed that humans are innately good.
I believe that
these divine principles offer the best guidance as to what is
truly good.
God is also the truth, what is.
Spiritual awareness seeks to
know what is true just as action aims to do good.
Truth is found
in the absolute divine principles and in the relative facts of
experience.
Being conscious of something is dualistic, and our
mental concepts may be true or false.
False concepts are temporary
delusions that can be cleared up by the light of truth.
Holding
to the truth is important, because when we diverge from it,
we
find ourselves separated from reality.
Honesty is fundamental
to any relationship of trust.
The person who attempts to gain
some advantage by deceiving others
is only fooling oneself, because
ultimately the truth cannot be denied.
As Jesus said, truth frees
us.
Ultimately we all will realize, as Jesus did, that we are
the truth, life, and the way.
Understanding the truth helps us
live a better life.
Those who deviate from truth make things more
complicated, tricky, and difficult,
while those who are truthful
find life simpler and do not have to try to remember
a web of
lies in order not to lose credibility.
Surely everyone would rather
have a relationship with an honest person rather than a liar.
In some circumstances being truthful may be difficult, but
that is usually because there are
behaviors or forces at work
in that situation which need to be improved.
Often people refrain
from telling the truth because they do not want to hurt someone’s
feelings.
Yet there are ways to handle these situations without
giving a false impression.
One can say nothing or be sensitive
and diplomatic.
(See the chapter on compassionate communication.)
Or a close enough trust in ourselves and each other can develop
so that we can face the truth.
I would much rather people be honestly
critical of me rather than
not mention what is bothering them
so that I can have opportunity to learn
and make adjustments if
necessary.
Gandhi and others have said, “There is no god
higher than the truth.”
Beauty is perceiving with a positive judgment, seeing or hearing
a wonderful pattern in life.
As the aesthetic superlative, beauty
is often associated with the arts;
but beauty can also be experienced
as a deep appreciation of life and nature
when we are able to
perceive their glorious qualities.
Beauty is also a goal we seek
in our manner of doing things well
so that they have a pleasing
effect.
Beauty awakens and attracts love, which creates more beauty
to perpetuate love.
Beauty motivates procreation and thus selects
positive characteristics for reproduction.
Like all values, beauty
is ultimately subjective, and its perception comes from within
as well as from objective criteria.
Those seeking beauty in life
are looking for harmony and balance,
and they have the gift of
appreciation, which can motivate oneself and others to do better.
The art of gentle living includes creating beautifully for the
benefit of all.
Reality implies what truly is, being, or what cannot be denied
because its presence is obvious.
Spiritual being is reality because
it is always present and never changes in its ultimate essence,
whereas the created worlds are becoming and always changing.
To
be real means being authentic and facing up to what is.
In this
spiritual philosophy the divine ideals or principles that are
the essence of God
are most real, because they are the qualities
that are best and remain forever.
God is the eternal reality in
all things.
Being real means being true to yourself as a person
rather than
trying to present yourself as something you are not.
As already indicated, awareness is our experience of life.
Without awareness, there is nothing.
Awareness is what enables
us to understand the universe and interact with it in intelligent
ways.
Thus intelligence is one of the most important attributes
or ways of defining the divine and human experience.
By endeavoring
to increase our awareness, we expand our consciousness and ability
to do good, perceive beauty, and know the truth.
Awareness is
a continual process of having an open mind and learning from every
experience.
Awareness of what we do not like and unpleasant realities
is
also important as it enables us to respond to those circumstances.
Joy comes from within spontaneously when we are in intimate
contact with Spirit.
We are exalted by the divine presence.
Joy
is one of the rewards of living by divine principles, and we share
it with others
in our enthusiasm for divine attributes.
Joy, happiness,
or bliss have been described by Aristotle and others
as the ultimate
goal in life.
Everything else is a means to happiness, which is
sought only for itself.
