Tag Archives: spiritual but not religious

On the Nature of God

Mysterious Landscape by lxrowe From deviantart.com

Mysterious Landscape by lxrowe
From deviantart.com

Who or What is God? I wondered about the nature of God, and when I sat down at the computer the verse below is what came out. The qualities that we imagine God or a higher being would have are to some extent ineffable, a paradox, enigmatic, and most certainly beyond our limited awareness and understanding.

An Ineffable Paradox

I am the uncreated One.
I cannot be created or destroyed.
I exist apart from the bounds of space and time.
I am beyond beginning and end
For I have always existed and always will.

I am both the Creator, and that which I created
For I made everything in heaven, Earth, and the universe.
I am everywhere and in all things.

I can transform myself into countless forms.
Yet, I am without form.

I am unknowable and unseen, but everywhere you look.
I am Love which is testimony to my existence!
I am what I am.

Copyright 2014 by Blair Atherton

You might like the following related articles:

I Am Spirit

The Quintessence of Life

To What Doth My Heart Hearken? Part 1

The Law of Retribution and Compensation

From WallpaperUp.com

From WallpaperUp.com

**For this Law’s relationship to the Law of Cause and Effect see How Life Works.

If we do not comply with God’s laws and neglect or hurt others, then there will be a price to pay. Punishment may be in the form of pain and suffering, through karmic experience, and/or other forms of which we are unaware. There must be consequences for our thoughts and actions or we would not learn and grow spiritually.

While the foregoing is easily understood, what is not clear is the extent to which we may be able to compensate or offset our wrongdoing with good deeds or by setting things right once again. There may be transgressions that are just too serious to be offset in some way. Further, compensation may only reduce the punishment, rather than totally avoid it.

Nevertheless, it is good to know that the opportunity for compensation exists, and we should always strive to do so. Based on the Law of Cause and Effect, good deeds done with purity of intent will always have a positive effect whether or not they provide compensation for our transgressions.

I hope that all readers will take seriously all of the natural and spiritual laws discussed in this series of short articles. Do not allow their simplicity or familiarity lead you to think them trivial or prevent you from using them as a guide for how you live your life. They have and will continue to govern what your life will be like now and in the future.

Try very hard to love your neighbor as yourself. Be honest and kind, and have compassion for others. Help those in need whenever you can. The extent to which you are able to do so will determine the degree to which you will progress spiritually and whether you will find true happiness in this life.

 

Author’s Note

Another spiritual law, the Law of Service, was discussed in a previous article (see below).

You might like the following related articles:

What is Salvation?

The Law of Service

What Natural or Spiritual Laws Govern Our Lives?

Matte Painting Appearing as Background in the Hollywood Movie The Ten Commandments Source: http://nzpetesmatteshot.blogspot.com

Matte Painting Appearing as Background in the Hollywood Movie The Ten Commandments
Source: http://nzpetesmatteshot.blogspot.com

This question will be covered in a short series of articles over the next few weeks. In my view, there are two types or classes of God’s laws. There are laws like the Ten Commandments and some of the teachings of Jesus that make clear what we should not do and others that direct how we should live our lives.

In addition, there are spiritual laws that determine how our lives will proceed in this world and the next based on how we live and behave now. Upcoming articles will focus on this group. The beauty and elegance of these laws is in their simplicity. There is no escape from their application as they operate automatically. Both sets of laws determine the degree to which we progress and evolve spiritually.

Below I have listed a summary of the Ten Commandments. How many of them can you recall before looking at the list? While perhaps the majority would say they know them, when was the last time they called them to mind and reflected upon them? How many people hold the commandments in constant memory to guide their actions on a daily basis?

The Ten Commandments

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

2. Thou shalt not worship, bow down to, or serve idols.

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

5. Honor thy father and thy mother.

6. Thou shalt not kill.

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

8. Thou shalt not steal.

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

10. Thou shalt not covet anything that is thy neighbor’s.

There are two additional commandments put forth by Jesus that are said to be the greatest of all commandments and encompass the Ten.

• “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”

• “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”

I think many of us would agree that violations of many of these commandments run rampant in today’s society. With increasing numbers of people turning away from religion, perhaps they have forgotten them or chosen to ignore them.

