Is it possible that how much a person “wakes up” spiritually is contingent upon what they are waking up to? Is it dogmatic? Is it some fear-based philosophy? For a Christian who experiences an awakening the rules are already in place, all chiseled out on stone slabs for them. Generally, it is enough for them to do what they believe their God would will them to do. That kind of faith is admirable but generally stagnant in its manifestation. Meanwhile, for others who experience an awakening the possibilities are totally different but can be just as unfulfilling depending on a number of variables. Often alternatively minded “spiritualists” no matter their title, Shamans, Mystics, Pagans and many others, end up caught in a loop. They equate their advancement on their given path with how long they have been studying it and where and how ancient it is and how shiny the bobbles are. Unfortunately, making an unbalanced study of their path can mean they aren’t spending much time actually walking it.
Don’t get me wrong here, let’s not look at this as black and white as though one can only either study their path or walk it, that isn’t what I’m saying. What I am saying is that balance is fundamental. Having knowledge about your given path is only a first step, experience, actually living what you have learned, turns that knowledge into wisdom. Having a religion that is set in stone might manifest stagnantly but always seeking, whether seeking accolades and titles, the same old lessons in prettier words or just the shiniest bobbles, presents the opposite problem. While your path might be in constant flux just as you yourself are as you learn and grow, there has to be balance for a grounded approach. When I think of those whom I’ve met that are stuck in what I call “Seeker Loop” it has me thinking about those wheels that hamsters run in. Around and around but never getting anywhere. It might be good exercise but the experience is limited and limiting.
It isn’t my job to change the world but that doesn’t stop me from hoping that the world will wake up and see that change is needed. Simply being that change, as Gandhi is misquoted as having suggested, isn’t as hard as it seems. Based on what I have gathered in multitudinous conversations both in the real world and online over the course of decades, it seems to me that generally, people who act on their innate quest for connection may have many awakenings throughout life. No matter your denomination or approach there is nothing to suggest that it is possible to just be “enlightened” all the time; that too would be stagnation. One sentiment I keep hearing is either the actual quote by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin or some other version of it, the bit about being physical beings having a spiritual experience. In my opinion, all versions suggest that we limit our own experience by choosing to either be human beings having a spiritual experience or spiritual beings having a human experience. I say, why not be both? To be human is to live in a physical body that must adhere to the rules of the physical world. To be wholly spiritual in a physical world would be exhausting and to be wholly physical when there is a spiritual world to explore would be stagnation.
The bottom line is balance and approach. It doesn’t matter what denomination you are, whether Christian, Baha’i, Muslim or Pagan, you are a direct representation of the path you are walking, what are you saying about your path based on the way you walk it? Bear in mind, it isn’t about you, it’s about what you are representing and that is something there are no words for. It is meant to be something that is lived in every action, in every breath and nothing need be said. There is no “one true way” as they’re all one and it’s all true. If that seems cryptic come back to it later, if not, keep reading, I’ll get back to the point, awakening. I hope I’ve made it understood that it doesn’t happen only once in a lifetime and what we do with it is up to us.
“Awakening” is a buzzword that needs no further definition; suffice it to say, it alludes to a state of feeling enlightened via whatever means it is you get there by. The 'how' isn’t in question, the feeling itself, or if nothing else the promise of said feeling, is for sale. The self help industry pulls in several billion dollars a year while lining the pockets of other big dollar industries as well. Taking into account all facets, from media to medications, in the perpetuation of dis-ease, physical as well as mental, could make me sound to some like a conspiracy theorist. As it is I can only go with what I see when I look around and humbly observe, what do you see when you do the same?
One thing I see upon glancing around is that with regard to religio-spiritual advancement, awakenings if you will, the metaphors are getting tedious and the quotes all sound the same, just variations of the originals. No one knows who came up with the originals for certain but people are clamoring over one another to take credit for them now. I suppose when the same messages have to be repeated over and over to the point where they can be bought and sold and have been for ages, it’s time to re-evaluate what’s next. Perhaps when these cliché sentiments aren’t needed anymore because they are just a part of how we, all of us, live and they are simply infused with our lives, we will know the change is coming. Awakenings and epiphanies and breakthroughs are great but until we can move forward out of the hamster wheel or out of the muck of stagnation, we remain the hamster or the brown foam floating on a stagnant pond.
There are choruses of folks shouting ‘ego’ right now, it’s the latest thing (again.) They’re saying that ego is the biggest problem and that people are too tied up in ego to live what they know. It has me wondering why they are so busily thumping their chests to proclaim such. It’s almost certain they’ve heard of the law of attraction (again), why do they feed ego so with all this chattering on about it? This behavior is a classic example of knowing a thing but not living said thing. It’s a treadmill on the road to nowhere, get your exercise and then step off and move forward living it. Ego, like everything else that could hinder ones path if not kept in check, while worth consideration, is just another thing to assign blame to. Moving forward it isn’t about assigning blame or being right, it’s about stepping off the treadmill, it’s about a balanced approach to living an awakened life.
