When
we think of Spirit, a lot comes to mind. Spiritual ideas and concepts can be
grouped into various categories such as religion, philosophy, theology, even
psychology and consciousness. These pages are about Exploration, not
Proselytizing.
Names
It's
Spirit, Consciousness, Awareness. What we call "It"
at the moment has been called different things by different people at
different times. It has aspects of knowledge, but isn't limited
to knowledge alone. It also has aspects of experience. It
is absolutely changeless, yet conforms to different cultures, civilizations,
and individuals. It is a higher level of consciousness or
awareness. Attaining It has been called enlightenment, nirvanah, simadhi,
and satori.
In
times both past and present It has been personified by human birth and
called an incarnation of God. When this happens It is called by
the name given at that time, such as Rama, Krishna, Buddha, or Jesus.
God is also called Narayana, Yaveh, Allah, Tao, Jehovah, and just plain
God.
Those
who have experienced It
have called It
indescribable. It's beyond duality. It
has no opposites. It's indivisible. It's been
experienced by people at various ages,
regardless of location, cultures, skin color, nationality, religion, creed, or
any other category.
I
have experienced something akin to that ultimate state of permanent bliss, joy, and love, but I
have not attained It.
To put words to It
is to bring It
down to a level that clouds any understanding and subsequent meaning.
It's kind of like walking along a path blindfolded until you reach a certain
spot, then the blindfold is taken off in layers. The further you go, the
more you can see. And what you see is unlike anything you've ever seen
before. How do you compare the incomparable?
You
can only see if you follow the path. Those who have discovered
themselves on the path desire that others also experience this bliss, joy, and
love. It's a desire to love and be loved, born of love, and maturing
into love. Those who are not on the path, who have no desire to take the
path, are difficult to convince that there even is a path. All at the same
time there is only one path and there are many paths; but that knowledge is born
of experience, not explanation.
These
things came to me by a series of incidents, seemingly random meetings,
events, discussion with others,
listening to those more knowledgeable than me, and of course my favorite -
books. This material world is nothing
more than condensed "spirit". Just as ice seems hard and
impenetrable at low temperatures, spirit appears as matter at very slow
vibrations.
What's
The Gimmick?
These pages
are an introduction to ideas and concepts. They will also provide links to further learning apart from this site. I'm
intensely interested in this field of study because I'm intensely interested
in knowing "God". This sharing is, for me, a way of
learning. As it says in A Course In Miracles, "To teach is to
learn." And because I own and operate a small book and gift store,
any books
I've read will be reviewed and available to buy on this site.
This
is probably going to become a journey, and while the layout of the pages behind
the pages here remains constant, the content is likely to be cumulative, taking
various turns, going up and down hills and valleys, and really never end, until
I take that last walk and change from a seeming human having a spiritual
experience, to true Spirit, having accomplished It's own human experience.
May
the Lord bless thee and keep thee, may He make His face to shine upon thee and
give thee His peace
Spirit
Defined
spir·it
(sprt)
noun
The
vital principle or animating force within living beings.
Incorporeal
consciousness.
The
soul, considered as departing from the body of a person at death.
Spirit
The Holy Spirit: A
supernatural being, as: An
angel or a demon.
A
being inhabiting or embodying a particular place, object, or natural
phenomenon.
A
fairy or sprite.
The
part of a human associated with the mind, will, and feelings: Though
unable to join us today, they are with us in spirit.
The
essential nature of a person or group.
A
person as characterized by a stated quality: He is a proud spirit.
An
inclination or tendency of a specified kind: Her actions show a
generous spirit.
A
causative, activating, or essential principle: The couple's engagement
was announced in a joyous spirit.
spirits
A mood or an emotional state: The guests were in high spirits. His sour
spirits put a damper on the gathering.
A
particular mood or an emotional state characterized by vigor and
animation: sang with spirit.
Strong
loyalty or dedication: team spirit.
The
predominant mood of an occasion or a period:
“The spirit of 1776 is not
dead” (Thomas Jefferson).
The
actual though unstated sense or significance of something: the spirit of
the law.
To
impart courage, animation, or determination to; inspirit.
[Middle
English, from Old French espirit, from Latin spritus,
breath, from sprre,
to breathe.]
Consciousness
Defined
con·scious·ness
(knshs-ns) n.
The
state or condition of being conscious. A sense of one's personal or collective
identity, including the attitudes, beliefs, and sensitivities held by or
considered characteristic of an individual or group: Love of freedom runs deep
in the national consciousness.
Special
awareness or sensitivity: class consciousness; race consciousness. Alertness
to or concern for a particular issue or situation: a movement aimed at raising
the general public's consciousness of social injustice. In psychoanalysis, the
conscious.
Consciousness
\Con"scious*ness\,
n. 1. The state of being conscious; knowledge of one's own existence,
condition, sensations, mental operations, acts, etc.
"Consciousness
is thus, on the one hand, the recognition by the mind or ``ego'' of its acts
and affections; -- in other words, the self-affirmation that certain
modifications are known by me, and that these modifications are mine. --Sir W.
Hamilton.
Immediate
knowledge or perception of the presence of any object, state, or sensation.
See the Note under Attention.
Annihilate
the consciousness of the object, you annihilate the consciousness of the
operation. --Sir W. Hamilton.
And,
when the steam Which overflowed the soul had passed away, A consciousness
remained that it had left. . . . images and precious thoughts That shall not
die, and can not be destroyed. --Wordsworth.
The
consciousness of wrong brought with it the consciousness of weakness. --Froude.
Feeling,
persuasion, or expectation; esp., inward sense of guilt or innocence. [R.]
An
honest mind is not in the power of a dishonest: to break its peace there must
be some guilt or consciousness. --Pope.
Consciousness
n
1: an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your
situation; "he lost consciousness" [ant: unconsciousness] 2: having
knowledge of; "he had no awareness of his mistakes"; "his
sudden consciousness of the problem he faced"; "their intelligence
and general knowingness was impressive" [syn: awareness, cognizance,
knowingness]
"There
is no magic except for what believing makes so"
r
ritus,
breath, from sp
re,
to breathe.]