Toward Perfect Solution/Blog

If asked for advice on practicing one’s spiritualty these are the three things I would say.
 
Understand the distinction between consciousness and awareness. Consciousness is best understood as the information operating in the brain/limitless mind. And may be understood in a range including material, psychic, unitive, form-formless (nondual), and formless. But awareness is best conceptualized in relationship terms of subject and object. Subject considered to be the me/I while object is not me/other. In this model oneself remains the primary vantage point from which the world experience is comprehended. This even as one’s spiritual practice reduces the individual self and expands the nondual self. Note that this consciousness is the information that gives rise to awareness. This is a crucial distinction because any one particular consciousness though ever present is not necessarily significantly influential. While awareness is always operative arising from a particular consciousness. Importantly, for this distinction to be useful one needs to apply it whenever using the terms. Using them interchangeably generates confusion and misunderstanding, e.g. people wrongly claim all are enlightened (referring to awareness) when in actuality it is nondual (consciousness) that is available to everyone but not necessarily primary in a given moment.
 
Second, the relationship between philosophy/theology and experience requires one remain clear which one is being referenced. You’ve heard it before, “the map is not the territory”. Philosophy/theology both codify and guide practice but too often on the grounds of argument and ideal. Concepts used without being informed by practical experience more easily lead to speculation and dogma. Experience emphasizes actions and results, and expresses them in the language of awareness. The terms used primarily address human character and the self. One monitors things like one’s ability to accomplish something through mental force (i.e. will); examines the big three of psychology (i.e. thoughts, feelings, and behaviors); observes spiritual virtue; and, recognizes the identity being embodied in any given moment. Monitoring one’s awareness allows one to know if something is working well or not in one’s practice. Better than only believing because it helps one stay on one’s path. True practitioners think scientifically. Consequently, common spiritual experiences then serve to validate and/or update philosophy/theology. 
 
Lastly I’d say, learn more about mysticism. Mysticism, more than the other three aspects of religious practice (i.e. intellectually knowing God, loving God, or serving God) advocates union with, and absorption into God, Spirit, Mystery. That’s the very enlightened awareness we label as Being that has arisen from the unmanifested, unchanging Absolute. In this regard, mystics both embody and model the transpersonal changes that occur in awareness, demonstrating useful ways to facilitate one’s spiritual emergence. 
 
Focusing one’s understandings through this lens shows the way philosophy/theology and experience are integral aspects of one another. But nevertheless require distinction.

Religious preaching on empathy, forgiveness, care for others, and justice is not working to ease the widening divide among people. And this is not simply because it might be fundamentalist or short on contemporary belief. Rather it is because resolution of this divide is attempted through the usual historical-theological arguments. Our circumstances cannot be improved by scolding people for bad behavior, or by citing scientific evidence, historical precedent, or theological argument. Christianity can be used to illustrate this common error, while keeping in mind it is suffered by followers of all major religions. It is that the faithful are only encouraged to act like Jesus, not taught the mystical means to adopt the Christ mind required to do so. Consciousness and awareness studies have described this elevated aspect of human personality across all major religious traditions. It is there that interpersonal differences are reconciled both inwardly and outwardly; there, that will becomes awareness reflecting divine character. In that regard, no religion is able to truly guide its followers morally and ethically unless practice brings one to God. To that mind where beneficence is Absolute, and guidance is true.

Mystic legacy. I am losing my mind, it’s giving itself over to truth. I’m outside looking in, while inside looking out. It’s ugly. Most of us are lost, living life on its physicality alone, and limited by its conditioned mind. Easiest because it’s the one most intimately connected to the planet, to the material world. That one must break free from the conditioning, and from restraint imposed by worldly focus, is beyond most everyone’s honest consideration. Not wise to these aspects of reality, too many go about their struggles and call it a life. Sadly, using only a small part of their magnificently vast heart and mind. Souls unwittingly doing harm to one other, themselves, and God’s vision. Overwhelming, my hope for humanity will not do, this requires God’s providence. Truth to the wisdom, I’m but a part of God’s grace, and can do no more than love.

Science and religion, religion and spirituality, your beliefs and mine.

Too many people make the mistake of believing in either the forms that existence takes, worldly, other worldly, and heavenly; or, of adhering to a philosophy making themselves an integral part of the absolute mind, from which all manifests. Only when one recognizes them as one and the same does one experience the miraculous living God.

Simply paying attention as best one knows how, brings proof of its existence. And if you write down your personal philosophy of life, especially your theology, not only will you be detailing your own mind, you’ll be mapping out existence, and its ways.

Practice accordingly, and you will find that personal losses are offset, consequently eradicated by the spiritual mind of silence, stillness, and peace. Which along with its good will and beneficence, projects love. 

A transpersonal rebirth of the self at the edge of divinity.

Transmodern spiritual practice postulates that only a secular society can provide religious diversity and freedom to its people. A nationally sanctioned religion only serves to devalue and oppress all the others, inevitably leading to conflict. World history shows this leads to social unrest, persecution, bloodshed, and in severe cases, ethnic cleansing. Religious intolerance and war, forever humanity’s Achilles heel. Though major religions’ own doctrines emphasize acceptance of other faiths, their teachings still fail to resolve this hypocrisy. And they always will, for just by adding man’s words to God’s mind the devil is born. With our spirits weakened thusly, we don’t seem to be able to help ourselves, bowing to divisiveness. Such is the power of religious belief to calm the mortal fears of the masses, while also being the very fear-based creation that contaminates and corrupts religious truth. All of this underscoring the need for daily spiritual union with, and guidance from Spirit; drawing from the silence in between your thoughts where God hangs out. Beyond words, where Divinity informs misbelief on the ways of unity and harmony. Where there’s grace.

The saintly stance involves a kindhearted regard for something or someone. And it is done through a full recognition of their attributes; without evaluation leading to either acceptance or rejection of the actuality. Remembering their sacred relation to you, and allowing the divine will to shape your feelings, moves you to a neutral position; one devoid of judgement. It is here that one finds peace and bliss in each and every moment. And bestows upon the world and others the holy kiss.

Wisdom reminds me,

blessings are not beyond setbacks and misfortune.

The world owes me nothing,

and when it grants good fortune or benefit,

I remember “this too will pass”.

Respecting all life circumstances as the simple Truth,

I’m moved through illusion, and brought closer to God.