What Does Being Spiritual Mean?

Being Spiritual starts primarily without a concern for materialist ambitions.

This liberates one from the pitfalls of seeking happiness in materialist things…

as such,

the happiness most people seek is just a short phase between two phases of Un-happiness.

The thoughts, speech, and actions of being Spiritual

is just a simple matter of coming from a place of Loving Kindness,

with Unconditional Love the core motivating volition.

No matter where one is along their personal Path of Spiritual Awakening,

the Practice is primarily to mindfully expand one’s circle of embrace.

Know that,

when you come from a place of Loving Kindness it feels good just…

Being.

When you offer Love with Kind intentions…

Those feelings flow through you first… It’s a ‘win-win’ situation.

We all start out life as babies with no ‘self’ awareness at all,

until about 18 months old.

As soon as we learn about a ‘me’,

all life revolves around this ‘me’ and ‘my’ needs. 

Then we get a bit older and start to be aware of the perspective of

not only ‘me’, but now ‘mommy’, ‘daddy’…

Later this circle of embrace includes siblings, and later other kids.

If we stay stuck in the ‘me’ only narcissistic group,

we live grumpy self-centered lives,

which becomes a ‘self-defeating’ drag on the community.

If we grow on to the next circles of embrace,

we collectively grow into a more evolved community that fulfills the human need

to be integrated in a way that a fosters creative flow.

We must break out of self-defeating ways

that are keeping us from collectively evolving.

For millennia we have been indoctrinating our children’s children

with the ‘divide & conquer’ concepts that enforce a sense that:

You love mom & dad and your siblings.

You are generally ok with the kids at YOUR school,

unless they are in any way different from ‘you’,

but

all other kids at all other schools

are to be disenfranchised at some level. 

Often a flag is part of this indoctrination process

which it represents the school, town, state or country.

I will fight and die for this flag or at least

beat up anyone with this flag that gets in my way… like the Jan. 6th insurrection.

So,

when you see someone angrily a waving flag…. tread lightly…

Unbridled ‘nationalism’ is a farce to be weary of.

~ ~ ~

This divide and conquer farce deepens with sports…

my school against your school,

my town against your town,

my state against your state or region.

my country – Right or Wrong! against the rest of the world.

Even at this un-evolved view…

it has transcended the other less evolved perspectives of our hunter gathering days…

But, 

in order to sustain ourselves into the future,

we’ll have to evolve to higher perspectives that open up our choices

to be more in line with World-centric perspectives.

The ability to integrate a wider circle of embrace and awareness,

always results in better solutions. 

This is also the ‘metric’ or

way of measuring one’s level of psychological growth.

The more evolved we are the more perspectives we can

comprehend, process, and integrate into our world view. 

By connecting with others from a place of intelligent common sense and dignity,

we can begin to find shared similarities that are beyond just the typical

my school, my town, my state, my country…

to a World-centric view, embracing all aspects of life and allowing our sustainability.

So,

Spirituality is basically just non-theological intelligent common sense of getting along.

Anywhere anyone is along their personal Path towards becoming

a fully Awakened Self-actualized Enlightened Being, will be

the essential bridge of inspiration towards

a transformative community. 

No matter where you are on this Path,

realize that,

we don’t have to wait until we are a fully Enlightened Being

levitating in a mystic glow before we can practice and integrate Enlightened qualities

in our meditation, thoghts, speech, and actions.

Every action we take affects those that are subjected to our egos!

For example:

If someone comes into a group or gathering with a big smile and a positive attitude,

this vibe will positively influence the group as a whole.

Same as if just the opposite type of person walks in… but

with profoundly negative results.

You can make a difference in just the way you flow. 

Be the ‘Evolutionary’! Seek ‘The Right Livelihood’.

We have a natural intrinsic drive towards fulfilling a creative spark that speaks to us.

Sometimes its just a subliminal whisper, other times it’s roar and all too often

our negative egos talk us out of following through with a visionary project

that would benefit the human condition.

~ ~ ~

Realize that,

we don’t have to wait until we are in the right place in life to help others.

