The Spiritual Life
The energy of the cosmos swirls and vibrates, dancing across infinity in a show of lights, sounds, shapes, and forms so complex and diverse that all the time in the universe wouldn’t be enough to name them. The view we have of this grand cosmic performance may be limited, but we are fortunate in that we are able to see far more than what our eyes can take in, and our participation in the energies of the creation, from the nanoscopic to the astronomical, can be full and complete if we but learn how to look deeply. The patterns that take shape all across the heavens appear before us everywhere in our little world, and the profound truths that shine down on us from the stars and that roll in waves across the seas are written in our hearts as well.
By taking interest in these truths and seeking them out, by opening our consciousness to what is around us and within us, we live our spiritual lives. In a way, our spiritual self is one with our physical, emotional, and psychological selves, but in another way, they are all different, just as many branches can grow from the same tree. When we choose to live a spiritual life, this will have manifestations in all areas of our lives, but there are certain focuses of spirituality that cannot be touched physically or understood intellectually. The spiritual experience is one of the most mysterious and compelling aspects of being alive, and it is unique for all of us.
For as long as humans have existed, we’ve sat around our fires discussing these things, enraptured by the flickering glow of the flames and overcome with awe and wonder by the host of stars that illuminate the night skies. Even though we’ll never be able to explain it with words, we all strive to understand the depths of our connection to the rest of reality, and we all have moments joyous realization that we are in fact connected to all, a part of it all. It is for those moments that the spiritual seeker strives, and most spiritual practices are designed to guide us out of the illusion that we are separated from our Creator (an illusion that, when we believe it, becomes very real for us) and lead us to the truth that we are one with the Creator.
Although the spiritual path is different for every person, there are elements of true spiritual seeking that seem consistent throughout time for different individuals. Remember, each hand has a different set of fingerprints, but tails are not hands and have no fingerprints. There is no wrong spiritual practice if the practitioner is pure, but there are plenty of practices being marketed that are not true spiritual practices. You can recognize a true spiritual practice by the fingerprints it leaves, just as you recognize a tree by its fruits.
My spiritual practice has evolved over several years, being influenced by studies, experimentation, and by revelation. I never claim that my path is the only path, (in fact, I recognize that I walk a path to which few are called) but I do see that there are those who are on the path, and those who are not. Anyone can (and everyone ought to, I’ll assert) have a spiritual element to his or her life, but we are not all called to dedicate our whole lives to spiritual pursuits. This full time, lifelong commitment is what I mean when I refer to being “on the path.” Throughout history there have been those who are called to this path, with specifics and titles varying from culture to culture. Be they shamans or gurus or priests or ministers, certain people seem to have an innate proclivity for seeking out the things hidden behind the reality we perceive, connecting to the divine, and caring for their brothers and sisters in the world. All who hear the call have the choice to follow, and those who follow, find themselves on a path that takes them beyond the realm of what can be known, explained, quantified, or proven. This is the path of the spiritual life, and it is the path that I have stepped forth to walk, in answer to a call that has resounded in my soul for much of my life.
The story of that calling and my gradually made decision to follow it are contained within this section of the site, along with some writings I’ve done since I’ve been on this journey. I don’t claim to be an authority on any spiritual matters, and I don’t wish to tell people how they should live their lives, but I have had some very profound experiences, and I like to share some of the insights I’ve had with any who take interest.
Background
A history of my spiritual journey
The Way
An outline of what, according to my understanding, a healthy (spiritually and otherwise) life entails
A Synthesis Of Belief
My answer to the question “what do you believe?”
The Training Program
The purification/training program that I am currently practicing for spiritual growth
Other writings
Assorted writings on spiritual matters