Therefore, we need religions that are also political, and political parties that are also spiritual. The definition of spirituality must include the healing of self, society, the world, and the earth. It is better to be spiritual and not religious than to be religious without being spiritual. By taxing churches, instead of allowing them to be tax-exempt, it will give them the freedom to become political in an explicit way. The spiritual and political are inseparable. Our religious and spiritual beliefs affect our politics and vice versa. The goods and services we choose to buy or not buy have political implications, and they are a reflection of our spiritual values. Readers are encouraged to watch (parts 1 & 2) of the documentary "Money, Happiness, and Eternal Life--Greed."
When we, at moments, can transcend the ego and renounce the world, we don't get extremely angry and upset when things don't work out according to our preferences, or when others don't do as we think they should. Whenever we can see ourselves as we really are objectively, without judgment, we can gain insight. We can begin to love all, including ourselves, with a sense of calm detachment. We can do our best without being attached to how the results turn out because we know the source of our joy always comes from within, not based on external outcomes. In the law of love, the more we give the more we have. When we help others, we not only make the world a better place, but we help ourselves as a byproduct.
We need healthy egos to function in the world, but when we grow up and become mature adults, we need fewer ego defense mechanisms because we are no longer trying to protect a narrowly-defined self image. As we grow, our identity can become inclusive of the needs of other people and other sentient beings all over the world. As we make spiraling circles up the mountain of life, our view becomes more encompassing, our understanding becomes more comprehensive, as we near the top.
Both the cause-effect world of time and space and that of the mystical state of oneness are real and important. A foretaste of the mystical state may seem like directly experiencing the eternal love of God, but no one knows if it is really God being experienced because many things in this world we cannot know with absolute certainty. It may be that God or the Supreme Absolute is only as good and holy as our conceptions of it can be. It is a comforting thought to think that this world may be a school and we are all on a heroic journey to return back to the Source, which we in our essence are part of. It may be that each of us is an important piece of the puzzle of life, and we give our unique gifts when we become self-actualized.
In contemplation we can think deeply and honestly about our current lives in relationship to the world. We can ask ourselves, how do I feel, and what are my true intentions or motivations in this moment, and how can I make the world better? When we are in the silence and stillness of meditation, we take a temporary break from our normal, habitual, sequential thinking process. Contemplation and meditation are equally important.
In moments of silence, or from a mere nonverbal glance of another person, or just being in the presence of a very spiritual person--there can be much healing and insight. It is okay to pray, even if no one may be listening: It can help us express our deepest longing for divine assistance and comfort when it seems there is nothing else we can do. And if concert piano or pipe organ music in a church, for example, can make us weep when a feeling of love, majesty, and holiness is ignited within us that too can infuse the soul with healing.
Inspired by the book Conversations with God , Book 4: Awaken the Species by Neale Donald Walsch, Jeff Street, a guest writer for www.Wakeup-world.com wrote a summary of that discussion in an article called "10 Characteristics of Highly Evolved Beings." The 10 characteristics without the explanations are:
1.They deeply understand the unity of all life and live congruently.
2.They always tell the truth.
3.They always do what they say.
4.They always do what works.
5.They never kill each other.
6.They never damage their environment.
7.They share everything with everyone; there is no ownership.
8.They work together cooperatively; there is no competition.
9.They do not embrace the principles of justice and punishment.
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