We don’t have to wait until we are retired and have a life of leisure

before we apply ourselves to fulling our creative desires

that will in some way help the world community. 

Even a nice picture painted with loving kindness can offer a positive vibe

and contribute a flow that will bring joy and inspiration.

So,

Spirituality for the most part, can be directly related to just being a good person,

just like my Mom taught me by example.

Honesty, integrity, compassion, and loving kindness will help you and everyone you meet

make the world a better place.

For those that still ask that Perennial philosophy question of Life,

“What is our place in ‘the timeless wonder of it all’ and the Great Beyond? … “

Spiritual philosophy wades into the Deeper end of contemplations

to inspire the motivated Seeker.

Yet,

this concept is beyond our mind’s ability to conceive,

there is nothing in our experience that we can normally relate it to.

~ ~ ~

I’ve described Spirituality so far in the human element of loving kindness.

As we evolve to higher perspectives of mindful consciousness,

widening our circles of embrace to be in line with all humanity,

then widen further to include all life and this biosphere we inhabit. 

We are intrinsically drawn towards the Ultimate Truth of Oneness.

To be ‘at One with it All’, is being inseparable from all that ‘Is’,

a ‘non-dual’ perspective that is our True Nature.

~ ~ ~

With the inspiration to wade into the deep end of Spirituality,

‘Self-Realization is part of the inquiry one naturally

and essentially must deeply contemplate.

With the Hindu/Buddhist technique of “Neti Neti”,

one can use negative deduction to help reveal our True Nature…

‘not this’ not that…

We all know we can’t take our money with us, and

I’m not my body, it dies while

my True Nature is never born, nor never dies.

I’m not any of my body parts ether.

Although metaphorically

my heart represents my love and compassion…

it is just a body part, like my brain.

The thoughts that our ‘mind’ generates are too

just functions of the body…

they are not an everlasting eternal ‘me’.

This Spiritual ‘Self’ inquiry can take a few minuets or

the rest of one’s life.

But all inquiries wade into the deep end of …

Awareness.

Contemplate on:

What is it about “ourselves” that is Aware of being… Aware?

The aspects of a ‘non-dual’ unified consciousness are simply… Awareness.

In the deepest sitting meditation,

once the universal focus on breath is focused,

abiding in the awareness of Awareness

is about as close as we can become Aware of our True Nature.

Tibetan Bon Buddhist practice of Great Perfection – Dzogchen –

calls this Rigpa.

Hindu Advaita Vedanta calls it the “I am”

Many traditions refer it as ‘the Ground of our Being’. Our True Self.

Christ Conscious. God Nature. Buddha Nature.

~ ~ ~

There is much written about the philosophical wisdoms that expand upon this

Ultimate-Self understanding. 

But simply reading about these wisdoms

will not bring a profound understanding of our True Nature. 

That which can be read or written is not the Tao… 

Divinity, the Great Mystery or the Flow of Life,

nor can it lead to understanding our True Nature.

All the Spiritually philosophical writings and teachers can do

is ‘point out’ the wisdoms of the way.

Like the spokes of a wheel, they all point toward…

the Ultimate Destination.

yet,

 The journey can only be done by the one that seeks.

Unlike ‘faith based religions in which one can only

take someone else’s word for the Ultimate Truth…

In true Spirituality,

one learns by experience the ineffable nature of their True Self

and what the concepts of Divinity really are.

~ ~ ~

This ‘True Nature’ we seek is Always Already Alright…

We can experience this as awareness of Awareness

in both deep meditation and daily practice periods.

To address ‘the timeless wonder of it all’ concern of

‘what happens after this life?’

That part is ‘Always Already Alright’.

There is nothing we can do to mess this up.

Neti Neti… not this, not that…

Our True Nature cannot be found through even the most intelligent mind.

It’s beyond the mind’s ability to relate to

or bring ‘us’ to this awareness of Awareness.

Through deep Insight meditations… one experimentally will learn that

the ego-mind-body we once mistook for our true self is not in fact so. There is really no such identity that is born, suffers and dies.

