Wholism
and Cosmic Being
A
vital part of wholeness for human life is the domain of the spiritual. Wholeness
cannot be complete if one of its aspects is missing ! This is especially so in
the case of the dimension of spirituality. Let me be very clear here that by using
the term 'spiritual', and 'spirituality', I do not mean Religion, or any religious
doctrines that religions have enforced or tried to impose upon others.
It seems that in discussing the subject of Wholism, as soon as we use the
word God, some of our potential supporters disappear over the horizon very fast
! We need, therefore to get in first, and say exactly what we mean, and do not
mean when we use such an ancient term for what we would rather call 'Cosmic Being',
or Cosmic Energy and Awareness, or Divine Being, or one or another of many other
descriptive terms. These do not carry or stir up so much of the heavily charged
emotions and feelings involved with how religions may have tried to enforce their
dogmas or their particular ideas of spirituality, and their own understandings
or misunderstandings about the nature of 'God'.
In
saying these things, I am not making an attack upon religion or religious people.
Very many of them have contributed many fine things and done many good works in
the world. But there have also been serious mistakes made that even many religious
scholars and followers would be the first to acknowledge. I believe that approached
in the right way and the right spirit, people can make much progress within any
of the world's religions. But this does not help the many that have been mishandled,
and as a result have moved away from anything to do with spirituality, which is
a vital ingredient of wholeness. It is also an ingredient that needs re-energising
in today's world especially, because the world has become unbalanced. This is
reflected in increasing alienation, crime levels, violence, mental and emotional
problems, youth suicide, and the way drug addiction is ruining many lives. Not
to speak of the terrible things unleashed upon innocent populations by modern
warfare.
The answer to re-balancing and wholeness lies in a different emphasis in the way
we approach spirituality. Let us soon spell this out so that we are not misunderstood
when we use the word 'spirituality' or the word 'soul', or on occasion use the
word 'God,' in place of the terms we more usually employ. We will clarify this
whilst looking at our fundamental purpose and how to attain it. Such clarifications
will be highlighted in bold print along with other important points.
There
is a very important point to be indicated when it comes to the concepts we discuss
in the subjects that we cover. We are not putting forward a dogma that we want
to enforce upon anyone. Spiritual awareness and wisdom are achieved by employing
a free and open, interested enquiry into these aspects of reality. Our personal
reality on these areas is open to review and change at any time according to new
information or further inquiry. One cannot expect anyone to make real progress
in true spiritual development if one makes the mistake of trying to enforce ideas
on the subject. One may force compliance, but at the cost of any really engaging
interested progress. Spiritual progress involves a person in a close encounter
with the really real energies and forces that underlie the nature of reality at
all levels.
It
is vital therefore that decisions by anyone about what is true in these matters
should be made by themselves so that the foundations upon which their lives are
based are not suddenly undermined and destabilised. Valuable progress is usually
a gradual process if it is to be sound. The individual may change opinion on things
many times in life. That is not instability, but is part of the valid process
of adjusting to new information, or new pieces of the 'jigsaw-puzzle' of life
being discovered. Every individual has to take the consequences for his/her actions
in this world, and our actions are intimately related to our ideas of what is
real or not real in the territory of our lives. People, therefore, must be allowed
to remain the authors of their own understanding in this area. Otherwise, we will
be preventing the chance to allow humankind to raise to new levels of awareness
and fulfilment, or overcome the problems of the world that have been created,
partly because of actions to enforce upon us what we should believe.
In
the wholistic view, we have confidence that total freedom of belief about what
is true, eventually leads to right understanding, because we are of the opinion
that everyone of us (in our deepest essence) is a vital, living part of Cosmic
Being. If we are part of the greatest intelligent awareness of the Universe, then,
even though that may be obscured by our involvement with the lower levels of our
nature, (our material human existence) ultimately humankind will move to an awareness
of, and unity with our own true and deepest nature which lies in the spiritual
domain.
The
primary purpose of Wholism is to help to make available to mankind the
means and ability to become whole. The first thing, then, is to discover in what
areas of our existence we are lacking, or are in difficulty, and to regain balance
and harmony through restoring those missing dimensions. We believe that humanity
is most in difficulty in two areas. The first one is in the domain of our feelings
and emotional life. We become stressed and frustrated and inflict the resulting
bad emotional forces upon those around us. This can lower our general level of
wellbeing, in some cases, seriously. We hear it said that one in about five people
suffer from some form of depression or mental illness. This is just not acceptable.
Youth suicide is a problem. The solution is not easy to deliver, but the technology
of the solution is really quite simple. It already exists, and would be easily
taught if the resources to deliver it worldwide were somehow to be made available.
