The goal of all spiritual practice is to help us see that we are more than temporary and meaningless collections of automatic emotional and physical responses. All spiritual practices are designed to lead us to see a higher reality -- that we are, in truth, eternal consciousness, occupying physical form for a purpose, animated and connected to the creative and sustaining source of everything. Spirituality is, in essence, the experience of waking up to this higher, truer reality. And the birth of religions stems from individuals who have glimpsed this reality, have known that most human beings are trapped in a false, destructive dream, and have attempted to free others by sharing their experience of a better way.
Of course, as we all have seen, religions can quickly -- and at time horrifically -- distort this initial impulse. The experience of higher realties, by its very nature of being more than most people's normal vision and containing knowledge that often defies verbal description, must be told in metaphor, story and allegory. Followers who do not understand this may, in an honest but childish effort of devotion, concretize these subtle teachings in to literal and rote dogma, thereby losing the original intention and beauty. But the initial impulse to communicate the experience of higher reality for the benefit of others is the fire that sustains and renews the great religions, and that shows us the possibility of being more fully awake.
Whether the Buddhist experience of Bodhi, Christian rebirth, Jewish d'veikut, Zen kensho, Hindu moksha, or Sufi nafsil mutma`inna, most religions are designed to point us toward an awakened state of being. We may think, therefore, that spiritual awakening is like physical awakening, with only two states -- asleep or awake -- and that we can attain a state of being fully awake or enlightened. And we may think that this is the end goal of religious and spiritual practices, and may work to reach this enlightened state as though it is an object of attainment and possession.
The truth is, though, that spiritual awakening happens gradually, across many stages, with -- as far as we can tell from our current perspective -- no end. Once we think that we have finally awakened, another possibility, which was previously hidden from sight, appears and pulls us forward to higher levels. A sure sign of spiritual derailment, usually caused by the ego's hijacking of the process in order to feel superior and therefore safe, is the belief that one has reached the end, knows the truth and is done.
The realization that awakening is a never-ending process is a core spiritual insight taught by all great religious teachers, and these teachers have left us a map of the stages of awakening. The following is a brief and general outline of some of these stages, utilizing the Hebrew Bible -- the religious text with which I am most familiar -- as well as other religious traditions.
Awakening to Self-Awareness:
Many living things are conscious, but as far as we know human beings are the only creatures that are conscious of being conscious. We can ask the fundamental questions: Why am I here? What does my life mean? The story of Adam and Eve is a mythical telling of this evolutionary moment, when the light ignited in our eyes and we looked at the world from a new viewpoint, knowing that there is difference between good and bad, and aware of our own nakedness -- of our limitations and mortality. Almost all Homo sapiens have reached this basic level of awakening.
Awakening to Meaning
We can stay stuck at the first level, seeking only to satisfy our needs for security in the face of uncertainty and shame. Then, often suddenly, we discover that our life actually has meaning, and we are radically changed. This happened to Abraham, who, in a flash, sees that he has been created for a purpose and must leave the meaningless life that he has led to create a new way of being that is centered on the struggle to honor that purpose. This is the beginning of the spiritual journey.
Awakening to Sacred Service
We can awaken to the knowledge that our own life has purpose, and yet never reach the obvious conclusion: If my life has purpose, so must everyone else's! This is a huge shift, when one first moves beyond self and connects deeply to others. In this connection is found the call to service, as illustrated by Moses, who dedicated his life to liberating others, without seeking reward or recognition. At this level one discovers true humility and gratitude. All those who have changed the world for the better have awakened to this level.
Awakening to Freedom
Two thousand and six hundred years ago, Siddhartha Gautama awoke to an essential truth: that we cause our own suffering through our desire to make permanent that which is inherently transient -- possessions, fame, certainty, power, health -- and that we can end our own suffering by liberating ourselves from this insane cycle. Then we can see that we are not our minds, not our bodies and not our emotions. These, instead, become objects of curious and compassionate examination rather than the unconscious drivers of our lives. With this we can experience life, people and events as they are, free from the need to control. This is the level of awakening that many associate with enlightenment.
