“Secret teachings” of spiritual development.

Some people have asked about the purpose of the UU A Way Of Life blog is. As it is written in the masthead, the mission of UU A Way Of Life is to nurture the spiritual development of people around the world. Nurturing spiritual development implies that there are stages of spiritual development and that there are milestones of spiritual growth. Given this model of spiritual development, it is understandable that UU A Way Of Life is not for everyone. Its purpose is to nurture the spiritual development of people at intermediate and advanced stages of spiritual growth.

In the gnostic literature some of the teachings of Jesus are called “secret.” Jesus would sometimes take one of two of his disciples aside and discuss spiritual matters which were not meant for the majority of people. These teachings were not “secret” in the sense that they were hidden from anyone, but in the sense that they were over the heads of people not capable of understanding them because they had not mastered the prerequisite knowledge. A good teacher does not give 8th grade material to 3rd graders. The 8th grade material is not secret in the sense of hidden but in the sense that it is not appropriate given the level of understanding of the students.

If we conceived of the level of spiritual development as beginner, intermediate, advanced, post graduate, the UU A Way of Life blog is not meant for beginners but for people at the intermediate, advanced and postgraduate levels.

In our current society in the United States the level of spiritual development of the population is very low. 50% of the population have not even begun a spiritual journey. They are still asleep as the spiritual literature describes. Maybe 30% have started seeking for spiritual truth and meaning and are at beginner level.15% may be at an intermediate level, and 5% are at advanced and post graduate level.

What are the stages of spiritual development? One model will be described in our next post. In the meantime, if you are reading this most likely you have embarked on your spiritual journey seeking truth and meaning beyond any one religious tradition. It is helpful in this journey to have a map otherwise the traveler can just wander and get lost.

To be continued

Seeking perfection.

The introduction of abilities into being was the beginning of uncertainty, because abilities are potentials, not accomplishments. Your abilities are useless in the presence of God’s accomplishments, and also of yours. Accomplishments are results that have been achieved. When they are perfect, abilities are meaningless. It is curious that the perfect must now be perfected. In fact, it is impossible. Remember, however, that when you put yourself in an impossible situation you believe that the impossible is possible.T-6.IV.8:1-7

A Course in Miracles (p. 229). Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

One of the biggest curses to mental health is perfectionism. Sometimes perfectionism is called “unrelenting standards.” We strive for a perfection which cannot be attained by our ego. Perfection already exists in the non dual Oneness but we have forgotten. We foolishly think that our ego can replicate the perfection of God. The first step in Alcoholics Anonymous is to admit that our lives are unmanageable by our ego alone.

In Unitarian Universalism some of us covenant together to affirm and promote justice, equity, and compassion in human relations. The application of this step begins with the recognition that the lives our egos have constructed aren’t working and that there must be a better way. This recognition leads to the further recognition that we need help and with this recognition we begin our search for truth and meaning beyond our own egos.

Today it is suggested that we take some time to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and to admit that we alone cannot achieve perfection.

Channeling the Force

In the Kingdom, where you are and what you are is perfectly certain. There is no doubt, because the first question was never asked. Having finally been wholly answered, it has never been. Being alone lives in the Kingdom, where everything lives in God without question. The time spent on questioning in the dream has given way to creation and to its eternity. You are as certain as God because you are as true as He is, but what was once certain in your mind has become only the ability for certainty. T-6.IV.7:1-6

A Course in Miracles (p. 229). Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

The passage above is a very tough one to understand if the reader does not understand the metaphysics of A Course In Miracles. We are a drop of the ocean. When part of the ocean the drop does not question where one is or what one is. The drop is not even aware of its separateness until it divides itself from the ocean. Only then, in its separateness, can the drop ask, “Where am I? What am I?”

In Unitarian Universalism some of us covenant together to affirm and promote the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. In the application of this principle we become aware of our participation in the non dualistic Oneness which is the source of our inherent worth and dignity.

