Enlightenment, Balance and Belief

byTLTurner

1K followers

9 years ago

So, while there is much focus on terror nowadays, many of us whose focal concern is spirituality are seeing a tremendous awareness of spiritual energy emerging. It might be more accurate to say it's crashing in at crescendo pace.

Spirituality is finally considered by many to be interesting. How cool is that for someone who began to plan for a life of ministry before the age of ten?! Yep, my online presence, like my offline life, cannot but help but express that which consumes my being.

I've had a kind of love-hate relationship with religion my entire life. And it continues today. If this sounds kind of strange to you, it's understandable. It probably doesn't make much sense, humanly speaking, that is. But isn't that the nature of faith, after all? And faith is not only a part of religion, it is intrinsically spiritual in nature.

Much of our activity while in this substance and psyche sort of life in which we are currently participating is a bit of a paradox, isn't it? Perhaps you see yourself as being on the end of the spectrum of humanity that considers human life as purely or predominantly physical. Then, surely it must be obvious that anyone who values relationship and community is, as a matter of course, acknowledging that there might be a bit more to life than the physical reality that is so obvious to us.

At the same time, if you consider yourself more on the end of the spectrum that believes humankind is a group of spiritual beings who are participating in a physical experience, neither your spiritual nature, nor that of each individual member of humanity is in question. Nor is your acceptance of the physical nature of human life lacking.

According to Eckhart Tolle, a popular modern spiritual teacher, one aspect of human beings is more concerned with doing, while another is more focused on being.

As a chaplain I come down on the side of the duality of humanity. Physical and spiritual, substance and psyche, doing and being.

And I have many friends and acquaintances who are agnostic or atheist who would beg to disagree with me. I'm quite certain that none of us quite have the total inside scoop as regards this whole physical/spiritual debate. I always felt honored when those who disagreed with the spiritual emphasis that has been part and parcel of my counseling, teaching and care stated that it was good to find a "minister type" who would discuss their questions about or lack of faith without judgement.

Most of us like to feel like we are a bit enlightened, if only evidenced in the belief that we see some things more clearly than others. And yet, enlightenment would not be a thing to be desired, or even understood if not for its distinction from darkness. If there is to be good in life, one must acknowledge the presence of evil. A perfunctory look at modern human life clearly indicates this duality. While many are bent on destroying one another, random acts of kindness, and collective communities of mutual support, respect and validation are plentiful.

That we disagree on many things is much a part of life as is breathing. And that is a good thing. But, that our disagreement can make us enemies, bent on hurting one another is very evil. And, unfortunately, that is also a part of human life.

We can't overcome evil by hating, hurting, imprisoning or killing one another. Only good can overcome evil, as only love can overcome fear, hate and indifference.

Whatever we believe, let us believe it is our responsibility for overcoming evil in our little corner of the world. We ca n disagree on many things. This is not one of them.

Enlightenment emerges as we find balance to the polarity that is intrinsic in being human.

Now is the time for all good people to come to the aid of humanity.

Grace, Peace and Love
Terry