"It's the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen."--Muhammad Ali
This blog is about the practical application of spirituality and philosophy--as opposed to religion and theology--to help you achieve greatness. Spirituality is about improving the experience of life here and now by tapping into "other-dimensional" truths, all of which have been understood for thousands of years. As the Jewish sage said, "There is nothing new under the sun."
To paraphrase Jesus, spirituality is about living life more abundantly.
Spirituality and philosophy interrelate. Most people these days (without realizing it) espouse an Aristotelian philosophy, which does not allow for a spiritual dimension to life. In subtle ways we are told every day that the spiritual realm does not exist, that it is merely "magical thinking."
Even most of our religious institutions are infected with Aristotelianism, and therefore have lost their way. Each maintains adherence to its respective mythos, but its underlying philosophy is at odds with its role as champion of the "spirit world."
But the truth is, Aristotelianism is a faith just like any other philosophical metaphysic. It's a faith that, according to its own tenets, does not pan out (while other metaphysics are at least cohesive in theory). It is in the process of creating an ugly world.
Most important, it offers its adherents not even the hope of goodness in their lives. Far from it, the Aristotelian faith preaches a cold, neutral universe, indifferent to human beings, it's most sophisticated creations.
So if Aristotelianism is a faith, why follow it? No reason at all. In fact, following it is unreasonable. There are others out there--Platonic, pre-Socratic--and when they've held sway in the past these philosophies have created more beauty and less ugliness than obtains in the Aristotelian-run world of today.
Aristotelianism has been given its opportunity and has failed. Its demise, like that of Communism (which Aristotelianism fostered), is inevitable, because Aristotelianism is an elevation of truth over beauty, truth over quality, truth over unity, truth over The Good (truth over God, if you will), and such a hierarchy is doomed to failure.
When we talk about awakening, these are the principles to which one is awakened. This is the philosophical foundation of the enlightened life.
If only there were a way to prove any of this. Oh, but there is! By asking your physical body. It's an expert on reality.
By bringing your awareness into your physical body, you will likely find there any number of what might be called centers of negativity (one important center of negativity has been called The Pain-Body). Most of us have these. They are caused by repetitive negative thought patterns that then produce an electrical impulse that finds a home in your physical body. It may be caused by worry, anxiety, fear, hatred, envy, lust, jealousy, anger or any other negative thought.
We allow these negative electrical charges to pool in our physical bodies because we are conditioned by Aristotelianism to believe that our physical bodies (along with the rest of reality) is meant to contain a neutral charge.
Think about that for a moment. When you consider your body, how do you think about it? You probably say, "My body is my body. It's neither positive nor negative. It's natural state--its natural feeling--is neutral."
But this isn't true. You're body's natural state isn't neutral or negative. It's supposed to feel positive. Joyous. In its natural state, your body should be producing a continuous flow of endorphins. That's how it functions best. And if it doesn't have them, it goes in search of them wherever it can find them. Sources are dangerous behavior, excercise, sex, drugs and many others.
But our bodies function properly on their own. No outside stimulus is required to produce the joy that is natural to it.
So how do you get there? By bringing your awareness into your physical body. That awareness dissolves the pockets of negativity, thereby allowing your body to return to its natural state. This state has been called the joy of being.
Once joy begins to arise, you will discover what it is and will be able to return there as often as you remember to, and you will soon maintain yourself in that state the vast majority of the time--why wouldn't you!
And this will prove to you that the universe--of which you are an important part--is truly a positive experience, fostered by The Good, and not a cold and neutral place as many would have you believe.
Photo credit: The Daily Mind
It is so important that writers constantly push the focus of inner body awareness and presence as being a solution to many individual problems that are created by attachment to mental processes and living a life that is thinking about rather than in being.
ReplyDeleteWell said! Sorry for the VERY late reply. I guess I just didn't see this one. I'm opening up my blog again after many years of dormancy (although I've worked on in since 2012).
ReplyDelete