The Paths which Unite us (... and my spirituality 'defined')
I enjoy studying various religious traditions (but by no means claim to be an expert on any one of them) and have been amazed by not only how much of their underlying philisophical tenets and spiritual concepts are essentially the same, but how similar their "mythologies" (for lack of a better word) are as well. In fact, there are so many examples and parallels which I could point out here, but I'll have to save most that for another blog entry.
I typically don't like to put a label on my spirituality without any clarification, simply because by doing so, there's a general tendancy by others to assume that I automatically differ with other religious beliefs systems, or view them as being 'seperate' from my own, which is hardly the case.
My primary spiritual path is "Christian Mysticism" and "Shamanism". I often find that most people either don't know what this is, or have a bizarre idea of what it may be, or simply think it's some new 'hybrid' type of religion, which couldn't be further from the truth!
To clarify, the "Christian" aspect of this term simply means that at the core of my spirituality, is a recognition of the Cosmic Divine as God the Father, Holy Spirit the Mother (who is synonymous with Goddess Sophia), and Christ the Son. I also acknowledge that we are all sons and daugthers of our Father-Mother God, and are capabable of ascending Christ-Conciousness. The only difference between myself and likely many others here, is that I choose to take the gospels of the New Testament at their word that indeed Jesus had no earthly father (as is also stated in the Holy Qu'ran). Certainly nothing to start a holy war over.
As for the "Mysticism" aspect of my spirituality ~ a "mystic" is essentially someone who seeks to experience a direct union with God. Christian Mysticism doesn't require that one belong to a church or perform a series of rites and rituals in order to 'reach' God.
Here's a brief summary of what Christian Mysticism is:
"To many modern Christians, words like "meditation," "mystic," and "mysticism" bring to mind Eastern religions, not Christianity. Certainly Eastern religions are known for their mysticism; however, mysticism is not only a vital part of the Christian heritage as well, but it is actually the core of Christian spirituality. Mysticism simply means the spirituality of the direct experience of God. It is the adventure of "the wild things of God."
The direct experience of God is a kind of knowing, which goes beyond intellectual understanding. It is not a matter of "belief." It is marked by love and joy, but it is not "emotional experience." In many ways, it is better described by what it is not. To describe what it is, we must use metaphors—the marriage of the soul to Christ, the death of the "old man" and birth of the "new man," being the "body of Christ."
Jesus proclaimed "I and the Father are one," (Jn. 10.30) showing the world what the union of God and man can be. Christian mysticism is about nothing else but this transforming union.
Christ is the sole end of Christian mysticism. Whereas all Christians have Christ, call on Christ, and can (or should) know Christ, the goal for the Christian mystic is to become Christ—to become as fully permeated with God as Christ is, thus becoming like him, fully human, and by the grace of God, also fully divine. In Christian teaching this doctrine is known by various names—theosis, divinization, deification, and transforming union.
A common misconception about mysticism is that it's about "mystical experiences," and there are many volumes on such experiences in religious literature. But true mysticism is not focussed on "experiences" (which come and go) but with the lasting experience of God, leading to the transformation of the believer into union with God.
A very, very, very short mystical apologetic.
To know God directly shows that mysticism is different from any passive or legalistic kind of Christianity. It means:
~ That while we honor the Scriptures, we want to know God directly, not just through Scripture.
~ While we respect our heritage of teachings about God, we want to know God directly, not through doctrines and teachings.
~ While we gather in communal worship, we want to know God directly, not just through the Church.
Some readers may find this unsettling. Maybe you believe it doesn't apply to you, because you "know" that your church is purer and more correct than others. Even if that were true, is it a substitute for knowing God directly? Or, you might also feel that trusting the Bible alone gives you knowledge of God directly from the Source. But it was written by mystics, listening to God speaking his Word in their hearts. Is it possible for you to read it directly, without the conceptions of your language, time, culture, and personal history? Are you sure you wouldn't understand it very differently if you were reading it, say, in third-century Damascus?
The religion we call "Christianity" changes, but God is eternal. Mystical faith wants to know this unchanging God to whom Christianity leads us, the One behind the beliefs and the words, the One whom beliefs and words cannot describe. We want to follow Jesus' example more closely, and go beyond the religion about Jesus, and take the religion of Jesus: the knowledge of the Father and unconditional love he had, and urged us to have."
Soure: http://www.frimmin.com/faith/mysticismintro.php
As one can see, this concept is not unlike that of Yoga (Sanskrit meaning to "yoke" or "union"), or the mystical traditions of Buddhism and Sufism, which are essentially all parallel in their teachings and spiritual goals.
In fact, I am inclined to believe the evidence that supports that indeed Jesus spent his "lost" years (ages 13-30) in the East, and that he studied Hindu and Buddhist traditions there.
Furthermore, the Hebrew word that was originally used for the Creator in the Book of Genesis is "Elohim", which is a plural, masculine-feminine word (and there is other scripture to support this in both Biblical and Gnostic texts). So naturally, the concept of a 'Feminine Divine' in the old Pagan religions, or 'Goddess Spirituality' as it is commonly referred to today, is perfectly digestable for me as well.
I could also state many reasons why I find much common ground with the ancient Celtic, Greek and Egyptian religions as well. In fact, I strongly sense that I have 'belonged' to many religions in the past!
As for the "Shamanic" aspect of my spirituality, "shamanism" has much in common with "mysticism" and sometimes the words can be used interchangaebly.
