The word ‘God’ is a loaded word. Many people think of an angry man in the clouds writing down the sins of mankind. I have asked many of my friends whether they believe in God. The answer is usually ‘no. I believe in an energy/power/force bigger than myself.’ I would usually reply with ‘well, you believe in God then.’
I have always had a belief in God. The way I understand what this means has changed significantly over the years. A few years ago, I critically assessed my beliefs in relation to Christianity and specifically my beliefs around God. For many people, this can lead them towards atheism. This is essentially the dominant worldview which says that no empirical evidence for something means it doesn’t exist.
For me, the atheist worldview is incomplete. It fails to answer the question of meaning, or even the mystery of consciousness itself.
Is there such a thing as ‘Truth’?
Nowadays, we’re bombarded with different opinions and worldviews. There is a book on everything, blogs and articles galore. It isn’t difficult to find evidence to support any worldview. This has left many not believing in ‘truth’ anymore, and that all worldviews and opinions are equally valid. I disagree with this, as I do believe in a universal Truth, which goes something like this:
- People are equally valuable, regardless of what we achieve
- Humans are meant to thrive not just survive
- We should behave in a way which serves ourselves others and the planet
- We are born good
- Love should be the governing principle/driving force behind our continued evolution
If people haven’t experienced unconditional love, then they’ll likely cast off such universal values as another opinion. Most people don’t know these things to be true, as our world so often seems to show us the opposite. This is then confirmed by what they feel on the inside – many people feel feel empty. They’re either too closed or lacking in time to experience the more subtle dimensions of their interior selves.
It’s little wonder that the dominant driving force in the world – capitalism – is based on logic, reason and quantifiable ‘evidence’. A more effective way of keeping law and order is punishment rather than rehabilitating people. Education generally aims at setting children up to be money-making agents. Rarely are they encouraged to cultivate their passions or learn about things which could really help them like emotional intelligence. Most people see the point of life as ‘getting ahead’ – career success, becoming wealthy and getting on the property ladder. Many see the meaning of life as family or relationships, which is regarded as slightly more ‘noble’. Unfortunately putting so much pressure on things to go right and people to behave it a certain way usually ends in much suffering.
It’s obvious that our current world is lacking in universal values. This is partly down to failed political experiments and dogmatic religion which has put people off. Instead society has opted for the invisible hand of free market capitalism to keep people in check. Obviously there have been some amazing benefits from the motivating powers of money. Living standards for most have risen but generally mental and spiritual health have declined.
Why first-hand spiritual experiences are more powerful than intellect alone
All throughout history, there have been mystics and sages reporting of experiences of oneness and transcendence. Others have reported similar spiritual experiences whilst using psychedelics. Some have similar experiences during near death experiences (NDI’s) which mainstream science has no answers for. Such experiences can transform people’s lives. There have been reports of miraculous recoveries from illnesses and mental health problems. It also seems to make people want to give back more and help others. These experiences can’t simply be palmed off as the ravings of lunatics. They are simply too common across different cultures and time periods. What if we could transcend the current problems of your story vs my story, through having spiritual experiences?
Looking back at my life, other people’s ideas had often dictated my world view. However, without the personal experience, it had started to feel empty. I could no longer identify with the mainstream church which put emphasis on the stories rather than the meaning. I no longer saw the value of pursuing career and wealth as encouraged by the world.
Nowadays, I find a lot of wisdom in the Bible. I believe it only really makes sense in light of the experiential.
Experiencing God through nature
Since childhood, I’ve always experienced a sense of goodness, freedom and wholeness when immersed in nature. The looping thoughts usually subside and I see how unimportant ‘my story’ really is. The to-do lists and thoughts of monotonous routines dissolve as I realise I’m part of something much bigger. In my opinion, the beauty of nature points towards a mysterious, higher order.
I’m not the only one who thinks that being trapped in our thoughts restricts our awareness of connection to the whole. Albert Einstein, as well as revolutionising how we see the world, had these words of wisdom:
‘A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest-a kind optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.’
Albert Einstein
Things fall into place when we listen to our intuition
Another way I experience God, is through intuition and sychronicities. A while ago, I decided to listen to my intuition and do what I knew deep down to be right. This meant leaving my full time job in Architecture to allow space in my life for healing and growth. Since then I’ve experienced an uncanny amount of synchronicities. Teachers and helpers have come into my life as if by magic and opportunities have come out of the blue.