The
solution has two parts:
Part one is an educational approach. People need to
come to a much better understanding of their inner being, the meaning and purpose
of life, and to link that into their personal purpose in daily existence, so as
to live with a satisfying sense of inner fulfilment. From this flows insight and
understanding of others.
Part
two is to teach a few simple and practical self-administered methods for the release
of emotional stresses and frustrations. Generally this need only occupy a very
short time, a few minutes for the more common daily problems, or as little as
twenty minutes for more serious upsets, or those piled up multiple upsets of the
past that were never cleared away. The main one of these techniques is the simple,
and easy to learn method titled 'Provocative Affirmations', fully outlined in
a manual of the same title. It can even be used at work, after an upset or frustration,
in a private way, not noticeable to others. Then there are a few more self-administered
therapies outlined in the book 'What you Need to Know About Your Mind. This includes
a method of how to help become free from the usually difficult withdrawal symptoms
that can so easily derail any attempt to overcome an addiction. Also included
are a few simple methods for the lifting up of personal morale.
The
second area of life which needs attention is the inner or 'spiritual soul': soul
is a word that has been given many meanings, and these should be put aside in
understanding what we mean by the term within the subject of Wholism. By 'soul'
we do not mean the emotional being of a person. We could get over past ideas of
the soul by using two separate terms. In talking of the emotional being of a person
we could call this the 'emotional soul'. When we use the term in Wholism that
is not what we are speaking of. We are talking of the 'spiritual soul', or the
deepest and most fundamental essence of a person. This is not a part of the mind,
or the ego, or emotions or the physical level, though it is meant to interact
in a vital way with all of those.
Our
concept of the soul is really exciting when we realise the full meaning and ramifications
involved. It indicates how there can be a revolution in the understanding of people
at large that would work to transform society, and bring humankind to new wholeness
and fulfilment, and to progressively move to reduce the ills of the world.
More
on the soul: The soul is not part of the physical world, but the energies it can
stimulate in the world, in mental and emotional life are transformational indeed.
Why
is this so ?
We have said that the soul is not a part of the material world.
Then we must ask what world is the soul a part of?
Answer : The soul is at
One with and a vital 'part' of Cosmic Being, the pure and creative intelligence
which in this aspect exists 'outside' the realms of time and space. In this realm,
there is no duality, no separation, no enmity, no injustice, no ills, but full
harmony of being.
When
a human person opens to this aspect of his/her higher nature, and acts in tune
with it, this person opens to the qualities of the soul:
Fulfilment
A sense of togetherness and unity with others Insight
Compassion
Co-operative
empowerment
Affinity
Understanding
Wisdom (and
many other qualities.)
Having
clarified what Wholism means on the subject of the soul, let us now go
on and clearly outline what we actually mean when in Wholism we refer to the 'spirit',
'spirituality', faith,'God, 'Divine Being', 'Cosmic Being', Cosmic Awareness or
Intelligence', 'Pure Awareness, and other related terms.
(Please
note that in this next section of definitions and clarifications, where we enclose
a word by '--' marks, we are indicating that the words employed are not strictly
correct for terms to describe what lies beyond the territory of time form and
space. But these are the closest words we can find in worldly language, and so
they will have to suffice when employed to induce insight on the subject.)
Cosmic
Being – Divine Being – Cosmic Intelligence –
Pure Unconditioned
Awareness – God
All
of these are names for the same non-material creative intelligence that in one
aspect has 'its' existence 'beyond' the limits of the material plane of existence.
We may use other names as well in a special context, but when we do so, we will
introduce them with a capital letter.
Let us now dispose of some of the ideas
about 'God' that are, we believe, quite false.
1.
God is a male, patriarchal figure, or personage with a human
form.
Cosmic Being in its essence and Transcendental Existence has no
attribute of human sexual identity. In its non-transcendent aspect, it may project
its energy and awareness in any way whatsoever, into the consciousness of the
human being. In this way 'it' may appear as female, male, or sexless, or non-human,
depending on what would be most understandable and receivable on the part of the
human recipient involved. But we would recognise such an 'appearance' to be a
communication device.
2.
God is a wrathful vengeful being who hates sin, and punishes
sinners.
We can understand how religious leaders and figures were tempted
to portray this. A human being who is out of touch with his/her fundamental spiritual
essence or soul, can be an unpredictable and destructive being, as we all know.
Failing a deeper understanding, and a language to express it well, this must have
seemed the only way to deal with the problems of the wayward, and violent human,
and keep some kind of order.
The
understanding and insight available with the subject of Wholism makes such portrayals
of a Supreme Being unnecessary and unhelpful. It alienates so many people who
either then blame God for their misfortunes, or else decide that such a being
is not fit to exist, and the answer is to them that there is probably, (and hopefully)
no such thing!
How
then can Wholism explain these things in a better and truer perspective?