Awakenings are great folks, now live what you know as often and as in balance as possible in a physical world. Here are some basic awakenings for your consideration:
Awakening 1: Give yourself a little credit; Directly related to #2
Awakening 2: STOP thinking that what the “experts” say is the right answer in all matters, without question. Look at things from every angle, only you have the unique experience and perspective that you have. You will see what others don’t see if your perspective has you looking where others don’t look. That’s just logic. While it’s certain there are times and circumstances where the opinions of the “experts” are of great value, there are times in matters spiritual, mental and physical where they simply don’t have all the variables and the only real expert is YOU. Put the “self” back into “self-help.” And that leads into #3
Awakening 3: Think first, think for a long time with an open mind and an open heart and then only take actions or speak words that you are content to be accountable for later, having taken all things into consideration. Integrity applies to things unspoken as well. Trust yourself. And that brings us back to #1; I made it a loop so it would feel familiar.
It isn’t my job to change the world but that doesn’t stop me from hoping that the world will wake up and see that change is needed. Simply being that change, as Gandhi is misquoted as having suggested, isn’t as hard as it seems. Based on what I have gathered in multitudinous conversations both in the real world and online over the course of decades, it seems to me that generally, people who act on their innate quest for connection may have many awakenings throughout life. No matter your denomination or approach there is nothing to suggest that it is possible to just be “enlightened” all the time; that too would be stagnation. One sentiment I keep hearing is either the actual quote by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin or some other version of it, the bit about being physical beings having a spiritual experience. In my opinion, all versions suggest that we limit our own experience by choosing to either be human beings having a spiritual experience or spiritual beings having a human experience. I say, why not be both? To be human is to live in a physical body that must adhere to the rules of the physical world. To be wholly spiritual in a physical world would be exhausting and to be wholly physical when there is a spiritual world to explore would be stagnation.
The bottom line is balance and approach. It doesn’t matter what denomination you are, whether Christian, Baha’i, Muslim or Pagan, you are a direct representation of the path you are walking, what are you saying about your path based on the way you walk it? Bear in mind, it isn’t about you, it’s about what you are representing and that is something there are no words for. It is meant to be something that is lived in every action, in every breath and nothing need be said. There is no “one true way” as they’re all one and it’s all true. If that seems cryptic come back to it later, if not, keep reading, I’ll get back to the point, awakening. I hope I’ve made it understood that it doesn’t happen only once in a lifetime and what we do with it is up to us.
“Awakening” is a buzzword that needs no further definition; suffice it to say, it alludes to a state of feeling enlightened via whatever means it is you get there by. The 'how' isn’t in question, the feeling itself, or if nothing else the promise of said feeling, is for sale. The self help industry pulls in several billion dollars a year while lining the pockets of other big dollar industries as well. Taking into account all facets, from media to medications, in the perpetuation of dis-ease, physical as well as mental, could make me sound to some like a conspiracy theorist. As it is I can only go with what I see when I look around and humbly observe, what do you see when you do the same?
One thing I see upon glancing around is that with regard to religio-spiritual advancement, awakenings if you will, the metaphors are getting tedious and the quotes all sound the same, just variations of the originals. No one knows who came up with the originals for certain but people are clamoring over one another to take credit for them now. I suppose when the same messages have to be repeated over and over to the point where they can be bought and sold and have been for ages, it’s time to re-evaluate what’s next. Perhaps when these cliché sentiments aren’t needed anymore because they are just a part of how we, all of us, live and they are simply infused with our lives, we will know the change is coming. Awakenings and epiphanies and breakthroughs are great but until we can move forward out of the hamster wheel or out of the muck of stagnation, we remain the hamster or the brown foam floating on a stagnant pond.
There are choruses of folks shouting ‘ego’ right now, it’s the latest thing (again.) They’re saying that ego is the biggest problem and that people are too tied up in ego to live what they know. It has me wondering why they are so busily thumping their chests to proclaim such. It’s almost certain they’ve heard of the law of attraction (again), why do they feed ego so with all this chattering on about it? This behavior is a classic example of knowing a thing but not living said thing. It’s a treadmill on the road to nowhere, get your exercise and then step off and move forward living it. Ego, like everything else that could hinder ones path if not kept in check, while worth consideration, is just another thing to assign blame to. Moving forward it isn’t about assigning blame or being right, it’s about stepping off the treadmill, it’s about a balanced approach to living an awakened life.
Awakenings are great folks, now live what you know as often and as in balance as possible in a physical world. Here are some basic awakenings for your consideration:
Awakening 1: Give yourself a little credit; Directly related to #2
Awakening 2: STOP thinking that what the “experts” say is the right answer in all matters, without question. Look at things from every angle, only you have the unique experience and perspective that you have. You will see what others don’t see if your perspective has you looking where others don’t look. That’s just logic. While it’s certain there are times and circumstances where the opinions of the “experts” are of great value, there are times in matters spiritual, mental and physical where they simply don’t have all the variables and the only real expert is YOU. Put the “self” back into “self-help.” And that leads into #3
Awakening 3: Think first, think for a long time with an open mind and an open heart and then only take actions or speak words that you are content to be accountable for later, having taken all things into consideration. Integrity applies to things unspoken as well. Trust yourself. And that brings us back to #1; I made it a loop so it would feel familiar.
"Knowledge makes us want to change the world, wisdom teaches us that the best place to start is with ourselves and experience demonstrates that there is always more to change. Whether that change is for better or worse is a choice."
–Hanna Maxwell