Awakening to Spirit
The life and teachings of Jesus are demonstrations of a radically simple but endless truth: We are spirit made flesh. Jesus knew that God is not a being "out there," and we are not feeble creatures "down here." Instead, we are God incarnate; the physical vessels of an infinite, loving creative force. And when we see the face of God in another human being we are seeing our true nature. This may sound appealing, ridiculous, obvious or meaningless. That too is the lesson from Jesus, because this level of awakening moves us beyond the restriction of our physical senses and provokes strong emotions from the ego. But with this awakening comes healing and rebirth to our true selves.
Awakening to...?
The next stage of awakening appears to be emerging now. I certainly can not see it, but my sense is that it will be one in which we know that consciousness is the structure of physicality and that we can deliberately connect to the forces of creation in order to elevate life.
The very reason that we are here is to gradually awaken, and by doing so transform the world into heaven on earth. This transformation is completely in our hands to do, and with courage and humility we will.
The word Universe - means one song.
Love and Peace to All
Love and peace to you!
Alan
Interestingly, however, I might describe one of the steps exactly opposite from how you put it. From occasional - invaluable - glimpses from my own experiences I'd call it more an "awakening of meaninglessness". That life is meaningless, that things simply are the way they are (and in a sense, perfect the way they are) and nothing means anything more than that. Can shift from living in the world of these mental concepts - and meanings - to living more experientially.
Of course, not being under the mental thumb of these pre-determine meanings, offers the opportunity to create - and experience - a more powerful sense of meaning. So maybe we end up the same place.
Thank you for you thoughtful comment. For me, the awakening you refer to corresponds to "Awakening to Freedom", because there we discover that the "meanings" that we had been assigning are often the ego's desires (to be famous, successful, respected, etc.). For me, though, the very substance of creation is meaning, because I believe fully that we are here for a purpose - not an egoic purpose, but a deep, transformative one.
All the best!
Alan
If you mean by “your religion†my own religious belief,
no beliefs but realization, is man’s deifying relief.
I am not redundant here, retelling what religions preach,
life ain’t water in river, to build across a bridge.
Until man realizes life’s ultimate truth,
man’s only truth reckoning, is life's worldly booth.
--------
If I have to bring my message in more greater detail,
you are paying no attention and saying more, I may derail.
your life’s transcendent boat, is set on divine steer.
Enthronement of your soul to the soul’s cosmic throne,
dissolves this life’s all loneliness down to the bone.
Life elucidated by the soul’s throne light,
is life of divine happiness, of everlasting Christ.
------------------
Whether famous and worldly hot,
God incarnate, humans are not.
Just each is invited, at the heavenly banquet to dine,
deified to be, sipping cosmic love everlasting wine.
Plenty the teachers, only one the true life,
one divine love, man’s eternal cosmic strife.
Fables are many, only one real life Christ's truth,
transcending eye for an eye and tooth for tooth.
On seeking self- transformation at this life's hearth,
Christ's still your only prospect, to transcend death.
I believe a person would not have to enter a church or belong to any religion and arrive at paradise.
everyone transends death, now where they end up depends on many things. their level of love and compassion are the best indicators that I know that determines the dimensions they arrive at.
as like attracts like on earth it is the same in these other dimensions.
ie hitlers dont hang out with saints. the hitlers of the world have to get over a lot of self hate to find their way to paradise. now heaven is another dimension much higher than paradise.
interesting that jesus pointed this out with his many mansions statement and his statement about john the baptist getting into heaven. the baptists dont preach on that one. :-)
any time anyone makes such a statement about what is "truth" run to the nearest door. it is the biggest red flag out there.
this person by making such a statement about their truth is teaching their beliefs as a religion be it materialistic or christian or whatever.
yes even this rabbi slipped into this truth thing. ("The truth is") now I agree with him and my research supports his "truth" statement but I must caution anyone to be very careful with other's truths.
recently attended an evangel church and that preacher had some interesting truths. proceed with caution with other's truths. :-)
. . . unless, of course, your truth aligns with researcher's. LOL!
I must caution anyone to be very careful with other's truths.