Being blessed by God fills us with a sense
of well being and gratitude.
Joy usually results from living by
divine principles
and is evidence that we are doing so.
Although
physical pleasures can also be joyous, spiritual joy tends to
be more lasting
and is not limited by negative consequences.
Like
all the divine principles, joy is free and immediately available
to us from within ourselves.
Being true to ourselves brings inner
contentment.
As Spirit flows through us, we radiate well being.
Will is the conscious ability to direct intention and is a
divine attribute shared by humans.
Will implies conscious purpose
and is freely chosen.
Divine will is guided by the other divine
principles, but human will may deviate
and cause consequences
that lead to various learning experiences.
Spiritual progress
is made by learning how to align one’s human will with the divine
will
by acting in ways that are good for all.
Being willing to
serve this greater good puts one on a spiritual path.
We are exercising
the divine will when we consciously choose to do what is best
from a spiritual perspective rather than submitting to other motivations.
Human will comes from God, and no one can take it away.
Freedom has been given to every being by God and is the ability
to express oneself
however one chooses.
We learn and develop our
wisdom by exercising our freedom in various circumstances.
Spiritual
awareness is inner directed.
Those who let others control them
have surrendered their freedom,
but they can always regain it
by asserting their independence.
Freedom allows us to make mistakes,
and that is often how we learn.
To practice this divine principle
one must learn how to respect the freedom of others.
Those who
try to restrict the freedom of others will eventually learn
that
others will then try to limit them also.
We are only as free ourselves
as we allow others to be.
Greater spiritual awareness gives more
choices and thus greater freedom,
while violating divine principles
brings about troubles that limit our freedom.
Responsibility is a modern word for the ancient law of karma
that measures action.
We reap what we sow; we are responsible
for the consequences of our actions.
As eternal beings, all our
actions must eventually return to their source.
Thus the spiritual
unity of God assures that all beings are responsible for their
actions.
Whatever we do to others we do to ourselves.
By consciously
taking responsibility for what we create we manifest a greater
integrity
that keeps us free of unresolved problems and their
bondage.
Ethics is about being responsible.
Each individual is
responsible for oneself physically, emotionally, mentally, and
spiritually.
In the greater spiritual oneness we are also responsible
for and to each other.
If we are a part of a group, we are responsible
for our participation in that group.
God is love.
I agree with Jesus and Paul that love is the greatest
divine principle.
Love is the action of goodness and what naturally
moves every spiritual being.
We do what we love, seek love, and
go where love directs us.
People are motivated by love, but we
can love many different things.
The quality of our experience
is determined by what we love.
Our love may be confined by selfish
desires, or it may be expanded by caring for others.
Love attracts
us to each other for mutual cooperation and procreation.
Ultimately
we learn to expand our love to be more like God.
This spiritual
philosophy proposes that loving the divine qualities is the best,
but often people love physical or personal things more.
The limited
consequences of these then help one to learn from the experiences
how to love more wisely.
The Old and New Testaments
advise us to love God all and our neighbors as ourselves.
By loving
Spirit and the spirit in others we are loving the one infinite
Being.
Loving our neighbors as ourselves implies that we love
ourselves;
for how can we love anyone else if we do not begin
by loving ourselves?
Without loving the spiritual qualities within
we would have no love to give to anyone else.
Spiritual love is
unconditional and continues no matter what happens,
forgiving
errors and always having a fresh attitude of openness.
Love gives,
shares, accepts, understands, allows, adjusts, supports, nurtures,
cares,
pleases, enjoys, guides, vitalizes, soothes, responds,
and does many more wonderful things.
Divine love does all these
in the way that is best for all.
Wisdom is an attribute of infinite God and can be developed
in humans by learning from experience.
Wisdom implies spiritual
understanding as well as knowledge,
and it includes good judgment
that takes into consideration spiritual values.
Wisdom is important
in ethics.
Science endeavors to gain knowledge,
and wisdom is
needed to apply that knowledge well in life.