A general overiew of Shamanism:
"The word shaman comes from the language of a tribe in Siberia, according to Mircea Eliade, a scholar of religion, a shaman is a man or woman who "journeys" in an altered state of consciousness. Thus, shamanism is the application of what the shaman does.
In his book The Spirit of Shamanism, Roger N. Walsh, M.D., PhD. defines Shamanism as follows: "Shamanism can be defined as a family of traditions whose Practitioners focus on voluntarily entering altered states of consciousness in which they experience themselves or their spirit[s], traveling to other realms at will, and interacting with other entities in order to serve their community." There are many important phrases or key terms included in this definition. The first of which is "traditions." Traditions according to the dictionary are beliefs that are handed down [to the next generation] because of their effectiveness. In the shamanic context, these beliefs are being applied to spiritual healing, which may have an impact on the emotional/mental and physical aspects [bodies] of the individual as well. The shamanic traditions are not surprisingly different from culture to culture setting. This leads to the speculation that these traditions have an original source.
The shamanic journey is the most common practice of the traditions. The journey is usually induced by rhythmic drumming or other percussion sound, a rattle for example. The uses of the shamanic journey are many: such as diagnosing or treating illness, for acquisition of power through the interaction with spirits, i.e., power animals, spiritual teachers and angels. It is vital that the shaman maintain a relationship with their spiritual helpers as to receive instruction and information to help the patient.
The next key word in the definition is "voluntarily." The shaman must have mastered the experience of contacting spiritual entities to receive information that will be helpful to their patient and themselves, whatever the situation may be. A major skill that is acquired in the training process is spirit vision. This skill involves the development of a capability to organize, understand and communicate with the visionary data that one is presented with while in an altered state of consciousness at will.
Some teachers instruct on the ability to be in two worlds simultaneously. The worlds are revealed to the shaman when journeying into the altered state of consciousness. Carlos Castaneda termed these states "nonordinary reality." In his book The Way of the Shaman, Michael Harner writes "...altered state of consciousness and learned perspective that characterize shamanic work... involves not only a 'trance' or a transcendent state of awareness, but a learned awareness of shamanic methods and assumptions while in an altered state." The experience in the shaman's universe is the existence of three worlds: upper, middle and lower, which are joined in relationship by spiritual energy more than by physical properties. Dr. Walsh describes, "...central axis takes three main forms, all of them common to diverse cultures and myths... the first is the common. the 'cosmic mountain' at the center of the earth. The second is the 'world pillar' that many hold up the sky. The third is the highly symbolic 'world tree' symbol of life, fertility and sacred regeneration...." For the shaman, the multilayered worlds traveled through the altered state of consciousness are a direct experience. The last key word pertaining to this definition is "Serve." Connie Newton, my teacher of the Integrated Awareness Technique is constantly reminding us that as healers we must serve. To learn the knowledge is not enough. We must use our healing capabilities for the good of others and ourselves. Shamans are committed to the art of healing to the people of the community. The practice of these healing traditions is often referred to as energy medicine. The goal of energy medicine is to provide a healing to the recipient. The format of a healing is the ceremony where the shaman applies his or her healing protocols which have passed down from the practitioner's teacher, from generation to generation therefore establishing the traditions. The knowledge is ancient but it is always growing or evolving. Thus, the shamans of today practice energy medicine traditions that have evolved in their effectiveness and practicality.
Shamanism is an ongoing expanding body of energy medicine that is rooted in tradition. The shaman applies the energy medicine protocols for the healing of the people he or she serves."
Source: http://shamanic-healing.org/whatissh.htm
Many people may conclude then, that the profile of Jesus not only fits that of a "Mystic" but also of a "Shaman" as well. It should come as no surprise then that among those who are most receptive to Christian teachings, are precisely Shamans and Witch Doctors ~ since prophecy, miracles, healing, exorcisms and the ability to transgress the supernatural world are not foreign concepts to them!
Shamanic traditions not only appeal to me because I essentially view it as a form of "Nature Mysticism", but also because I have had frequent dreams and experiences involving animals which have delivered "messages" to me. This led me to research information about "Animal Spirit Guides" (or "Animal Totems"). Would I ever consider taking all the intricate steps and years of dedication to become a full-fledged "shaman" one day? Who knows. Right now I'm just interested in learning more about how to live a 'shamanic lifestyle'.
When Native Americans speak of the "Great Spirit" I don't merely view it as their god, but rather their name for God. Likewise, when someone speaks of the Goddess, I tend to think of whom I would call "Holy Spirit" or "Sophia". Likewise, I find the philisophical teachings of Ghandi, the poetic expressions of Rumi, and the humanitarian dedication of Mother Theresa to be universal, and transcendent of any religious doctrine.
I hope that as Lightworkers, we will always keep in mind that in order to be a light in this world, we must seek to unite amongst ourselves and have a willingness to learn more about what we might not know or think we already know but don't. That whatever differences we may hold in our personal beliefs are not treated as a dividing factor amongst us.
As long as we seek to serve the greater good and to reconnect with the Cosmic Divine in a world of so many people who, quite frankly, are asleep and could care less what their purpose here on earth is or how much misery they inflict upon others ~ that ultimately we are working towards the same goal of creating peace, beauty and love here on Earth. I believe that is ultimately all our Creator asks of us.
~ Many Blessings
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