To me, the Ten Commandments along with love thy neighbor represent, in large part, a set of fundamental principles to govern and assure the integrity of human relationships. In this regard, I believe love thy neighbor stands above and drives compliance with Commandments 5-10. If we strive to treat all people with whom we come in contact the way we would like to be treated, then we would not do any of the things listed in 5-10.

Sadly, it seems that honesty and integrity are attributes that too many members of society have put aside in order to satisfy their physical and material desires. Little do they know what they have lost in doing so.

The Bible says love is fulfillment of the law. To love is our divine nature. If we let love guide everything we do in all of our interactions with others, then we will have fulfilled our spiritual imperative.

For a discussion of the Law of Cause and Effect, and the Law of Compensation and Retribution please go to How Life Works.

Harmony and Health

Credit: WallpaperUp.com

Credit: WallpaperUp.com

I have said many times in my various writings that I believe that our true life is spiritual, not physical. Our spirit gives the body life, but when the body withers away, the spirit remains—eternal.

The spirit-self will never die, and there is nothing in this world that can cause it permanent injury. Only we can cause “injuries” to our spirit by our negative, selfish, and destructive mental attitudes, bad behavior, and neglect of those who need our help.

These are failures of character that prevent harmony between spirit, mind, and body. This can cause an imbalance that makes us susceptible to disease. The disharmony is the cause and illness is the resulting effect. Perhaps it is the widespread focus on materialism, rather than spirituality, that contributes to the rise in poor health and disease worldwide.

God will always provide what is necessary for us to fulfill our life plan. With faith in this edict, what need have we for anxiety, worry, stress, or fear? Those who have achieved harmony between spirit, mind, and body are free of these negative states of mind that can contribute to poor health. They are happy and healthy individuals who have chosen a life of spirit over one of materialism.

As Silver Birch has often said, “If the spirit is aright, then the body will be aright.” There likely would be no illness if our spirit, mind, and body were in perfect harmony.

How does one achieve this hard to reach harmony? The anchor, the rock upon which this harmony is built is expression of the spirit. If we are not aware of (or acknowledge) our spirit and its purpose in our physical life, then harmony will remain elusive, and we will have missed the opportunity to have a truly vibrant, healthy, and (spiritually) rewarding life.

Expression of the spirit is one of the main themes of articles published on this web site. Selflessness and a strong desire to help others are the hallmarks of spiritual expression. If we strive to consistently live a life of goodness, virtue, love and compassion, our spirit will begin to express its innate divinity and we will not only achieve harmony between spirit, mind, and body, but also among our fellow human beings.

You may like the following related articles:

Harmony between Spirit, Mind, and Body
The Spiritual Mind

The Privilege of Special Abilities

Christ Healing the Sick Painting by Washington Allston, 1813 Source: Wikimedia Commons

Christ Healing the Sick
Painting by Washington Allston, 1813
Source: Wikimedia Commons

I recently saw the movie Lucy which is about a woman who is exposed to a drug that enables her to use 100 percent of her brain. In the movie, it is said that we use only approximately 10 percent of our brain. However, I am not aware of any evidence that substantiates this claim or hypothesis. Brain scans show neuronal activity throughout the brain.

But I do not wish to debate whether we use all or a part of our brain. What interests me is the idea that the human race has not accessed or expressed its full potential regarding powers of the mind and body. No wonder considering that so few appear to have expressed the third aspect of being—the spirit-self.

I believe that humanity has indeed tapped into only a tiny fraction of its physical and mental abilities. Any uncommon, extraordinary, or special abilities or powers that we observe in a small percentage of the population provide a glimpse into some of the amazing human potential that lays dormant in all of us.

I must stress potential because, as noted, only a very few display extraordinary abilities, and usually only one special ability is seen in an individual. Perhaps some day, special abilities will become more commonplace. However, it may require many millennia of spiritual evolution of the human species before this can happen.

Why is it that we cannot access and express the full range of special abilities that we know to exist, as well as a host of others of which we are not yet aware? I believe that the human race is not spiritually ready for the awesome power that lies latent within it. Humanity’s potential power will gradually unfold and express in accord with its level of spiritual progression and evolution. We must as a species demonstrate that we understand the responsibility that comes with knowledge and special abilities. That is, we are expected to use these only for good and to unselfishly help, heal, inspire, and uplift our fellow human beings.

