Characteristics of a Post-Religious Spirituality
April 19, 2009
Filed under Buddha's Teaching, Buddhism, Buddhist Dharma, Celtic Christianity, Chan, Change Your Life, Compassion, Contemplation, Contemplative Spirituality, Cosmic Christ, Creation Centered Spirituality, Culture, Dao de jing, Daoism, Divine Mind, Divine Potential, Emerging Christianity, Global Church, Inner Light, Interspirituality, Issues in Transformation, Jesus, Jesus' Teaching, Kingdom of God, Laozi, Metaphysical Christianity, Mindfulness, Morality and Values, Mystical Experience, Mystical Spirituality, Mysticism, Native Amercian Spirituality, Nature Mysticism, New Thought, Optimism, Personal Epiphanies, Personal Growth, Personal Renewal, Personal Vision, Positive Faith, Renewal of the Mind, Sacred Center, Sacred Character, Sacred Mind, Sacred Silence, Sacred Study, Spiritual Formation, Spiritual Practices, Spirituality, Vision, World Religions, Worldview, Zen
Tags: Change Your Life, Global Religion, New Wineskins, Post-Religious Spirituality, Spiritual Growth, Spirituality
As I have discussed before here on Wellsprings of Light, the western world is clearly moving into an age in which humankind’s divine pursuits are increasingly taking place outside the confines of traditional religious institutions. As is now said so often the phrase is becoming trite, “We are spiritual, not religious.”
Even if it seems trite, that well-worn phrase contains more than a germ of truth. More and more sincere seekers of the sublime aspects of reality are finding what they are looking for in “new wineskins,” which are often far different from the old models of religion. This is, indeed, a positive trend and one that creates great hope for humankind as we shake off the shakles of false religion and begin to get a foretaste of what authentic spiritual reality is like.
With that said, what follows is a listing of characteristics that one often sees in the “New Spirituality.” Keep in mind that this listing is far from complete. In fact, it barely skims the surface of the rapidly evolving spiritual scene in western culture. Some of the common and not so common characteristics are as follows:
It is post-religious in the sense that there is a recognition that genuine spirituality in this era will most likely evolve outside the parameters of traditional systems of faith.
Focused on increased understanding and application of universal spiritual/mental laws.
Seeks to facilitate a decreased dominance of the Small Mind.
Brings about an increased capacity to operate out of Sacred Mind.
Promotes discovery of our true spiritual identity.
Is far more experiential in pursuits and content; less emphasis on conceptual knowledge and doctrine.
As a result of the preceding point, it is oriented toward disciplined spiritual practice.
Pays honor to the reality and the sanctity of “Sacred Silence” and, as a result, is contemplative.
Focused on spiritual growth and the development of Sacred Character.
It is purpose driven (universal and personal).
Exhibits an engaged spirituality that seeks the betterment of life for all beings. In the fullest sense, the post-religious spirituality is “Socio-Spiritual.”
It promotes a deep ecological consciousness, flowing from reverence for and compassion for the planet.
Fosters the spiritual practices of a “Mysticism of Nature.”
Views the body as the Temple of the Spirit and seeks to promote positive health based on holistic practices.
It is at vanguard of the study and application of Energy Healing and working with the Divine Light.
Although community based, it maintains a global focus based on the interconnectivity of all things.
© L. D. Turner 2009/All Rights Reserved
Meditation and the Sacred Silence
January 30, 2009
Filed under Buddha's Teaching, Buddhism, Celtic Christianity, Chan, Christian Education, Christian Meditation, Christian Optimism, Christianity, Contemplation, Contemplative Spirituality, Cosmic Christ, Creation Centered Spirituality, Devotions, Discipleship, Divine Mind, Holy Spirit, Inner Light, Interspirituality, Issues in Transformation, Jesus, Jesus' Teaching, Meditation, Metaphysical Christianity, Mindfulness, Mystical Experience, Mystical Spirituality, Mysticism, Nature Mysticism, Personal Discipline, Personal Epiphanies, Personal Growth, Quaker Spirituality, Sacred Center, Sacred Character, Sacred Mind, Sacred Silence, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation, Spiritual Practices
Tags: Christian Meditation, Contemplation, Discipleship, Meditation, Mindfulness, Mysticism, Quakers, Thomas Kelly
L. Dwight Turner
What if I told you there was a wonderful place on this planet that you could visit for little or no cost, but would ultimately change your life for the better? Suppose I also said that this magical place was a place of beauty, creativity, love, peace, joy, and personal nurturance, what would you say? I think most of us would, without undue hesitation, ask for a map and directions.