Today it is suggested that we reflect on where we are and what we are. We are stardust congealed into a physical form we call a body. The physical body, though, is not who we are. The physical body is merely the container that channels the Force of the universe.

What is this thing we call life?

Hear, then, the one answer of the Holy Spirit to all the questions the ego raises: You are a child of God, a priceless part of His Kingdom, which He created as part of Him. Nothing else exists and only this is real. You have chosen a sleep in which you have had bad dreams, but the sleep is not real and God calls you to awake. There will be nothing left of your dream when you hear Him, because you will awaken. Your dreams contain many of the ego’s symbols and they have confused you. Yet that was only because you were asleep and did not know. When you wake you will see the truth around you and in you, and you will no longer believe in dreams because they will have no reality for you. Yet the Kingdom and all that you have created there will have great reality for you, because they are beautiful and true. T-6.IV.6:1-8

A Course in Miracles (pp. 228-229). Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

Wow! What else can be said about this passage?

In Unitarian Universalism some of us covenant together to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. This inherent worth and dignity arises outside the dream of the ego and is a part of the Kingdom of God which, as the Universalists taught us, is made up of God’s unconditional love for God’s creation.

Today it is suggested that we take some time throughout the day to reflect on the Holy Spirit’s answer to all our questions of what and who we are, what and how we are to do things, and on what things we should put our mind.

Why learn about SQ?

Spiritual intelligence is one of the four types of intelligence along with IQ, PQ, and EQ. Most people don’t even know that it exists although increasingly  many people say that they are not religious but they are spiritual? How spiritually intelligent are you? Join our discussion today.

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Is SQ is a set of skills?

Spiritual Intelligence, as distinct from both spirituality and religion, is a set of skills we develop over time, with practice.

Wigglesworth, Cindy. SQ21: The Twenty-One Skills of Spiritual Intelligence . SelectBooks, Inc.. Kindle Edition. 

Many people have observed that the problem with the concept of spiritual intelligence is that it is difficult to define in measurable terms. For that reason some developmental psychologists have been reluctant to use the term. Cindy Wigglesworth has addressed that concern by defining SQ as a set of 21 skills which can be measured.

If SQ can be measured like IQ, PQ, and EQ then we can assess the level of development of a given individual and the next steps to be taken to grow and develop further. For example, the first skill is “awareness of one's own Worldview.” I sometimes ask people “What makes you tick?” Some people have a thoughtful answer but most seem annoyed, perplexed, confused and will respond, “What are you asking me that for?”

I am asking because I am wondering what your search for truth and meaning has been like in your life and to what extent has it been intentional?

What do you think of the idea that spiritual intelligence can be measured by describing certain skills that a spiritually intelligent person would be competent in?

Join the Spiritual book discussion group where we are discussing The Twenty-One Skills of Spiritual Intelligence during October, 2022.

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Are we using our right mind or our wrong mind?

The ego uses the body to conspire against your mind, and because the ego realizes that its “enemy” can end them both merely by recognizing they are not part of you, they join in the attack together. This is perhaps the strangest perception of all, if you consider what it really involves. The ego, which is not real, attempts to persuade the mind, which is real, that the mind is the ego’s learning device; and further, that the body is more real than the mind is. No one in his right mind could possibly believe this, and no one in his right mind does believe it. T-6.IV.5:1-4

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

Another fundamental concept in A Course In Miracles is the “right mind” and the “wrong mind.” The right mind is aligned with the Holy Spirit, the unconditional love of God, while the wrong mind has forgotten its Transcendent Source and thinks that the ego and the body are its true home. As the bumper sticker says, “Don’t believe everything you think.” Thinking that the ego and the body is your real Self is insane.

In Unitarian Universalism some of us covenant together to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person and this inherent worth and dignity comes from our Transcendent Source and is recognized and acknowledged by our right mind.

Today it is suggested that we reflect on whether we are using our right mind or our wrong mind. Our right mind is based on unconditional love and our wrong mind is based on conditional love.