Wisdom is holistic
and considers what is best for all.
We often learn from suffering,
but the wise also learn from others
and thus can avoid much suffering.
Wisdom implies action as well as knowledge.
The wise not only
know what is best they also do it.
Humans have surpassed all other
creatures on land by our ability to apply intelligence,
and it
still remains an open question whether we will learn
how to maintain
life in a sustainable way.
We all can learn from the collective
wisdom of humanity
as well as from our inner guidance.
Wisdom
is usually found in a mature spirit who has synthesized many lessons
from life.
Although in the flow of Spirit wisdom can even come
from a young child,
usually one develops wisdom in an area of
life after much careful and conscientious
experience that refines
many lessons into subtle awareness.
Spiritual power is expressed in humans as virtue, which does
what is good.
God has extended power into individual souls, which
must learn how to respect each other.
Power is the ability to
accomplish.
Potential is within everyone, but abilities usually
take much practice to develop.
Power also implies taking action
to exert one’s influence.
Power is not always positive in that
it can be abused;
the negative side is not the divine aspect.
Being able is good, and this ability or power must be used wisely
for the good of all to be a divine expression.
They say, “The
abuse of greatness is the abuse of the power,”
and politicians
have been warned that “power corrupts.”
Power to be
good must be used responsibly without harming anyone.
Yet power
is an important attribute of God,
and many believe that as the
infinite being God is omnipotent.
Yet the power of God is omnipresent
love that
mysteriously is able to respect the freedom of all beings.
The divine principles work together, and to concentrate on any
one alone is incomplete.
Thus power to be used well must be combined
with
goodness, love, wisdom, justice, responsibility, etc.
Courage comes from the word for heart and gives us strength
to do what is right.
We gain courage by being true to our deepest
ideals.
Courage comes from within and motivates us to do what
is best
despite difficulties and dangers.
The truly courageous
are guided by wisdom.
In my opinion the bravery that harms or
kills others out of some misguided loyalty
is not a divine principle.
Yet the courageous are often willing to sacrifice themselves for
the good of others.
We need courage to face reality.
Spiritually
courage can be examining ourselves without illusions or excuses.
Courage enables us to act boldly and help bring about the divine
plan.
Faith in an infinite God also enables us to be willing to sacrifice
ourselves
if necessary for the greater good.
Trusting in God is
being confident that the universe is just,
that if we are honest
and good, everything will work out all right.
Trusting human beings
is a positive quality, yet we can be careful about not trusting
blindly.
Trust will often bring out the best in people;
but if
it does not, we can adjust accordingly.
Faith in God helps one
to adhere to spiritual values and apply divine principles,
knowing
that in the long run these will bring about the best results.
Patience is another divine attribute that enables us to transcend
space and time
by trusting in the infinite Spirit that is always
here now.
Patience is the ability to forgive and to maintain an
open and friendly attitude
no matter how many difficulties may
occur.
Being patient allows Spirit to work its will.
God is infinitely
patient with our errors and shortcomings and offers us an example
to apply to ourselves and others.
Divine patience allows us to
learn in our own way and time.
Patience enables us to endure or
transcend temporary pains and sorrows.
If we are eternal beings,
then we can afford to be patient
with all the temporal conditions
that will eventually pass away.
Laws are principles that maintain order and shape how things
operate in the universe.
Spiritual laws are immutable and are
always good
because they are designed by a wise and good Creator.
Scientists study the natural laws that preserve the order and
stability of the physical universe
and make it comprehensible.
Human laws are devised by societies to guide and regulate conduct.
They can be violated, but sanctions may be applied for doing so.
Because humans are fallible, some political laws or governmental
policies may be unjust.
In such cases civil disobedience may be
adhering to higher spiritual principles
in order to bring about
needed reform.
Respect for spiritual and physical laws is essential,
and human laws are important
as social mechanisms for deciding
on the limits of human behavior.