Well, my friend, there is such a place and people have been visiting it for eons. It is a place of where peaceful solitude and exciting energy coexist in a harmonious synergy that, when you bathe in it, gives you refreshment and rejuvenation greater than any fountain of youth. Over the centuries, those who have frequently visited this holy site have attested to it myriad benefits and blessings and have all said that to fully put its wonders into words is an exercise in futility.
Most remarkable, no one owns this place and you are free to come whenever you like. But please be forewarned, once you sample its blessings, you will want to come back time and time again.
Where is this blessed place? It is within you. It is, for lack of a better phrase:
The Sacred Silence.
Once you skillfully master the methods of getting to the Silence, you can go there from any place – a busy street, a business meeting, a church service, or even from a dentist’s chair. In the beginning, however, it is useful to establish a consistent time and place where you practice going into Sacred Silence. You will find, in the end, that is worth the time and effort.
It is in the Silence that you make contact with the Divine Source and, it you are mindful, alert, and attentive, you will get to know this Source at a deeper level. In Sacred Silence, the most important lesson you will learn is how to listen to God. Spiritual teacher Wayne Dyer, in discussing what he calls “The Gap,” that space between our thoughts where the Silence lives, illustrates an important lesson about the connection between the Silence and learning to “listen.” Dyer points out that the words silent and listen are composed of the same letters. In essence, listen has the same content as silent, and silent has the same content as listen. Further, you can rearrange each word to spell the other – rearrange the letters of silent and you get listen; rearrange the letters of the word listen, and you get silent. There is an obvious lesson in this small “synchronicity.” The intimate connection between these two words tells us a profound truth: In the Silence our primary goal, once we get the monkey mind to quiet down, is to listen.
Our Sacred Sanctuary
We encounter the Sacred Silence in our personal “Sacred Sanctuary.” This inner chamber is like our own sacred space, the place that houses our Inner Light, as our Quaker friends call it. We enter this special place by, as mentioned earlier, by quieting our minds and clearing out our own brand of chronic, mental clutter.
The Sacred Sanctuary is that special place inside our being that serves as our own personal “Holy of Holies,” a divine chamber where our human spirit comes into more intimate contact with the One True Spirit. This inner temple is where we are first emptied of the limitations of the “little mind,” our lower self, and we are filled with both Light and Life.
More than just an empty mind, our sacred inner sanctuary is a place of preparation. It is a holy temple where the Spirit of God dwells and it is a place where, if we possess ears to hear, we can be taught those “great and mighty things we have never heard.” This sacred place is not only a place of teaching, but also a great temple of comfort and nurturance. It is in the spiritual light of this inner sanctuary where God’s unlimited grace, mercy, and comfort are imparted into the depths of our spirit. In this aspect, our inner sanctuary is a chamber of divine healing and spiritual balancing.
Moreover, it is our holy place where real miracles are conceived.
Noted Quaker writer Thomas Kelly speaks of this inner sanctuary and the benefits accrued from learning to abide there:
Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Center, a speaking Voice, to which we may continuously return. Eternity is at our hearts, pressing upon our time-torn lives, warming us with intimations of an astounding destiny, calling us home unto Itself. Yielding to these persuasions, gladly committing ourselves in body and soul, utterly and completely, to the Light Within, is the beginning of true life. It is a dynamic center, a creative Life that presses to birth within us. It is a Light Within which illumines the face of God and casts new shadows and new glories upon the face of men. It is the Shekinah of the soul, the Presence in the midst. Here is the slumbering Christ, stirring to be awakened, to become the soul we clothe in earthly form and action. And He is within us all.
Buddhist teachers often refer to the mind as a monkey, jumping from branch to branch, screeching loudly even if there is nothing to screech about. I can relate to this description and I suspect most of you can as well. It is difficult to hear the voice of God with all this clamoring going on. It is the mind’s nature to flit from place to place like a bee moving from one flower to another very rapidly.
Our job is not so much to still the mind, but at least quiet it down enough so that when that “still, small voice” speaks to us, we have a chance to hear it. That’s where contemplation and the various forms of Christian meditation come into play. The various methods used are designed to achieve a certain level of quietness in the mind. It is not so much to stop our thinking or as some say, “empty the mind.” Instead, it is to center the mind down to a point where it is receptive to the work of God through the Holy Spirit and our own Inner Light. The benefits of such practice are too numerous to list, but one of the first things we may notice is this form of deep prayer allows us to reach a point where we may develop a clear, spiritual perspective on life. Christian teacher Jan Johnson speaks to this:
Our mind flashes from one thing to another, always occupied. A weekly visit to church can’t begin to penetrate this busyness. Contemplation reconnects us with God in the midst of this scatteredness. Life pulls me in so many directions – between the demands of my work, my husband’s plans, the kid’s needs, commitments outside our home, dreams I want to pursue – I may say I’m “thirsty for God as the deer pants for water,” but at the moment I need to get my hair cut. However, when I pause to contemplate and be with God, I sense that this God who holds the universe together can also hold me together. In the quiet, I recall how God has helped me in the past. Without the clamor of demands around me, I remember that I am one God so loves.
