Showing posts with label interior spiritual life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label interior spiritual life. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Interior Spiritual Life - week three - moving to the path of the mystic


A quick review of the interior spiritual life model so far has described “the dawning” when a person realizes that there must be a better way to live their lives.

The “dawning” sparks “the turning” which involves starting to give up the things of the path of the ego so that there is time, energy, and resources to start the “search.” At this point, the person becomes “a seeker” and the question becomes where does the search lead? The first place we discussed was religion and for some people, especially early in their search, religions can be helpful, but the study of religion leads to disillusionment.

Creeds and tradition and ecclesiastical authority are empty vessels. The seeker begins to see that the creeds, and traditions, and ecclesiastical authority are themselves idols the are counterfeit coins in the realm of the spiritual. Increasingly, people in our contemporary society say “I am spiritual but not religious.” And so the seeker is searching on his/her own outside the structure of the church. The seeker is taken onto the path of the mystical and begins to realize that there is whole human experience of mysticism that has emerged in many religions and many cultures and is looked upon with fear and skepticism by those who feel threatened by experience outside the bounds of acceptable, normative, values, thoughts, beliefs, and practices.

As disillusionment takes the seeker into a mystical direction, the seeker becomes aware of the witness. The witness is that part of themselves that observes their own functioning.

The individual observes their body changes, their thoughts change, their emotions change, their social status changes, their personality changes and the one constant in all this flux is that part of themselves that observes all these changes.

The individual begins to realize that their self is a social construction and is not real. With this realization the ego begins to evaporate and what is left is spiritual awareness. The individual observes that (s)he has entered on the path of the mystic, the path of the spirit. The person in shifting his/her perception and awareness is “born again.”


Monday, February 19, 2018

The path to peace

The Universalist side of Unitarian Universalism believes in the unconditional love of God. The Universalists believe as they pray the Our Father that "thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." That faith is not in "my will" but in "Thy will."

In leading the spiritual life there are some practices that guide us on the path of the spirit.

The first practice is one of intention. When you wake up in the morning simply ask yourself what kind of a day do you wish to have. Will it be one of love, compassion, forgiveness and peace or a day of anger, judgment, attack, and rancor?

If you decide for a day of love, compassion, forgiveness, and peace ask for the help of the Spirit so that you do not make decisions yourself based on the ego but rather ask the Spirit what would Love have me do?

This action, at first, will fill you with fear especially if the response is not what your ego expected and desired. However, trust the Spirit, and continue in faith that Love is the most powerful path of all. This is the path to peace.

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

ISL 101 Week 1 part 2 -Outline of course housekeeping

We will come back to the question of “How do people come to realize that they have choice between the path of the ego and the path of the spirit?” First, let me describe the purpose of this course on the Interior Spiritual and some of the aspects of its design and implementation.

Purpose - The purpose of the course, “The Interior Spiritual Life 101” is to describe the phenomenon of the interior spiritual life and to provide a vocabulary and the major concepts that can be used to provide a form and content of the phenomenon. It is hoped that this model of form and content can then be used to create, develop, sustain, and navigate one’s interior spiritual life and have some appreciation of the possible interior spiritual life of others.

Eligibility for admission to this course. This is a basic course and no prior knowledge is necessary. It is a difficult course for the student  new to this material because so much of the vocabulary and concepts are unfamiliar. It is not uncommon for new students to be uncomfortable, anxious, and resistant. Therefore, some level of commitment by the student to continue to study the material must be made. Otherwise, it is easy for the student to become discouraged, bored, defensive and quit. Usually people don’t become interested in their interior spiritual life under they are in their 40s and 50s, but some young people who are “old souls” are interested and resonate with the material at a much younger age.

Hoped for outcomes - The biggest outcome is an enhancement in peace and happiness in the student. There will be an increase in self-confidence, sense of well being, and connection to the various aspects of life. Other people will notice and perhaps comment on a “glow” coming from the person which is sometimes called “good vibes.” The person will relate to others in a more forgiving, kind and loving way. The ultimate outcome will be an attitude of unconditional love for self and others and the world.