I have over the years and throughout my education in this field have gone through many, many, spiritual changes. I have through meditation and through my work, these changes are what I call enlightenment. .For women , we ususally get headaches and go without eating and sleeping. There are stages and levels to this also. I feel the only way to get through this experience is to keep on working through it. I do profiles so I try to keep busy. Thank you for discussing this. Spiritual Awakenings with VicarSusanAnnSwindelles
thank you for your note.
Wishing you well,
Alan
Very nice, and well written article. It is unfortunate that so many readers only pick out the things they want to disagree with and comment/argue against it--their own minds create the thorns that blind them to the roses. What is especially sad is that so few people speak from actual experience--they merely regurgitate what they were taught to believe, while lacking any true understanding of that knowledge.
Thanks for this article. I will look for more from you.
You hit the nail on the head regarding the resistance and negativity. The challenge and opportunity - that I struggle with - is to be open and understanding in the face of this, knowing that it usually comes from a place of unexamined pain.
All the best!
Alan
Ouch! Genuine skepticism (without unexamined pain) doesn't count?
God didn't promise us a Rose Garden in this life. That's for the next life, if one is a believer. I am :)
All the best!
Alan
Rabbi I dont think we get stuck and it is the root of all that ails us.
I think and what advanced spiritual teachers teach is that the process of learning is on going. it is often so subtle that we view it as being stuck. even the "little" things are part of this learning process. by learning I mean to greater soul awareness.
even if we make a so called wrong choice that choice was needed or we would not have taken that path or made that choice. to overlook the little things in life and only focus on the big things often means we miss both opportunities. maybe that is that stuckness you believe in. guess I proved your point, kind of. :-)
also would you consider the word or concept of expressions of god rather than agents of god. agents to me at least still sounds like we are separate from an infinite god which it is impossible to be separate from infinite. ie no boundaries to infinite, ie all and all, etc. just looked up synonyms for agent. ok agents is not bad. darn proved your point again. :-)
in religious terms god must create within its infinite self and their lies the necessity for unawareness for souls to be agents/expressions of god and a synonym for unawareness is ignorance and as the buddha realized the origin of suffering is ignorance.
No it isn't, but I'm sure you'll continue to say that it is over and over and over and . . .
we all have things we know and dont know. without those conditions there is no us just isness.
at least you are reading it over and over and over. sometimes when we plant a seed it grows. sometimes not. depends on the condition of the soil (mind) and if it is watered (sincere seeking).
it is impossible to be separate from the infinite as infinite has no boundaries. see I changed it up a bit.
if you think you can exist outside of infinite you may want to retake math 101 and logic 101. or not. just having fun with ya. :-O)
Well, fall in behind me. Now. I say illuminate your own path. Follow no other. Follow your instincts. Trust your senses. Believe in your inner voice -- the one that's telling you this guy is full of $h!t.
Well, i've certainly been accused of being full of $hit before, but have never been called a "guru". Kinda' cool, but not a label that I'd ever want.
May I asked you to consider a practice that may help?: when reading something (or doing anything, for that matter), search for that which feels true and is useful instead of that which you disagree with or that provokes negative emotion. Looking for the negative just creates more negative feelings and sends you backwards.
If you'd be willing, I'd also like to know what part of what I wrote you consider full of $hit.
All the best,
Alan
It's the same thing wrapped in another veil -- this reality/world/experience is false/fallen/degraded and there is another, better reality/nirvana/heaven that awaits you through enlightenment/awakening/salvation. You only have to follow this path (p.s. buy my book and attend my church/synagogue/seminar to learn how).
It is the basis of all religious/spiritual belief and it is the wrong message. It is an escapist fantasy of immortality and it pulls people away from addressing the real issues in the real world. Why try to save a fallen world? Better to escape or exploit, right? The environmental catastrophe that is our planet was caused, in large part, by the devastating force of christian capitalism -- the earth is man's domain given by god to exploit.
People, wake up. You are here, now, and you are an important part of this world. You can make a difference in your life and in the lives of others if you focus your efforts here. We are all the same. We all struggle together, suffer together, celebrate together. We all die and then we contribute to the new. It is the cycle of life and it is what makes us human. Embrace it. This is the ultimate and only truth of life and it is beautiful.