What is the "Higher Power"?

The new metanarrative is "spirituality." The answer the "nones" give to the question of identification with a religion is "I'm not religious but I'm spiritual?"

The problem that arises with a statement like "I'm not religious but I'm spiritual" is that no one knows specifically what "spiritual means."

Spiritual usually means a relationship with a Higher Power whatever one conceives as their Higher Power being. This conception of  Higher Power though is not widely shared because there are "different strokes for different folks." 

Is there a definition of the Higher Power that a large percentage of people could agree on?

It has been suggested  that the characteristics of the Higher Power are the good, the true, and the beautiful. The good, true, and beautiful is an experience more than a cognitive perception.

Experience peace and joy.

The Atonement gives you the power of a healed mind, but the power to create is of God. Therefore, those who have been forgiven must devote themselves first to healing because, having received the idea of healing, they must give it to hold it. T-5.IV.7:1-2

A Course in Miracles . Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

The Atonement is the nondual experience of Oneness which is union with our Transcendent Source. This union with our Transcendent Source is shared and only in the sharing can it be experienced.

In Unitarian Universalism we covenant together to affirm and promote the acceptance of one another and the encouragement to spiritual growth.

Today, when able, rest in the Oneness and experience peace and joy.

Spiritual Intelligence Skill #1 - Awareness of Own Worldview

One of the 21 skills of spiritual intelligence is understanding where you are in your world view. Having some idea of the next step you might want to take in the development of spiritual intelligence is a challenge and a good skill to practice.

The question that might be asked in this first SQ skill, "Awareness of Own Worldview" is :

"Do you think that you can explain to others the impacts of your culture, your upbringing, and your mental assumptions on how you interpret the world around you?"

Never            Rarely               Sometimes                  Often                  Consistently

In other words, do you know what makes you tick?

I don't know about what percentage of the population knows that makes them tick or could tell you their worldview. The level of spiritual intelligence in the United States in general is very low.

People who have lived in foreign countries, know foreign languages, live in diverse communities probably would score better on this skill. 

As a Unitarian Universalist we join together to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. This takes a person beyond the golden rule to the platinum rule. "Do unto others as they would have you do unto them." This requires that you know something about their culture, their values, their beliefs, their practices. This takes curiosity and interest and empathy.

Father, forgive them.

You forsake yourself and God if you forsake any of your brothers. You must learn to see them as they are, and understand they belong to God as you do. How could you treat your brother better than by rendering unto God the things that are God’s? T-5.IV.6:6-8

A Course in Miracles . Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

All human beings are part of the sonship. They are all a manifestation of the Ground Of Being. None can be forsaken in the Mind of God.

In Unitarian Universalism we covenant together to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Wow!

Today, as Jesus said, we are to love our enemies, do good to those who abuse us. This takes high levels of self awareness and compassion. As Jesus was being tortured and crucified he said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

If we would experience unconditional love we should extend it to others.

My part in the Atonement is not complete until you join it and give it away. As you teach so shall you learn. I will never leave you or forsake you, because to forsake you would be to forsake myself and God Who created me. T-5.IV.6:3-5

A Course in Miracles . Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

Jesus tells us he is not only a part of the Atonement but he will continue to encourage us until we become part of the Atonement as well, and share it with others. What is meant by the word “Atonement” is the healing of the separation of our egos from the Oneness. We have split ourselves off and we yearn to rejoin that from which we have emerged.

In Unitarian Universalism we covenant together to affirm and promote the interdependent web of all existence. UU encourages us to acknowledge and rejoin the Ground Of Being.

Today, it is suggested that we teach what we want to learn. That is, if we want to experience Unconditional Love we must extend it to ourselves and to others.

Purify yourself of the things of the ego

The Holy Spirit atones in all of us by undoing, and thus lifts the burden you have placed in your mind. By following Him you are led back to God where you belong, and how can you find the way except by taking your brother with you? T-5.IV.6:1-2

A Course in Miracles . Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

The Holy Spirit helps us undo the conditioning of the ego. This is a process of purification which is necessary before we return to the Oneness from which we have separated ourselves.

In Unitarian Universalism we covenant together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning and this search involves an undoing, a shedding of our conditioning and socialization by the ego world.

Today, it is suggested that we choose one thing of the ego world we are willing to let go of, to give up, to liberate ourselves from. It could be money, romance, status, power, etc. If you would have peace and joy purify yourself of the things of the ego.

Love unconditionally in thought, word, and behavior.

I cannot forget my need to teach what I have learned, which arose in me because I learned it. I call upon you to teach what you have learned, because by so doing you can depend on it. Make it dependable in my name because my name is the Name of God’s Son. What I learned I give you freely, and the Mind that was in me rejoices as you choose to hear it. T-5.IV.5:3-6

A Course in Miracles . Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

One of the key concepts in A Course In Miracles is the idea that we learn what we teach. We want to teach certain things because we want to better learn the ideas and values themselves.

In Unitarian Universalism we join together to affirm and promote the acceptance of one another and the encouragement to spiritual growth. In encouraging spiritual growth we grow ourselves.

Today, as the opportunity arises, demonstrate the power of unconditional love through thoughts, words, and behavior.