Format - The primary pedagogical activities will be reading and reflection. The teacher of the course is available for personal email correspondence if the student desires. Videos and online polling may be used from time to time. Telephone consultations may be provided upon request. An online discussion group will be set up for registered class members.

Rules of participation - People can audit the course by just accessing the material on UUAWOL. If people wish to register for the course to receive supplemental materials by email and join the members only discussion group they must apply to davidgmarkham@gmail.com. Comments to online material are moderated and it is required that comments be civil, polite, and respectful. Disagreement and conflicting opinions, respectfully expressed, are welcomed.

Evaluation - Evaluations will be done based on online polls and quizzes, and mid term and end of course questionnaires. Evaluations will be focused on the course content, process and outcomes and not on the performance of individual students.


Tomorrow we will return to the question “How do people come to realize that they have choice between the path of the ego and the path of the spirit?”

Monday, February 5, 2018

Week one of Interior Spiritual Life 101 course

Today is the first day of the first week of the UUAWOL class on the Interior Spiritual Life (ISL). This class will run 16 weeks during the spring semester 2018 of the UUAWOL academy

This first week we will be considering the introduction to the course which will include the purpose, eligibility for admission, the hoped for outcomes, the format, the rules of participation, and the evaluation.

Then we will describe the beginning  of developing an interior spiritual life. While some argue that the ISL is there all along and people are not just aware of it, others would argue that unless people are aware of it, they don't have one, at least one they are aware of.

The existential philosophers argue that every one has a raison d'etre, a reason for being, and other existential philosophers argue that there is no raison d'etre and suicide is the most appropriate response to life if it has no meaning.

The hedonists argue that the only point of life is pleasure and we should strive to experience as much of it as we can in all its shapes and forms, otherwise what's the point of life?

UUAWOL takes the position that it is not a bad life if one knows how to live it. The Dali Lama says that the purpose of life is happiness and this statement leads to the question, "What will make me happy?"

It is the position of this course on the interior spiritual life that we have to choose between the path of the ego and the path of the spirit but we can't make this choice until we become aware that there is a choice to make. How do people come to realize that they have a choice?

to be con't

Sunday, February 4, 2018

Changing course

Unitarian Universalism has been attractive for their coffee hours. It is not a very spiritually deep religion. Outside of the transcendentalist roots, there isn't much of a mystical tradition. Some might say that UUs in general don't take the interior spiritual life very seriously, and therefore does not have much to offer the serious spiritual seeker. If Unitarian Universalism is to survive as a denomination it needs to change course and provide a more detailed map of the interior spiritual life.

This pursuit of a deeper more interior spiritual life is not for everyone and yet for the few who chose it, they become the yeast in the dough, the salt of the earth. There are glimmers of such activity and it needs recognition, acknowledgement, and resonant attention.

The saying goes, "Be careful what you wish for because you will probably get it."

Do we really know what we want?

Most people asked what they wish for, the most common answer given is "To win millions of dollars in the lottery."

And if asked, "What would you do with your millions?" they have silly answers.

Observing this phenomenon in our materialistic world leaves me feeling sad.

We dream silly dreams. Our values, what matters to us, don't run very deep or true. And in our anguish when we see such suffering in the world, we wonder what's gone wrong.

What went wrong is our dreams. We dream silly dreams and when we get what we thought we wanted, we are miserable because the dreams we dreamt were misguided.

The dreams we dreamt were misguided because our minds are sick. Our minds have been sickened by the path of the ego which is contaminated and toxic. It does not lead us to health and happiness but to sickness and grief. You would think our societies, our cultures, our educational systems, our religions would have taught us this by now, at this point in human history. These societies, cultures, educational systems, religions either have failed us or if they, in part, tried to teach us better, we ignored those lessons and failed in our studies.

If we recognize the failure of our choice in pursuing the path of the ego, we can then consider deciding to embark on the path of the spirit. In order to set off on this path of the spirit, we have to let go off our bull shit and that scares the hell out of us. The thought of it makes us tremble. Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent psychiatric diagnoses in the United States in our times. Anxiety medications the most commonly prescribed.