The spiritual and natural laws
cannot be changed, though our understanding of them varies.
Human
laws are changed as society learns how best to govern itself
with
collective decision-making that respects the rights of all.
Justice is an important divine principle and human virtue.
Justice is the higher principle which should guide how human laws
are applied.
Justice maintains fair and harmonious relations between
souls,
who are equally divine and should be treated so.
Justice
makes sure that no one is above or below the law that applies
equally to all.
Justice is what is right for everyone, and it
is best applied by someone who is
neutral, objective, unbiased,
and detached from irrelevant considerations
while being devoted
to treating all equally and according to the facts.
Justice in
society implies distributing the opportunities and benefits of
the world to all.
We usually recognize what each has earned and
deserved as just.
Justice resolves conflicts in ways that are
fair for all.
Peace has been called the fruit of justice.
Like patience,
peace is a transcendental quality that has risen above the fray.
Our soul at the center of our being is always calm and at peace,
and this can be experienced in meditation.
When we are in harmony
with God and the universe, we naturally feel peaceful.
Peace allows
love to flow, and it emanates well being.
God is imperturbable,
and a peaceful person has the ability
to handle conflict, turmoil,
upset, anger, and other violent emotions and actions
without losing
one's poise and calm center.
In peace one can meditate, contemplate,
and act wisely.
Martin Luther King said, “True peace is not
merely the absence of tension;
it is the presence of justice.”
Dr. King also said,
“The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.”
In an unjust situation the truly peaceful person
may be working
very hard to bring about justice.
Spirit is life eternal and gives life to all creatures.
Life
is a miracle and is abundant on this planet.
Living organisms
are unified individuals with extraordinary abilities of adaptation
that enable them to survive and have diverse experiences that
include reproducing.
That life has evolved on Earth over billions
of years into diverse species,
including extremely sophisticated
mammals, is a testimony
to the intelligent design of the Creator.
Evolution by natural selection implies a consciousness in the
organisms
that does the selecting even though the long development
has been through trial and error.
The miracle of life is that
awareness has been integrated into physical forms
that spiritual
beings can use to gain experience by interacting
with each other
and physical things.
For spiritual beings in living forms life
is obviously an essential value,
and killing is a violation of
that principle.
Thus it is important that we respect life and
act in ways that preserve life
and enhance the opportunities for
positive experiences.
The bodies of living organisms are able
to take in nourishment, metabolize substances,
release waste,
and use energy for various abilities
without the organism consciously
directing every process.
Thus living organisms have developed
much unconscious intelligence,
and the more complex ones offer
great experience to those spiritual beings
that inhabit them for
as long as the organism can function.
Death is not the opposite
of life but of birth,
and both are transitions of the soul in
or out of the body.
The soul is eternal and the essence of life.
Growth is a natural process of life.
We grow in many ways without
always consciously endeavoring to do so.
Jesus described the miracle
of Spirit or the sovereignty of God as like a mustard seed.
Although
it is one of the smallest seeds, the mustard seed grows quickly
into a large plant.
Spirit has used the long process of evolution
to form organisms that are programmed
by the results of their
experiences and natural selection to adapt naturally.
Growth is
not merely quantitative but qualitative as well and includes improved
organization.
Beings also grow in consciousness by having experiences.
No one can lose experience because every experience is a gain.
This continuous growing process not only evolves organisms but
spiritual beings as well.
Fruition is the production of life.
As creative beings we have
the ability to produce things,
and success in doing so is a divine
principle.
By inhabiting organisms descended from ancestors that
have successfully survived,
souls can gain experience within a
system that has natural success mechanisms
already programmed
into the organism by heredity.
Humans have the ability to produce
many things that can improve our way of life,
and each success
enables us to progress a step farther in our creative development.
Producing good things is a spiritual quality, and Jesus advised
us that people are known
by the fruits of their deeds.
