An Un-American Concept: We Are Primarily Spiritual 11/16/11

Image: "Snowdonia: Nantgwynant" by Tim Blessed.
 All rights reserved. Use by permission.

        A few thoughts on an emotionally and mentally de-anding day.

        I prefer days like these to be few and far between.  A calmer pace allows my spirit to breathe easily.  Boring is good.  (You might also want to see this post or read here, for more about antidotes for the disease of busyness.)

      Today, tranquility was not meant to be.

An Intense Day
       At five in the  morning, I studied, meditated and prayed.  At 8:00 a.m. an intense conversation  was had while tired and under the influ-ence of a strong prescription.  There were issues to clear with someone.

       I fought a headache while with someone who troubles me.  We addressed pragmatic, philosophical, and clinical issues.  It wasn't easy, but the conversation was successful.

       I'm glad I held my feelings together.   How, I don't know.

       Time like these are opportunities to practice patience, chances to be gentle while we are emotionally spent.  This is especially true when we are physically stressed.  Such conversations are a spiritual callis-henic.

       They prepare us for challenging times.

       There are times when each moment is intense.  Not good a good place to be. Avoiding being emotionally spent is a good idea.

       Recently, I spent the evening with someone at an Indian restaurant, an attractive way to end the day.  At length, she spoke. That was fine. It required less energy.  I was beat, bone weary.

 Our Nature Is Primarily Spiritual

        While with this person I expressed views not often heard in the San Francisco Bay Area.  I mentioned our primary nature is spiritual.  Next, is our the soulish side, comprising of our emotions, will and intellect.  Thirdly, is the physical side to life, our bodies, I shared.

        I expressed our culture has it backward.  We raise a fuss about a person's looks. That is what grabs most people's attention.  Magazines, movies, the media place heavy emphasis on this.

        I mentioned our body is like the frame to a painting---it's primary pur-pose is drawing attention to what's inside: our spirit

       The recent Kim Kardashian marriage fiasco points out that getting caught up with the frame is pointless, if it there isn't something of significance within it.

       The person I shared dinner with has a MBA and a Ph.D.  He mentioned a relative of his is a compulsive shopper, causing financial pressure within that family.  I said that the hole in our souls cannot be healed through tangible means, in this case, through retail therapy, incessant shopping.
Qualities of A Spiritual Awakening

       Our soul is restored when we have a spiritual awakening.  This doesn't happen through achievement or material means.  Being awak-ened---spiritually---allows us to know serenity while experiencing deeply felt joy at the same time. This serenity is possible, even in the midst of stressful times---it transcends our circumstances.

        I mentioned when we experience a spiritual regeneration we ap-preciate life more vividly.  We are no longer consumed by issues that appear urgent but are not truly important.  When we have a spiritual awakening nature is revealed in all of its glory, I said. Worries and bitterness no longer distract us for the beauty the world offers.

       We are less judgmental towards others happens when we have a spiritual awakening.  We find many issues that we once fought for are not worth the effort.  We ask ourselves do we want to be right or do we want to be happy?

      We are also less critical towards ourselves. We discover that our best for today is good enough. That being critical about our imperfec-tions does not enhance our appreciation of life.

       I shared a spiritual awakening helps us enjoy spontaneity.  We also less consumed by fearful control.  We are able to slow down.  We can breathe more deeply, resting our heart, literally.

        He was silent, not knowing what to say.

How About You? 

1.  Has your life been crazily busy? Why do you think we find ourselves in such a predicament? 

2. Do you think we are primarily physical, and spirituality is simply an add-on, an option to living?  Or do you think we are first spiritual---that our spirit wants to spread its wings within our corporal form?

3. When you have a spiritual awakening what does it look like for you?