However, with guidance and support, embarking on the path of the spirit is not only possible, but, once over our stage fright, fabulously satisfying, and fulfilling. We come to realize that our former lives on the path of the ego were unmanageable, and changing course to the path of the spirit makes all the difference.

What is the interior spiritual life like?

This week a new column is starting entitled and tagged, "Interior Spiritual Life."

 Socrates said that "an unexamined life is not worth living." How many people do you know who live examined lives?

What response would you get if you asked family members or friends, "What is you interior spiritual life like?" If you were asked, what would you say? Do you even have a way of thinking about this topic that would lend itself to helping you formulate an answer? Maybe not everyone would even want an interior spiritual life. They are too extroverted and sensation seekers.

Yet, the majority of human beings do want an interior spiritual life and in fact, when polled people asked their religious preference often answer that they are not religious but they are spiritual. If the interviewer followed up with these folks and asked what they meant by that it is not clear how many could provide a coherent, meaningful answer.

 And so, this week we are starting this new column on UU A Way Of life exploring a vocabulary, a map, of what the Interior Spiritual Life might look like. Based on the observations of the Perennial Philosophy, the hypothesis is that the content of the Interior Spiritual Life will be the same for every human being, but there will be unique differences in form from culture to culture, religion to religion, personality to personality.

 This introductory post is an invitation to join us in our research, the purpose of which is to gather data that would provide us with a map, a description, a vocabulary, of the interior spiritual life. It is hoped you will join in the research by adding ideas, values, reports of practices in the comments. Longer letters are very much welcomed to davidgmarkham@gmail.com.

As Elmo says, to paraphrase, "Just because you can't describe your interior spiritual life now doesn't mean you don't have one, and you will be able to describe it later if you practice describing it."

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

What is your interior spiritual life like? The fourth principle of UU

The question arises when people say they are spiritual but nor religious what is meant by this phrase, "spiritual but not religious?"

It seems to mean for most people that they recognize that there is a Higher Power and that they are not alone or even the most important creation in the universe. However, organized religions, churches, do not facilitate and expand this awareness in a way that the cost of membership provides resources for spiritual growth in sufficient benefits to be worth those costs.

A further question could be asked about whether this response is flippant or said in an intentional and sincere way. Assuming that it is a sincere statement, then the person saying they are spiritual and not religious might be asked to explain what (s)he means by this and how does he/she pursue his/her spiritual growth? In our Unitarian Universalist tradition we covenant to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for meaning in our fourth principle and the right of conscience in our fifth principle.

I, as a psychotherapist, sometimes ask my client's "What is your interior spiritual life like?" I have never had any client object to this question. The usual response is for the person to become pensive, quiet, and then attempt to formulate an articulate statement which is usually meaningful and somewhat difficult to put into words.

Luke was 17 and a senior in high school. Luke was very bright, came from a middle class family who were pillars of the community, who his parents said, "is going down the wrong road." Luke, college bound, was not abiding by his curfew, drinking and drugging, having promiscuous sex, and being disruptive in school. His parents brought him to see me when he was arrested for shop lifting.

Luke acknowledged his parents' concerns but stated they were over reacting and "boys will be boys." It was his senior year in high school and he was doing what he thought he was supposed to be doing which was "sowing my wild oats" and "having fun." Luke was willing to see me  in counseling to placate his parents and make a good impression on the legal authorities as he was dealing with his legal charges.

I had met with Luke three times and we had gotten to the bottom of his situation, and we had developed some rapport in our relationship, and at the end of our third meeting not knowing where to go next, I was prompted my an inner intuitive voice (which I call the Holy Spirit) to ask him, "Luke, what is your interior spiritual life like?" He looked at me solemnly for a change and paused. Instead of his usual glib and ironic response he said to me, "Interesting question. I'm not sure. I like nature." There was a palpable change in his demeanor and there was a deepening of the rapport I liked but didn't understand. I said to Luke, "Well that sounds good. Can we talk more about it next time?" He agreed and left as thoughtfully and at peace as I had ever experienced him.

