| Given an assumption (mine) that the spiritual urge is as natural
as all other human urges, is it also possible to hypothesize that
there are times when it is easier to access and to obtain satis-
faction for it? And that if such a time is squashed or overindulged
it results in a distorted perspective?
To "get physical" for a moment: I need to eat for my physical body
to survive. It is much more satisfactory and my body uses the
nourishment _much_ more efficiently if I eat only when my body
signals "Hunger!" If I ignore the "Hunger!" message I eventually
get so depleted that my perspective becomes distorted and I cannot
function any more. All I can think about is food. When I am close
to a "shutdown" state and I finally get some food the whole universe
seems rosy. "Food makes _everything_ all right," I think to myself
from a blissful digestive stupor. And of course, that statement
is not true; food doesn't _always_ make _everything_ all right
(neither does sleep, sex, exercise, work, play, any and all natural
human urges.) It is only true for me at that time because I ignored
the urge for so long that its satisfaction became of paramount impor-
tance to my continued functioning.
So what happens next? Usually, the next time I feel even a _teensy_
bit hungry, I rush out to gorge myself. But instead of bliss I end
up ill--bloated, gaseous, headachy--"Yuck," I now think to myself,
"what I need is to fast," and I swear off food "forever"--or at
least until I become so hungry that I must eat or expire. [:-)]
Is it possible that many of us have experienced our spiritual urges
in close to this fashion? I know I have. And what I am seeking,
when I use the term "New Age" is some sanity, some balanced way
of incorporating my spiritual urges into my mundane life. Based
on my long and complex experience with food (it was no coincidence
that I chose that for an example) I am trying not to let my long
starvation for some form of spiritual expression cause me to "gorge".
But many others I know, who base their life patterns on some sort
of "binge/purge" cycle in their relationships, work, diet, play,
and yes, spirituality are not having such an easy time finding such
a balance.
The concept that I find intriguing is this: just as there are
natural cycles within us that govern our "best" times to eat (when
hungry), sleep (when tired), drink (when thirsty), make love (when
desirous), work (when bored), play (when stressed or stale), relax
(when tense), is there also a cycle for the spiritual urge and its
satisfaction? Is it just barely possible that for some reason such
a time is active for many of us?
I honestly have no concrete idea what would govern such a cycle,
but it is an interesting idea. It is also possible that such a
cycle is entirely unique to each individual (just as sleep and
appetite patterns are), but that times like the Harmonic Convergence
are so potent and touch so many because many people's natural
"spiritual appetite" has been denied for so long. I've been reading
of life breakthroughs, both material and spiritual, for years; they
come at different ages to different people in all kinds of guises.
So it sounds intuitively nonsensical that one particular time is
_the_ time for satisfying a spiritual urge. But seen in the context
of a spiritual (and possibly emotional) desert in the lives of my
many acquaintances I can empathize completely.
After all, if you were in constant physical hunger and heard of
a giant free food bash thrown by the city of Boston, wouldn't you
go, perhaps be obsessed with going, feeling that it was the only
thing that was going to keep you alive?
I am not trying to trivialize people's spiritual urges by "lowering"
them to the level of a physical appetite. If what I've just written
comes across that way, I apologise. I happen to feel that our
physical urges are in no way lowly or unworthy, and am "elevating"
them, if you will, to the level of a spiritual urge. I am trying
to say that they are, in some way, equivalent, that if natural cycles
govern one they may also govern the other. Other ideas?
Marcia
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| I think there is something to it - Spiritual Cycles - and I can
certainly appreciate the picture (or parallel) of eating (Food;-).
I think it is time for "eating" spiritual food, most of the awaken
time we spend. Some inner/external states might be difficult for
spiritual growth, like when one is tired, drunk or drugged in some
way.:-)
On a larger scale, say in a society, there might be cyclic phenomenon,
that influence the possibility for common spiritual "meals". Some
societies might indeed at times make it very difficult (even for
individuals) to have any digestable food. But then again, in a special
way - the harder it is to get or find the food, the stronger some
or the hungry ones seems to become. It is difficult to speak
objectively of what is good and bad external circumstances for
"eating".
Ironically at times when it is easy - when there are many groups
and movements towards the "kitchen" - it can be very difficult for
the individual to destinguish food and poison.
Some external cycles might influence the common possibilities, much
similar the way fashion could influence the market for textiles.
In general I think the timing is very individual, one has to realize
ones own desire and needs, then "shopping" on the basis of this
list may be very beneficial.
Nis
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| The following was written by Jack Clarke and appears as a reprint in the
current issue of Connecting Link. Clarke is also the author of "Life After
Grief: A Soul Journey After Suicide" and he also writes music and book
reviews, plus articles for Body, Mind & Spirit magazine and other
publications
What is New Age, Anyway?
It's people taking conscious responsibility for their own lives, not blaming
others for their problems.
It's people who deliberately decide to learn and grow.
It's people that don't have to be right, except for themselves.
It's people seeing problems as lessons, perhaps in a long series of lives and
lessons.
It's people who believe we are what we think we are, and can change ourselves
by changing our thinking.
It's people that feel they can change the world by changing themselves, not by
trying to change others.
It's people who search for strength from the universe by going inside
themselves.
It's people that recognize love doesn't have to have strings attached.
It's people loving and knowing themselves in order to better know and love
others.
It's people who see others as not better than nor less than, but rather
different than, themselves, yet part of the same whole.
It's people that choose their own path rather than follow dogma.
It's people honoring your right to your own path, not theirs.
It's people who realize that now is all we have, since yesterday is just a
thought and so is tomorrow.
It's people interested in owning themselves rather than things.
It's people who see joy in life rather than pain, having experienced enough
pain already.
It's people curious about extra sensory perception and all it implies.
It's people in all tasks of life, from business persons to flower essence
healers, psychologists to UFO investigators.
New Age is not a new religion with a hierarchy of priests and rituals, seeking
converts, though some new agers choose some ritual.
New Age is not often gloom and doomers, though many are concerned about
ecology, the economy and other forces that affect our world.
New Age is not a movement based on guilt, anger, fear or hurt; it is a journey
toward the love that is God.
New Age is not allegiance to one master; it is learning from many masters in
the quest for oneness of God.
New Age could not become a cult because of what is said above.
New Age is not just humans doing, it is humans being.
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