I now earn most of my money through helping people. This part-time job allows me to paint, do freelance design projects, volunteer, learn new things and write these blogs! I think most people know deep down what they need. God usually gives us enough signs to point us in the right direction. However, conflicting information coming from outside sources can confuse us. If we never spend time in contemplation, we risk missing what’s being communicated to us.
Meditation is more than relaxation
It’s definitely easier to be happy when we make changes to optimize the circumstances of our lives. In my case, this meant making some changes to align more with my values and personality. As well as being far more relaxed I no longer have the feeling that I’m wasting my life. Sorting out these problems has helped me see that the true ‘work’ is a lifelong process. A process which involves finding out who we really are.
I started meditating on and off about a year or so ago. I’ve tried different types – guided, mindfulness, body scan and mantra (Transcendental). Whilst it’s a great tool for relaxation, the real purpose is to develop our contact with God. Rather than being out there somewhere, God can be found in the stillness within ourselves.
Ever since my first ‘experience’ whilst meditating on the ferry last year, I decided to commit to doing it daily. Work sometimes makes it difficult to fit in, but generally I have some form of meditation – or ‘contemplation’ – each day. That first experience I find hard to describe. I know I felt blissful, and a deep sense of peace and that everything was right with the world. It would be months until I would feel anything remotely similar again . I felt as if I was no longer in my body, but part of nature itself. Again, the blissful experience left me convinced that what I’d just experienced was a taste of the Divine.
For some people, they enter a meditative state when practicing their gift/passion. For me, being immersed in a painting causes my thoughts to dissolve. It’s as if I’m channeling energy from God. It’s often during these ‘flow’ states that I produce my best work.
How do I interpret these experiences? Are they ‘spiritual’?
Our upbringing and what we expose ourselves to have a big impact on how we interpret our experiences. For example: a fundamentalist Christian would have a different interpretation to someone who believes the world is purely physical with no meaning.
Whilst different interpretations are valid, I do believe there are better ways of interpreting our experiences. Both of these examples can be dogmatic and closed, in very different ways. If we are open to something bigger, then our experiences are more likely to transform our lives.
On reflection, my alignment to Christian Mysticism has undoubtedly affected the way in which I interpret these experiences. The reason I take the mystic approach is because it’s universal and expansive. The central ideas are present in all of the worlds religions. Such ideas have been corroborated by countless mystics, sages and saints throughout the ages. The central idea is that we are all echoes of God. The consciousness in us is the very same as the source of the entire Cosmos.
When we are open to God, we’re more likely to have these kind of experiences. Building on perrenial wisdom is how we move forward. If it’s not wisely interpreted, the experience is likely to fade in memory and have no effect on our lives.
What are some of the insights my spiritual experiences have given me?
- Life is a journey: each one of us possesses the ability to transcend our story. It’s possible to live in an enlightened state of consciousness. We can live from this place of connection with God
- There is potential to move beyond suffering and live a peaceful life
- We are not separate or alone. Ultimately, we are all made of the same source
- Humans are co-creaters with God. The future isn’t pre-determined
- The outer world is a reflection of our inner world, individually and collectively
- We are more than what we do/achieve
- We meant for greatness, yet loved unconditionally by God
- Everything is sacred. Nothing is outside of this Love
- We no longer need to let the fear of death have control over us. Our ‘true’ self exists beyond space and time
Are spiritual experiences needed for global transformation?
In my opinion, it would certainly help. The more people ‘Wake up’ to who they really are – ie. an echo of God/awareness/spirit, the less ego would run the show. ‘How’ this happens varies from person to person, and across cultures. It’s worth noting, we can’t force a spiritual experience. In fact, the more we ‘try’ the more elusive they become. Some people are spiritual but never have a ‘spiritual experience’. Others aren’t spiritual, but have a feeling that there is a better way to live. In some ways, it doesn’t matter as God doesn’t care whether we believe in ‘Him’. True spirituality isn’t just about holding certain ideas or beliefs about what happens when we die for example, but it should have an affect on the way we live our lives.
My thinking on this is quite simple. It calls us to:
1: Know who we really are – I AM that. We lack nothing, we can feel good about ourselves
2: Become more self-aware. How do I treat myself and others. What motivates me? What do I really want?
3: Enjoy the present moment – it’s all that really exists. Small things can bring us joy when we step out of our heads
4: Discover what we’re here to do – follow our talents and gifts, the things that bring us joy. It’s only really possible to be truly of service if we’re happy and enjoy what we’re doing
5: Live a life of service: Meaning comes from relationship with others. We all have a part to play in the evolution of the world in the direction of Love.