Thus good
work leads to beneficial results.
As souls we are one with the Creator and thus are creative
also.
We are learning how to be responsible creators by having
experiences
in the limited worlds of creation.
Humans are by far
the most creative species, transforming our environment and inventing
ever more sophisticated tools and technology for manipulating
things.
These skills enable individuals to be creative in the
arts, education, health sciences,
technology, business, politics,
recreation, etc.
Creativity comes from the spiritual dimensions
within us
and manifests in diverse ways.
All souls are co-creators
with God.
Balance is maintained in the universe for stability.
That is
why all actions have equal reactions.
Balance also reflects the
principle of equality,
that all individuals are ultimately equal
as divine beings.
Every interaction between souls is balanced
eventually according to equality and justice.
Balance implies
proportional fairness.
As spiritual beings we have a sense of
balance that keeps us upright
so that we do not tip over one way
or another.
When we veer off the spiritual path, we will be warned
by difficult experiences.
If we do not treat others as equals,
we may lose our social or political balance;
unfairness is likely
to provoke resentment.
Spiritual and natural laws make sure that
the balance of all creation
is maintained by adjustments and corrections.
Harmony is the spiritual principle that values good relationships.
Harmony implies concord and helpful togetherness among individuals
who may differ in various ways.
This divine principle can guide
us how to fit our actions
into a larger whole so that everyone
benefits.
We harmonize ourselves with others by taking them into
consideration
in ways that respect them and ourselves.
We do not
have to do the same thing, but we can maintain harmonious relationships
through mutual cooperation.
Some may like discordant notes, but
they can also be indicators for possible adjustments.
Harmony
implies an appreciation of our differences by understanding a
deeper unity.
By harmonizing with the whole we may experience
joy, beauty, and other divine principles.
Harmony includes a sense
of rhythm and proportion in time and space,
feeling tones, logical
relationships of the mind, and spiritual values.
Wholeness is the principle that reflects the unity of God and
the totality of all.
God is one and pervades the entire universe
as the Holy Spirit.
Consciousness often understands by analyzing
things into parts,
but from the spiritual perspective we need
to remember the overall unity.
Also every individual as a soul
is a whole and holy being, and it is not fair
to judge or limit
one because of single actions or characteristics.
As eternal beings,
we each share the holy essence of the divine and have
opportunities
to make right whatever wrong we may have done.
Wholeness also
reminds us to take into consideration all the divine principles
and warns us against becoming fanatical about some partial aspect
of the universe.
Holistic philosophy understands everything in
relation to everything else.
By identifying with the whole, instead
of a part, we spiritualize our consciousness.
Health is the natural and best condition of a living organism.
Health is not only physical but also emotional, mental, and spiritual.
Spirit is the ultimate healer of all.
Benjamin Franklin said,
“God heals, and the doctor collects the fee.”
Health
care workers naturally have important functions in assisting the
healing process.
The soul and the extraordinary physiological
systems designed by evolution
are able to repair damaged bodies
countless times before the entire system
eventually fails and
dies as the soul departs.
Physical bodies are not designed to
last forever but to provide for a natural process
of change through
generations.
Thus everyone must face death of the body, and maintaining
health is a continual challenge.
Health enables us to participate
fully in life, and so maintaining
our own health enhances the quality of our life.
Spirit will guide us to what is healthy if
we pay attention to helpful indicators.
God is perfect, as is every soul.
Perfection implies completion
and the final goal.
God is not only the Creator of all but also
the destination of all.
Souls are always perfect, while humans in
the created worlds
can only strive toward this perfection.
The
divine principle of perfection is applied by always working to
improve any situation.
Spiritual progress is a constant movement
toward greater wisdom, love, justice, and so on.
Ultimately perfection
is only found in the soul within
as we let go of and transcend
all the lower worlds.
This chapter has been published in the book The Art of Gentle Living.
For information on ordering, please click here.