When Luke returned for our fourth meeting he said to me, "I really liked your question. I have been thinking a lot about it." We talked further about his inner yearnings, meaning making, hopes, dreams, and aspirations. I only saw him one more time. I have learned subsequently that Luke graduated from college, went to law school, and now is a practicing attorney living for the time being with his parents.

There is a deep spiritual yearning in our society which is not being addressed adequately by our mainstream religious institutions. They are failing while the interest in Buddhism, Yoga, humanism, mindfulness, and the Perennial Philosophy is on the rise. We all have an interior spiritual life if we pay attention to it. Perhaps the two most important questions we can ask ourselves, and people we care about, are "What is your interior spiritual life like?" and "How do you nurture it?"

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Learning what you teach

"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I don't know what Ralph by "trying " to help another. How about just doing your best to help the person?

Am I quibbling?

People have a lot of good intentions which they never carry out and then excuse themselves saying that they tried.

In A Course in Miracles it says that a person learns what the person teaches.

If you want to learn something teach it.

Teaching takes many forms.

In Alcoholic Anonymous they have a slogan "Fake it till you make it."

As a psychotherapist I am familiar with what is called the "pretend technique". People are resistant to change or don't believe that they can do certain things. As a therapist I encourage people to pretend to do it even if they can't.

Jesus never condemned anyone for sinning but he did seem exasperated when He would say "Oh yee of little of faith. If you only knew how much your Father loves you, you could not doubt your desire to extend your love in a constructive way."

Mother Theresa said she was not interested in whether her efforts brought success. She said she did her work to be faithful, not to be successful. Is this what Ralph meant by try - to not be concerned with success, but only with the efforts to help another and thereby we learn what we teach.

Our interior spiritual life gives us the motivation and intention to act towards ourselves and others in a loving way. This intention gives us much peace and spiritual joy.

Do you have to be successful to make an effort to help or can you just do it because it is fun for you?

I like helping because I like it not because it necessarily is effective, successful, or is appreciated by the target of my efforts.

What do you think about this idea of separating the effort from the effect? Have you ever helping anyone and it didn't seem to be effective at the time? How did the lack of success make you feel? What did you do about those feelings?

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Humor enriches the interior spiritual life

I told somebody I was a Unitarian once, they said "hey, isn't that that thing in the science museum with the stars in the ceiling and-" "No that's a planetarium."

- Leanna Balloffet

I am reading James Martin's book, "Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter are at the Heart of a Spiritual Life" and it has given me time and encouragement to consider the topic as it applies to our Unitarian Universalist faith.

It seems that humor is an important part of a vibrant, joyful spirituality. Jesus was funny as is Mulla Nasrrudin in the Sufi tradition and one of my favorite icons is the laughing Buddha.

You either laugh or cry, right?

UUs are especially good at laughing at themselves. Self denigrating humor that is appreciative of human foibles and not hurtful is one of the protective factors of resiliency in a rich spiritual interior life.

How does a sense of humor help you get through life? How does it enrich your spiritual life? Life is better appreciated if one sees the absurdities and incongruities and laughs.

Tell us a joke that enriches your interior spiritual life, please. Leave it in the comments or send it to me at davidgmarkham@gmail.com.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Course materials

There will be many suggested readings and exercises for the course on Interior Spiritual Life. The key text will be Spirituality for Dummies by Sharon Janis. Other books and articles will be suggested as we go along.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Dropping keys

The small man builds cages for everyone
he knows,

while the sage, who has to duck his head
when the moon is low,

keeps dropping keys all night long for the
beautiful, rowdy prisoners.

Hafiz

I awoke this morning about the interior spiritual life of Unitarian Universalists. I wondered what their interior spiritual life is like and how the Unitarian Universalist faith feeds their spiritual life. As I consider this, I invite you to this discussion and ask you to add your thoughts, ideas, and feelings as we go along.

What nurtures your spiritual life? What kind of practice do you find empowering and comforting? How does the Unitarian Universalist faith support and inform you spiritual life?

These are big questions and I hope that your interior spiritual life grows so that you too will have to duck your head when the moon is low, and if you are so inclined that you will drop your keys to the prison cells which the rest of us confine ourselves to.
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