Spiritual Life
Some people speak about their spiritual life, as if it is another part of their life, such as their social life, family life, work life, or sex life. In their mind, their spiritual life is another box they open, or room they enter, every now and then, and which is separate from the other boxes or rooms in their life.
You may also hear people talk about having a spiritual life, or needing or getting a spiritual life. They speak about a spiritual life as if it is a possession, as if it is another object they can find, hold, and own, and take it with them, and use it or discard it as they see fit.
Some of those same people talk in terms of already being spiritual, or wanting to become more spiritual, or wanting to socialize with other spiritual people. They hold the belief that they are somehow different from, or better than, the "non-spiritual" people, and may even have the idea that they are already "enlightened" or close to it, or may at least think "I already have God in my life."
The true Spiritual Life is not a separate box, room, or compartment in your life. Real Spiritual Life is also not an object, and cannot be merely added to yourself or to your life. True Spirituality is also not based on mere belief, theory, or conjecture, including, but not limited to, the vague notion that you are somehow already Spiritual. The fear, clinging, and selfishness of the natural life, are the personal mechanics that prevent the Spirit or God from existing in and through a being and life.
The Spiritual Path is impossible for those who want it quickly, as if they are visiting a fast-food restaurant. The intuitive understanding of the Spiritual Path, cannot be realized by the superficial, by those who are not comfortable delving deeply into their own nature, but who would rather skim along on the surface of life, merely engaging one distraction or stimulation after another. Honesty with oneself about oneself, and refusal to live by mere belief, but instead requiring evidence, are also indispensable along the Spiritual Path. Finally, letting-go of the natural tendency to acquire and hold the Spirit unto oneself and for oneself, is also necessary for advancement into the higher stages of the Path. The Spirit, and the Spiritual Life, cannot be consumed.
Much more time, depth, courage, and selflessness are required, if a person is to learn and discover the true Spiritual Life. He must have the time, depth, and courage to see, acknowledge, and live by the reality within and without, versus mere belief (or unproven ideas) and living by those beliefs. Without seeing and acknowledging the reality and the selfishness of oneself, there is zero chance of letting-go of those aspects of one's being and life that are preventing the true Spiritual Life from unfolding. People placate themselves with delusional systems, and not only regarding their spiritual status, but about many other areas of life within and without, including about other people and their relationship with them. Holding a sincere belief that the earth is flat, does not make it so.
It is not realistic to merely declare yourself to be already Spiritual. If you were already Spiritual, you would not be seeking, reading books, or meditating to "find God" or "get closer to God," and you would have no interest in reading this Teaching. Belief may feed the vanity, or may make you feel better about yourself, and may fill some gaps in a fragmented identity, or may distract you from what you really are and your real life of suffering, but mere belief is empty and delusional, and does nothing to help the true Spritual Life become a living reality. The real Spiritual Life is based on reality and in reality: the reality of you and the reality of the Spirit, the Metaphysical, or God, regardless of the word you use to refer to It. Buddhist scripture references the "Transcendental Intelligence," which is also an appropriate term.
The Spirit and the true Spiritual Life are not added to your life, as you would acquire and add any object of desire unto yourself. You cannot get, hold, and own the Spirit. The Spiritual Life is not about adding something else to you or your life, nor is it in order to make yourself "spiritual." It is not about a superficial change in personality. It is not about learning to act "spiritual," however you may think or assume that "spiritual" is "supposed" to look. The real Spiritual Life is not about you becoming more spiritual, but is about you allowing room for the Spirit to exist in you and your life, and beyond you and your life. The Spiritual Life is primarily about the Spirit, and not about you.
The Spiritual Life is not about you making yourself more Spiritual, but is about allowing the Spirit to transform you, and allowing room for It to exist in, and beyond, your small being and limited life. The Spiritual Life is first and foremost about you allowing, and not as much about you becoming. It is the difference between more acquisition and more getting, which actually shuts-out the Spirit, versus allowing room for the Spirit to exist in but beyond you and your life. The attempt to "get" the Spirit has the contrary effect.
The truly Spiritual Life indeed requires your full participation, and is far from passive, but is not mainly about getting, owning, and using the Spirit. The very subtle and single act of self-feeding and self-protection prevents the very Thing you are attempting to acquire. The fear and clinging to oneself, and the subtle feeding and protecting of yourself, are that which prevent the Spirit. Trying to cling to the Spirit, and control It, has the same effect.
Instead of seeking for the Spirit to become part of your limited life, just as any other acquisition, allow yourself to become part of the Infinite Spirit. You cannot contain, acquire, get, hold, own, and use the Spirit; the attempt to do so prevents the very Spirit you are seeking. Rather, allow room for It to exist in, and infinitely beyond, your limited body, mind, heart, and life. The Spiritual Life is primarily about the Spirit, and not as much about you as you would naturally be inclined to think.
The seekers in the popular spiritual community, are unknowingly working very hard to prevent the very Spirit they profess to be seeking. The term Me Life would be far more appropriate than Spiritual Life. It is about them, and not about the Spirit, except as yet another object of desire and a tool for their own self-feeding.
You can limit your thinking about the Spirit or God, and limit yourself and your actions relative to It, and thus shut It out, but you can never limit the Spirit Itself. Instead of trying to bring the Spirit unto and into yourself, allow room for the Spirit to exist, and to do as It will.
True Spiritual Life is about allowing yourself to become part of Something Greater, Something Beyond yourself, and without looking back to see how you are doing. It is not about making you more Spiritual, and is not about merely having a spiritual life among all your other lives.
Our Church will be offering much more material about the truly Spiritual Life, here on our website, for those few who may be sincerely and deeply interested. Please feel free to study the many pages of Teaching materials that are already posted at the links above.
Thank you,
Staff
Be open to opportunities to do good for someone else today.