One
way to do this is to begin with a question. How can you have a world of challenge
and adventure without the existence of what is called DUALITY, or 'The Opposites'of
existence?
Up/Down; Right/Left; Forward/Backward; Now/Then; Joy/Suffering;
Adventure/Misadventure; Hard/ Soft; Good/Evil; Happy/Unhappy; Movement/Stillness;
and the many other opposites of material life.
If
you accept this as a necessary reality without which a material world could not
exist, then surely you must also accept that suffering and misadventure will be
an element of it.
After that, it is up to each of us to make the choices that
will determine whether life is going to be more toward one side or the other of
the dualities of life. We are the Adventurers of Cosmic Being. Don't Blame a God
for our disasters, suffering and misadventure. If you have to feel blame, then
your life is based on some basic misunderstandings. Look rather at the collective
choices of the human race, as to how much suffering to which we are predisposed,
which flows from those choices.
If any one person, or any number of people want to reduce the amount of suffering,
they need to act so as to become more in tune with all aspects and dimensions
of existence. Sometimes this is in the field of the emotions, sometimes other
aspects of being: bodily health-care; mental wellbeing; things of the inner soul
and spirit, one must find which are not as they should be, and engage in rectifying
those.
If
the suffering is on a wider scale, like the results of the Holocaust inflicted
by the Nazis in World War Two, or warfare between nations, or other forms of man's
inhumanity to man, then it requires widespread involvement. There must be co-operation
and involvement by the majority of us participating in creating a new way for
humankind. Wholism provides a way to do this, but if the majority just want to
carry on with going for all the pleasures and advantages to be had, and not take
part in soul-revival, which would bring the needed change about, then so be it.
The
level of suffering of humankind will continue. Don't blame it on God, or just
on other people, and leave yourself out of it !
The
world will never be perfect because of the necessary existence of Duality. But
the quality of our adventure, and how much suffering is to be experienced is determined
by our human choices, and the actions that flow from those.
Now
we come to the subjects of the spirit, spirituality, and faith.
The
spirit
This
is not the same as the soul. The spirit embodies three aspects:
1. The energy
or energies of Cosmic Being; these are available for us to enjoy if we open our
life and being to them, and don't misuse them. Otherwise they are converted into
a lower kind of energy, more in keeping with the mind, and its creation, the ego,
which is based on the idea of its separateness from all else. This in extreme
cases leads to alienation and mistrust, which of course is the origin of many
of the ills of the world. This alienation does not afflict the ego if the person
is in tune to a reasonable degree with the soul.
2. The will of Cosmic Being;
again this is available to us if it is not allowed to be misused by the mind or
the ego. If allowed to be under the influence of the soul, we live happy and fulfilled
lives that can weather and endure setbacks when they occur.
3.
The third aspect of the spirit is the Adventure of Cosmic Being. This we all participate
in, with all of its challenges. We are God's adventurers. But the quality of our
adventure, and the amount of suffering, is to a great extent, dependent upon the
degree we open to the influence of the soul.
Faith:
This
has nothing to do with acceptance of pre-packaged belief that is accepted because
of mere convenience or its enforcement by means of dogma. What faith really is,
is the experiential state of knowing arrived at by willing participation in the
quest for true insight. This is something often achieved from within religious
activity, provided that the participant willingly entered into the spirit of the
search.
All
That Is –
The Universe
The
aspect of Cosmic Being, or God that embodies and keeps the universe created.
Cosmic Being does this by projecting 'its' creative mind energies and its imaging
into the world of time, space, and form. In other words, the material universe
is fashioned out of the living energy of Cosmic Being 'itself'. In this respect,
the energy and awareness of All That Is, and The Universe, is conditioned energy
and awareness. It willingly submits to and upholds for that aspect of 'itself'
embodying the material universe, to exist in conformity with the laws of whichever
'plane' of being that it 'occupies' or forms.
The
existence or 'origin' of Cosmic Being is a mystery that will probably remain a
mystery to human awareness, conditioned as it is to be conscious of and perceive
material 'reality'. As soon as we ask what is its origin, we fall into the trap
of trying to enforce upon it the limiting concepts of time and space. How can
it 'come' from 'somewhere' if its transcendent existence is not in a space or
dimension from which to come !
The
answer to this question will have to wait until at the end of human existence
our fundamental essences and energies melt back into full unity with Cosmic Being.
But then, in that state there are no questions or answers for they too are manifestations
of the world of time and space.
Presumably there will just be Radiant Being,
and Experiencing. Perhaps the 'best' of the mystics who have existed may have
come some way to such an experience.
This
ends our discussion of Wholism and Cosmic Being. The issues involved also arise
in another paper titled "The Adventure of Life (a
wholistic view)".
Note: Permission to reproduce the above is freely
given, provided that acknowledgement of origin is shown, and contact details are
included.