Learning this wisdom by personally experiencing is what liberates

the earnest aspirant from the inherent ignorance, confusion, pain and suffer

we are all challenged with.

Most religions demand that all this ignorance, confusion, pain and suffering

is an unavoidable consequence for being the ego-mind-body human

and only offers possible salvation after death.

~ ~ ~

To ‘be at one with it All’…

there is no place for the egoic view of our ‘selves’.

there is no place for a you or me, an us or we…

it is just Unity.

~ ~ ~

Resting in deep meditation as Awareness of Awareness,

is a Spiritual retreat we can find refuge in often

that brings us into alignment with our True Nature.

Know or at least seek to realize that our True Self… Awareness…

cannot be affected by anything in this material world.

Just as the movie screen can show movies of

horror, wars, and destruction…

the movie screen remains unaffected.

The stories of our life and all the world’s chaos

is nothing more than a bad TV show to whatever it is, that is …

our True Self. 

Live your life to the fullest, and never for one moment worry about

whatever is to come after this Journey, this … life experience.

Beyond our last breath,

Spiritual Masters that have fulfilled the ultimate Fruition of Enlightenment

have managed to tell their disciples

Nothing changes… Awareness stays the same,

except that all the veils that hide our True Nature

fall away in the most natural Divine way.

~ ~ ~

Do nothing at all…

and this Timeless wonder of it all will naturally flow from this breath to our last

while our consciousness flows into a unified ocean of conscious.

If one suffers the pain the ignorance of not knowing our True Self, or

if the questions of ‘what comes next’ consumes your curiosity…

Study the ‘non-dual’ Spiritual traditions such as:

Tibetan Bon Buddhism, Dzogchen, Zen, Advaita Vedanta, Sufi, Christian mystics. 

Study the Buddha’s Noble Eight Fold Path.

Study the Buddha’s teaching on ‘Anatta’ – the Truths of ‘no self’…

that’s a good start…

but,

The ‘Work‘…

The Work is never done…

there is always room for more Love, Wisdoms, more Depth…

and Bliss.  

Metaphorically,

in this life we are like drops of water.

While suspended in air, like a rain drop,

we can see the drop’s boundaries like an individual.

but just like a raindrop that is destined to fall to the ocean below,

and become an inseparable part of the ocean…

Our once perceived individual conscious

flows directly into an ocean of consciousness…

at one with it all in a Bliss that is Boundless.

~ ~ ~

Again,

this concept of ‘being at one with it all’ and a boundless Bliss,

cannot be learned by any knowledge our thinking minds can comprehend or apply…

These perennial Wisdoms can only be gained by earnest experience

in the contemplative ‘non-dual’ practices.

Find quiet times to meditate.

This is our time to take a retreat from the chaos of life,

resting in that deep place within

that is not effected by the concerns of the materialistic world.

~ ~ ~

Abiding in the Awareness of our True Nature

lifts our Spiritual momentum,

rejuvenating our volition towards inspiring projects

that can help humanity as a whole.

Very few of us can honestly say they are completely at peace with

exactly how reality is for them right now.

but for those few that experience every moment of life as perfect…

and those that don’t even concern themselves with such thoughts… Then,

Do nothing at all!

Everything will take care of itself.

in the natural ‘Way‘ of things.

If you are indeed drawn into the intrinsic inspiration to be a part of

the ever on-going spiritual Evolution

that has been going on for over 13.8 billion years…

Start your Practice today!

I don’t expect these willey words of wisdoms

will be enough to say it all… It can’t.

Meditate on this as a daily practice

and each time you will experience it deeper.

When your done with your seeking… or at any time,

just live every moment from a place of mindful loving kindness…

the rest will take care of its Self.

~ ~ ~

 Widening your circle of embrace in this ‘here & now’

aligns us more & more with a life’s natural flow

of ‘being at one with it all.

Be the Evolutionary.

Every thought, speech, and actions we take all contribute towards our

collective communities becoming more & more whole,

improving the human condition for our children’s children.