Is there more to a person than can be seen or heard?
September 19th 2010 03:17
Are we more than just a physical body?
I did a search around the Internet for some different philosophies regarding spirituality and what is Soul. I deliberately give the word a capital letter because of the significance I put on it.
In my view, my physical body is much less important than my true body, the real essence of me, Soul. I do not have a soul. I am Soul. I do not believe that some time in the future, after I die, this body will pop up from the earth, from a wooden box in which it may have been buried, to join in a celestial celebration of rebirth. This current body is merely another shell which Soul uses to gain experience in this lifetime.
I know there are many religions which put a lot of emphasis on the physical body being ready to join the soul in an afterlife. I have a different viewpoint and I respect theirs.
Here is one piece written about Soul which I actually found in Wikipedia that really piqued my interest.
“The Ancient Greeks used the same word for 'alive' as for 'ensouled'. So the earliest surviving western philosophical view might suggest that the terms soul and aliveness were synonymous - perhaps not that having life universally presupposed the possession of a soul as in Buddhism, but that full "aliveness" and the soul were conceptually linked.”
Those last 8 words just leapt off the page: full "aliveness" and the soul were conceptually linked.
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D wrote the following:
“The only time you ever have in which to learn anything or see anything or feel anything, or express any feeling or emotion, or respond to an event, or grow, or heal, is this moment, because this is the only moment any of us ever gets. You’re only here now; you’re only alive in this moment.”
Both pieces together seem to say that by living in the moment, a person can be in the awareness of Soul, fully alive in all ways. Let’s assume Soul is timeless and does not experience past or future. Being out to gain experience, It simply is. By taking on a body it takes on all that goes with that life. The human part, however, has to do things to survive and can lose the inner connection.
Many spiritual belief systems say that the whole concept of time is a construct; that we agree to it merely for the sake of living a physical life. But how do you not follow a clock? You’ve got to get the kids to school on time. You must get to work on time. Shops open and close at a certain time. Life literally ticks along most of the time. We get fearful that we won’t have enough time to do all the things we need to do in a day, a week, a year...what about a lifetime?
What happens to time in your life when you are on holiday? You still eat and sleep but maybe have more fun and relaxation than usual. You feel more at ease with yourself. You might sleep better. You may do things just for the sake of it, not because you must, and not within a specified time. I note that when people retire, they seem healthier, younger, happier. They live more in the moment of what shall I do now. They may spend hours on something, totally focussed, not looking at a clock.
What about when you listen to some music or a song, or look at a piece of Art? Can you get lost in that moment and feel joyful, uplifted, want to sing and dance? Is it possible to sit in the forest, by the sea, river, lake and ‘lose track of time’ and just be for a little while? Could this be the spiritual side of you knocking on the physical door, saying it’s time to let the trials of this life rest for a while? Is it time to tune in to who you really are?
“Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of their being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop an individual's inner life; such practices often lead to an experience of connectedness with a larger reality, yielding a more comprehensive self; with other individuals or the human community; with nature or the cosmos; or with the divine realm. Spirituality is often experienced as a source of inspiration or orientation in life.” (Wikepedia)
What interested me about this quotation were the references to spiritual practices.
I often hear folks say that nothing ever happens in their lives that can be classed as a spiritual experience. Hmmm... Well you won’t recognise something if you are not aware of the possibility. It’s like looking at some enormous weightlifter picking up 2 people and an equal iron weight in the other hand, and saying isn’t he amazing and special and strong. Actually he just practised a lot and did physical exercises to build up his strength. He also believes very much that he can do it.
Spirituality does not mean you have to go to a place of worship every weekend, although that can be an uplifting and enlightening experience. It is not putting your mind on something you want and trying to make it happen through mental powers and visualization. Although that can work on occasion, if it was meant to happen. There is no looking into a crystal ball or manipulating a pack of cards involved in really working out how our life is meant to be. That is a bit of a psychic game playing with chance.
Spirituality involves being aware that there is more to you than a physical body, consciously working on how you can truly understand yourself as Soul, while still fulfilling your day to day obligations anyway. Spirituality is consciously striving to maintain that Soul connection by doing whatever spiritual practises or exercises that suit you best. You can chant, pray, meditate, sing, contemplate; the options are huge. You can do these on your own or as part of a group of others. You are looking to find your own experiences. You can share them on this blog if you like, start your own blog or keep them totally to yourself.
You could begin a journal and write things down that happen to you than seem a bit unusual or different. Did you see 3 bright yellow minis in one day? Was that significant? Did you have an amazing dream last night? Did a total stranger say something to you that answered a question that was bugging you?
Why write them down? It’s a good idea to keep a record of experiences that you can check back on and begin to see connections and events that gave you insights. This leads to your trusting yourself and inner guidance more. This is part of the development of yourself from a spiritual perspective. It can be a lot of fun!
Then you may find that you can step back from the daily challenges and problems, avoid falling into the traps of anger and retaliation, depression, apathy and negativity. You learn how to make life liveable for yourself and others around you with whom you may need to interact.
I don’t believe in asking for things from God, mainly because much as I may want it, it may not be the right thing for me, and I believe in the old cliché, be careful what you wish for.
In his book, “How to Survive Spiritually in Our Times”, Harold Klemp wrote:
“The greatest creative force you can use on your behalf is either contemplation or prayer...in the right way. Usually it’s not to tell God, ‘God I want this done in this particular way.’ Sometimes it’s enough to say, ‘ I’m having a hard time. Thy will be done.’ ”
I did a search around the Internet for some different philosophies regarding spirituality and what is Soul. I deliberately give the word a capital letter because of the significance I put on it.