We can begin to see the danger in jumping ahead too quickly. Man had progressed in his scientific knowledge and ability to learn how to split the atom. However, he was not ready spiritually to use its power only for good. Instead, one of the first applications of that knowledge was to make an atomic bomb.

Although extraordinary and special abilities are seen to manifest physically, I believe that they are actually powers of the spirit that are being expressed through the body. The privilege of such power must be earned. In order for uncommon abilities to be expressed, one must be at a level of spiritual awareness and evolution that is sufficient to assure that they will be used responsibly.

Can Love Save the World?

World of Love. Artist Tales Eloy from dreaming-star.deviantart.com

World of Love. Artist Tales Eloy from dreaming-star.deviantart.com

It seems everyone is obsessed with looking for love these days, whether it be a physical hookup or the search for a soul mate. Either way the focus is on one’s self. Most of us have this backwards. We should be giving love to those all around us. This will, in turn, attract love to us.

Restricting our love to spouse, family, and friends is not sufficient for spiritual progression and does not fulfill our divine capacity and responsibility to love broadly. Radiating our divine love to all we encounter is the ultimate expression of our spirit and spirituality.

We have all heard the cliché “only love can save the world.” This is one of those truths that sadly will remain a cliché until we begin to take it seriously and apply it globally in our everyday lives. If you want to change the world your love has to flow out away from yourself to everyone around you including total strangers.

I acknowledge that this is not always easy, especially when someone is being unmanageable. But we need to try to not react, and simply radiate love and kindness. Sometimes this will disarm the one acting up; sometimes it will not. Nevertheless, we need to make the effort, because the intent behind actions is what they will be measured against in the spiritual realms. If your genuine intent was to give love freely and it was rejected, you still benefit spiritually from your efforts. You will acquire spiritual capital that will help you going forward.

You may wonder how can loving globally change the world? It can do so over time by setting an example that inspires others to follow. When they see the effect your loving ways have on them and others, they will want to give the same happiness to people they encounter and feel the joy and fulfillment that they see in you.

Feeling love and compassion for others, although noble, serves no one if it is not expressed through action. When we become aware of people or animals who need help in our neighborhood, on TV, or otherwise, we need to do something. Make a phone call, knock on a door, lend a helping hand, say a prayer, donate money or time—something.

As we move through our day, we need to make an effort to see beyond ourselves, and our own selfish needs and desires. We need to be nice to people and show kindness to others, even if they are being a bit difficult.

All of us should take the time to give serious thought to what the world would be like if the majority focused on helping others, rather than pursuing their own fame, fortune, and love life. After thinking about this, you may conclude that love can indeed save the world. Let’s get to work!

You may enjoy the following related articles:

To What Doth My Heart Hearken Part 1

I Am Spirit

My Companion and Me

From WallpaperUp.com

From WallpaperUp.com

“Are you feeling lost and downhearted,” he asked? “Come, take my hand and follow me. We have been strangers for too long. Do not be afraid.”

“Where are we going,” I asked?

“We are going where you have always yearned to go. Come I will show you the way. The path we will walk together can be difficult, but the destination well worth it.”

“This is too hard. I don’t think I can do it.“

“Of course you can! Focus on the light up ahead. It will give you strength. Don’t you see how it gets brighter the farther we go?”

“I didn’t realize how we were emerging from such a dark mist. As I look back down the path from where we came, I see that it fades into total darkness. I did not know how lost and confused I was back there.”

“We still have a long way to go, but I will be with you every step of the way. Just don’t let go of my hand or lose sight of the expanding light ahead.”

“As we continue to progress, I feel closer and closer to you.”

“I have always been a part of you waiting for you to take notice. Now that you have acknowledged me, we can continue the journey truly as one—fearless—with great strength and conviction.”

                                                                             *************
Jesus taught us that the Kingdom of God is within each of us, and it is realized through love, compassion, and forgiveness. Become one with your own divinity and show it to the world!

I Am Spirit

The Hodge 301 Cluster in the Tarantula Nebula Credit: The Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STSci/NASA)

The Hodge 301 Cluster in the Tarantula Nebula Credit: The Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STSci/NASA)[/caption

I Am Spirit.
I have existed before time began
And I will exist after the end of time.

I am you and you are me.
I am a victim of doubt, skepticism, and ignorance.
I am present in bodies with minds that do not recognize me.