Getting to a level of quietness so that we can actually begin to hear the whisperings of the Holy Spirit is easier said than done. The monkey mind keeps on clamoring, especially if we have many pressures and/or problems in our lives. It has been said that the average human being has 60,000 separate thoughts each day. That’s a lot of thinking and a lot of noise. Our internal chattering is often repetitive in nature and incessant. When initially faced with the admonition of scripture to “Be still, and know that I am God,” (Ps. 46:10) the notion of achieving quietude of mind seems like a pipe dream. However, the task is not nearly as daunting as it may initially seem, although it will require commitment, patience, and persistence.
At times, it is not easy to see the progress that has been made until you take some time out and really look at what is happening with your mind. It is in these periods of self-reflection and evaluation that you begin to see actually progress you had failed to see before. Often this growth in cognitive mastery is quite subtle and sublime.
If you are a seasoned practitioner of meditation, I encourage you to keep at it. Make extra commitment and effort to go even deeper. Truly, beyond a certain point you can’t go back. Your only choice is to forge ahead toward a goal well worth striving to attain. This is part of Right Effort and it is indispensable on the spiritual journey.
If you are just beginning a mediation practice, I laud your decision to encounter the spiritual light that exists within you. Although your journey is just beginning, I assure you that with consecrated effort and proper encouragement, you can make consistent progress and every aspect of your life will improve.
© L.D. Turner 2009/All Rights Reserved
Meditation and the Sacred Silence
January 29, 2009
Filed under Buddhism, Celtic Christianity, Chan, Christian Education, Christian Meditation, Christian Mysticism, Christianity, Contemplation, Contemplative Spirituality, Cosmic Christ, Creation Centered Spirituality, Discipleship, Divine Mind, Holy Spirit, Inner Light, Interspirituality, Issues in Transformation, Jesus, Jesus' Teaching, Meditation, Metaphysical Christianity, Mindfulness, Mystical Spirituality, Nature Mysticism, Personal Discipline, Quaker Spirituality, Renewal of the Mind, Sacred Center, Sacred Mind, Sacred Silence, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation, Spiritual Practices
Tags: Buddhism, Christian Meditation, Contemplation, Discipleship, Meditation, Quakers, Sacred Silence, Spirituality, Thomas Kelly, Wayne Dyer
Mick Turner
What if I told you there was a wonderful place on this planet that you could visit for little or no cost, but would ultimately change your life for the better? Suppose I also said that this magical place was a place of beauty, creativity, love, peace, joy, and personal nurturance, what would you say? I think most of us would, without undue hesitation, ask for a map and directions.
Well, my friend, there is such a place and people have been visiting it for eons. It is a place of where peaceful solitude and exciting energy coexist in a harmonious synergy that, when you bathe in it, gives you refreshment and rejuvenation greater than any fountain of youth. Over the centuries, those who have frequently visited this holy site have attested to it myriad benefits and blessings and have all said that to fully put its wonders into words is an exercise in futility.
Most remarkable, no one owns this place and you are free to come whenever you like. But please be forewarned, once you sample its blessings, you will want to come back time and time again.
Where is this blessed place? It is within you. It is, for lack of a better phrase:
The Sacred Silence.
Once you skillfully master the methods of getting to the Silence, you can go there from any place – a busy street, a business meeting, a church service, or even from a dentist’s chair. In the beginning, however, it is useful to establish a consistent time and place where you practice going into Sacred Silence. You will find, in the end, that is worth the time and effort.
It is in the Silence that you make contact with the Divine Source and, it you are mindful, alert, and attentive, you will get to know this Source at a deeper level. In Sacred Silence, the most important lesson you will learn is how to listen to God. Spiritual teacher Wayne Dyer, in discussing what he calls “The Gap,” that space between our thoughts where the Silence lives, illustrates an important lesson about the connection between the Silence and learning to “listen.” Dyer points out that the words silent and listen are composed of the same letters. In essence, listen has the same content as silent, and silent has the same content as listen. Further, you can rearrange each word to spell the other – rearrange the letters of silent and you get listen; rearrange the letters of the word listen, and you get silent. There is an obvious lesson in this small “synchronicity.” The intimate connection between these two words tells us a profound truth: In the Silence our primary goal, once we get the monkey mind to quiet down, is to listen.