In my view, my physical body is much less important than my true body, the real essence of me, Soul. I do not have a soul. I am Soul. I do not believe that some time in the future, after I die, this body will pop up from the earth, from a wooden box in which it may have been buried, to join in a celestial celebration of rebirth. This current body is merely another shell which Soul uses to gain experience in this lifetime.
I know there are many religions which put a lot of emphasis on the physical body being ready to join the soul in an afterlife. I have a different viewpoint and I respect theirs.
Here is one piece written about Soul which I actually found in Wikipedia that really piqued my interest.
“The Ancient Greeks used the same word for 'alive' as for 'ensouled'. So the earliest surviving western philosophical view might suggest that the terms soul and aliveness were synonymous - perhaps not that having life universally presupposed the possession of a soul as in Buddhism, but that full "aliveness" and the soul were conceptually linked.”
Those last 8 words just leapt off the page: full "aliveness" and the soul were conceptually linked.
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D wrote the following:
“The only time you ever have in which to learn anything or see anything or feel anything, or express any feeling or emotion, or respond to an event, or grow, or heal, is this moment, because this is the only moment any of us ever gets. You’re only here now; you’re only alive in this moment.”
Both pieces together seem to say that by living in the moment, a person can be in the awareness of Soul, fully alive in all ways. Let’s assume Soul is timeless and does not experience past or future. Being out to gain experience, It simply is. By taking on a body it takes on all that goes with that life. The human part, however, has to do things to survive and can lose the inner connection.
Many spiritual belief systems say that the whole concept of time is a construct; that we agree to it merely for the sake of living a physical life. But how do you not follow a clock? You’ve got to get the kids to school on time. You must get to work on time. Shops open and close at a certain time. Life literally ticks along most of the time. We get fearful that we won’t have enough time to do all the things we need to do in a day, a week, a year...what about a lifetime?
What happens to time in your life when you are on holiday? You still eat and sleep but maybe have more fun and relaxation than usual. You feel more at ease with yourself. You might sleep better. You may do things just for the sake of it, not because you must, and not within a specified time. I note that when people retire, they seem healthier, younger, happier. They live more in the moment of what shall I do now. They may spend hours on something, totally focussed, not looking at a clock.
What about when you listen to some music or a song, or look at a piece of Art? Can you get lost in that moment and feel joyful, uplifted, want to sing and dance? Is it possible to sit in the forest, by the sea, river, lake and ‘lose track of time’ and just be for a little while? Could this be the spiritual side of you knocking on the physical door, saying it’s time to let the trials of this life rest for a while? Is it time to tune in to who you really are?
“Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of their being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop an individual's inner life; such practices often lead to an experience of connectedness with a larger reality, yielding a more comprehensive self; with other individuals or the human community; with nature or the cosmos; or with the divine realm. Spirituality is often experienced as a source of inspiration or orientation in life.” (Wikepedia)
What interested me about this quotation were the references to spiritual practices.
I often hear folks say that nothing ever happens in their lives that can be classed as a spiritual experience. Hmmm... Well you won’t recognise something if you are not aware of the possibility. It’s like looking at some enormous weightlifter picking up 2 people and an equal iron weight in the other hand, and saying isn’t he amazing and special and strong. Actually he just practised a lot and did physical exercises to build up his strength. He also believes very much that he can do it.
Spirituality does not mean you have to go to a place of worship every weekend, although that can be an uplifting and enlightening experience. It is not putting your mind on something you want and trying to make it happen through mental powers and visualization. Although that can work on occasion, if it was meant to happen. There is no looking into a crystal ball or manipulating a pack of cards involved in really working out how our life is meant to be. That is a bit of a psychic game playing with chance.
Spirituality involves being aware that there is more to you than a physical body, consciously working on how you can truly understand yourself as Soul, while still fulfilling your day to day obligations anyway. Spirituality is consciously striving to maintain that Soul connection by doing whatever spiritual practises or exercises that suit you best. You can chant, pray, meditate, sing, contemplate; the options are huge. You can do these on your own or as part of a group of others. You are looking to find your own experiences. You can share them on this blog if you like, start your own blog or keep them totally to yourself.
You could begin a journal and write things down that happen to you than seem a bit unusual or different. Did you see 3 bright yellow minis in one day? Was that significant? Did you have an amazing dream last night? Did a total stranger say something to you that answered a question that was bugging you?
Why write them down? It’s a good idea to keep a record of experiences that you can check back on and begin to see connections and events that gave you insights. This leads to your trusting yourself and inner guidance more. This is part of the development of yourself from a spiritual perspective. It can be a lot of fun!
Then you may find that you can step back from the daily challenges and problems, avoid falling into the traps of anger and retaliation, depression, apathy and negativity. You learn how to make life liveable for yourself and others around you with whom you may need to interact.
I don’t believe in asking for things from God, mainly because much as I may want it, it may not be the right thing for me, and I believe in the old cliché, be careful what you wish for.
In his book, “How to Survive Spiritually in Our Times”, Harold Klemp wrote:
“The greatest creative force you can use on your behalf is either contemplation or prayer...in the right way. Usually it’s not to tell God, ‘God I want this done in this particular way.’ Sometimes it’s enough to say, ‘ I’m having a hard time. Thy will be done.’ ”
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