It has been said that evolution is being held up by fundamentalism and the surge of fundamentalism throughout all faith paths sends shivers through cynical atheists and mystics alike. The bumper sticker actually did get it right: “We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

According to the 1987 classic, “The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace”, Dr. Scott Peck defines the spiritual life as fluid and that one may pass back and forth repeatedly through any of the four-probably more-stages of the soul.
Stage one upon this journey -that begins from within-is essentially our infancy in the spiritual life. Like a wild child, a person in this stage reflects the inner chaotic and anti-social, unregenerate soul that is interested only in its own self-satisfaction and ego, much like the stereotypical spoiled child. Stage one people may claim to love others, but their behavior reflects they love their own pleasure, money, power, prestige, and security above any other. For stage one people, it really is all about them.

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One of my favorite expressions is that “you reap what you sow”.
While I often hear it used negatively by someone who expects
some “chickens to come home to roost” I prefer to think of it
as something positive. How comforting to think that all our
hard work and toil will be rewarded with a crop of something
good? How wonderful to think that putting love and care into
some project or person will indeed be rewarded.

Of course, while most Americans give lip service to the notion
of our right to pursue happiness, all too many people do not
really believe it applies to them. Many people simply believe
they don’t deserve happiness. And even those few who do believe
it seem to accept unhappiness as simple bad luck.

Every person does indeed deserve happiness and what is more
happiness is contagious. The more happy people there are around
then even more people will find happiness. We owe it ourselves
to work on our own happiness and we owe it to society as well.
Our own happiness will help others and inspire others to find
happiness. If we are unhappy then we are likely making others
unhappy as well (even if unintentionally) and it is extremely
unlikely we are doing much to contribute to the happiness of
others. Continue Reading »

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Our mind tells us comfort equals safety. Our mind tells us
what is certain is preferred over what is uncertain. Our
mind has been conditioned to aspire to small insignificant
progress or worse, to tolerate periods of extreme
complacency.

Our mind, left to its own primal patterns will lead us to
live pathetic lives that neither inspire nor fulfill us.
The mind must be guided by the spirit and only then can we
reach our higher aspirations and fulfill our higher
purpose. Here’s a little experiment you can do to prove to
yourself the mind’s agenda often deviates from the spirit’s
intention; for seven days, try something as simple as
installing one life enhancing pattern consistently without
interruptions or succumbing to your excuses. What you are
likely to discover is the unruly child-mind throwing its
tantrum, holding its breath, scowling at your with contempt
because you, Spirit, have the audacity to ask it to change
for your greater good. Continue Reading »

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