Our Sacred Sanctuary
We encounter the Sacred Silence in our personal “Sacred Sanctuary.” This inner chamber is like our own sacred space, the place that houses our Inner Light, as our Quaker friends call it. We enter this special place by, as mentioned earlier, by quieting our minds and clearing out our own brand of chronic, mental clutter.
The Sacred Sanctuary is that special place inside our being that serves as our own personal “Holy of Holies,” a divine chamber where our human spirit comes into more intimate contact with the One True Spirit. This inner temple is where we are first emptied of the limitations of the “little mind,” our lower self, and we are filled with both Light and Life.
More than just an empty mind, our sacred inner sanctuary is a place of preparation. It is a holy temple where the Spirit of God dwells and it is a place where, if we possess ears to hear, we can be taught those “great and mighty things we have never heard.” This sacred place is not only a place of teaching, but also a great temple of comfort and nurturance. It is in the spiritual light of this inner sanctuary where God’s unlimited grace, mercy, and comfort are imparted into the depths of our spirit. In this aspect, our inner sanctuary is a chamber of divine healing and spiritual balancing.
Moreover, it is our holy place where real miracles are conceived.
Noted Quaker writer Thomas Kelly speaks of this inner sanctuary and the benefits accrued from learning to abide there:
Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Center, a speaking Voice, to which we may continuously return. Eternity is at our hearts, pressing upon our time-torn lives, warming us with intimations of an astounding destiny, calling us home unto Itself. Yielding to these persuasions, gladly committing ourselves in body and soul, utterly and completely, to the Light Within, is the beginning of true life. It is a dynamic center, a creative Life that presses to birth within us. It is a Light Within which illumines the face of God and casts new shadows and new glories upon the face of men. It is the Shekinah of the soul, the Presence in the midst. Here is the slumbering Christ, stirring to be awakened, to become the soul we clothe in earthly form and action. And He is within us all.
Buddhist teachers often refer to the mind as a monkey, jumping from branch to branch, screeching loudly even if there is nothing to screech about. I can relate to this description and I suspect most of you can as well. It is difficult to hear the voice of God with all this clamoring going on. It is the mind’s nature to flit from place to place like a bee moving from one flower to another very rapidly.
Our job is not so much to still the mind, but at least quiet it down enough so that when that “still, small voice” speaks to us, we have a chance to hear it. That’s where contemplation and the various forms of Christian meditation come into play. The various methods used are designed to achieve a certain level of quietness in the mind. It is not so much to stop our thinking or as some say, “empty the mind.” Instead, it is to center the mind down to a point where it is receptive to the work of God through the Holy Spirit and our own Inner Light. The benefits of such practice are too numerous to list, but one of the first things we may notice is this form of deep prayer allows us to reach a point where we may develop a clear, spiritual perspective on life. Christian teacher Jan Johnson speaks to this:
Our mind flashes from one thing to another, always occupied. A weekly visit to church can’t begin to penetrate this busyness. Contemplation reconnects us with God in the midst of this scatteredness. Life pulls me in so many directions – between the demands of my work, my husband’s plans, the kid’s needs, commitments outside our home, dreams I want to pursue – I may say I’m “thirsty for God as the deer pants for water,” but at the moment I need to get my hair cut. However, when I pause to contemplate and be with God, I sense that this God who holds the universe together can also hold me together. In the quiet, I recall how God has helped me in the past. Without the clamor of demands around me, I remember that I am one God so loves.
Getting to a level of quietness so that we can actually begin to hear the whisperings of the Holy Spirit is easier said than done. The monkey mind keeps on clamoring, especially if we have many pressures and/or problems in our lives. It has been said that the average human being has 60,000 separate thoughts each day. That’s a lot of thinking and a lot of noise. Our internal chattering is often repetitive in nature and incessant. When initially faced with the admonition of scripture to “Be still, and know that I am God,” (Ps. 46:10) the notion of achieving quietude of mind seems like a pipe dream. However, the task is not nearly as daunting as it may initially seem, although it will require commitment, patience, and persistence.
At times, it is not easy to see the progress that has been made until you take some time out and really look at what is happening with your mind. It is in these periods of self-reflection and evaluation that you begin to see actually progress you had failed to see before. Often this growth in cognitive mastery is quite subtle and sublime.
If you are a seasoned practitioner of meditation, I encourage you to keep at it. Make extra commitment and effort to go even deeper. Truly, beyond a certain point you can’t go back. Your only choice is to forge ahead toward a goal well worth striving to attain. This is part of Right Effort and it is indispensable on the spiritual journey.
If you are just beginning a mediation practice, I laud your decision to encounter the spiritual light that exists within you. Although your journey is just beginning, I assure you that with consecrated effort and proper encouragement, you can make consistent progress and every aspect of your life will improve.
© L.D. Turner 2009/All Rights Reserved