I give you life—yet, you do not truly live.
I am love—yet, you do not share me widely.

I am compassion—yet, you hide my light deep inside.
I am generous—yet, you do not give to those who are needy.

I give you knowledge, but you refuse to believe.
I show you the Path, but you turn away and choose another.
I provide good counsel, but you do not listen.

I Am Spirit.
I am you, and you are me.
One day you will awaken to me
And our glorious light will shine upon all the world!

Copyright 2014 by Blair Atherton

As with other spiritual verses I have published on this blog and elsewhere, I was compelled to sit in front of the computer and wait for the words to start flowing. The message here is clear: we must understand and believe that we exist as spirit, and not neglect or be afraid to express our divine qualities.

The Spiritual Mind

The Spiritual Mind Copyright by Blair Atherton 2014

The Spiritual Mind by Blair Atherton 2014

I believe that the mind has two aspects or qualities: spiritual and intellectual. We are all familiar with the intellectual mind. It is responsible for processes like reasoning, judgment, analysis, calculation, ego, desire, and other mundane faculties. I envision the spiritual mind engaging in activities such as creativity, intuition, and psychic abilities.

The two aspects of mind likely operate on different planes of consciousness. The intellectual mind (IM) focuses on the physical world, while the spiritual mind (SM) searches for meaning, and communion with God.

Worldly knowledge is acquired by the IM through study and investigation of measurable quantities. Spiritual knowledge can be obtained to some extent by study also. However, oftentimes, the most profound spiritual knowledge comes to us without active searching or any effort on our part except having an open mind and a desire to come closer to God.

Sometimes spiritual knowledge defies logic and ordinary understanding. It can come to us with an inexplicable certainty in its truth, while at the same time we do not how we know it or from where the knowledge came to us.

The two minds look at the world and existence quite differently. The IM primarily sees the here and now, while the SM senses there is much more to existence. Dominance by the IM may lead one to deny or overlook their spiritual nature. It may also lead one to question the existence of God or a Creator, as the IM favors (perhaps requires) measurement and proof over intuition and faith.

In contrast, the SM cares little about the material aspects of existence favoring instead expression of itself through inspiration, creativity, psychic connection, and emotions such as love and compassion.

How do the two aspects of mind reconcile with one another? The IM is essential in order for us to function in the material world. The SM brings meaning to the activities of the IM. The spiritual qualities of mentality moderate and guide the IM toward applications of its faculties that will be spiritually fulfilling and serve the greater good. I believe that a key element of our spiritual progression and evolution is for the SM to achieve dominance over the IM.

Exploring Spirituality Beyond the Confines of Religion

For the last ten months, the tag line for this blog was Exploring What It Means to be a Spiritual Person. That topic remains relevant to past and future content.

The tag line was changed to the title above in the hope of clarifying that the articles then and now, are presented for the benefit of both those who participate in a religion and those who do not. As time has passed, it became clear that this blog may provide a refuge for thought, reflection, and inspiration for people with very diverse views of religion and spirituality, including the growing number of people who have abandoned participation in the rituals of their faith, and/or who have come to question some of the doctrines of their religion.

I was raised Catholic, but in young adulthood left the church to strike a path free of religious doctrine and ritual choosing instead to seek what I believed to be a more free and pure spirituality. At the same time, I never abandoned or doubted my belief in a Creator.

After leaving the church, my relationship with God continued to strengthened and my spiritual awareness expanded greatly unfettered by the restrictions and synoptic vision of the church. I did a brief survey of world religions, not looking for a new home, but to expose myself to different ways of looking at the nature of God and our existence.

One of the goals of this blog is to identify the basic elements of spirituality without regard to religion and to seek ways to apply these in everyday life. I would leave modes of worship or ritual (if any) to the individual whether it should include attending religious services or not.

What is discussed here is presented with the hope that anyone reading the articles will benefit in some way. My intent is to provide discussion and ideas for reflection in simple language that is easily understood and, when appropriate to the topic, actionable.

If you are new to this blog, then I invite you to peruse the array of short articles in the archives which attempt to identify the various facets of what it means to be a spiritual person. The collection represents a very personal exploration of my own spirituality and how it relates to the world as a whole. I hope that you will choose to join me in my quest for deeper understanding of the meaning of life, and an expansion of spiritual awareness.