This article was provided by New Age Spirituality

In an oft troubled world the growing interest in topics of new age spirituality is encouraging. However, too often there is a gap between our spiritual beliefs and our everyday conduct. This short paper suggests how we might integrate our spiritual beliefs throughout our lives and thus live more spiritually.

What follows is a personal view, inspired by Spirit, and influenced by the teachings of Spirit as delivered through the addresses of various mediums at my local Spiritualist church.

Living for the moment

Existence is eternal. But the only part of existence we, in earthly clothes, can influence or directly experience is that which is happening now. Enjoy the precious memories and learn the lessons from the past. Have some ideas about where you'd like to be in future. But cherish and focus your efforts on the moment.

live not for tomorrow, yearn not for the past,
live only for the moment, it's all that is ours.

Listen to the inner voice

We are closer to Spirit that most of us think. In fact we remain Spirit throughout our time on earth. But the pressures of physical existence often hide our Spiritual side. But this need not be. Surely we can all spare a few minutes each day to disengage from life's material demands. A few moments to listen to our inner voice. If we can shut ourselves in a quiet room with some gentle New Age Music in the background, great. But perhaps all we can spare is a few minutes of inner stillness on the train, or after the rest of the family's gone to bed. Whatever we can find, we should make the most of it.

And in that inner stillness we may hear our inner voice speak. For the inner voice is the part of us that is closest to pure Spirit. Sometimes the inner voice will confirm the calculations of our logical mind. But sometimes we may be surprised because the inner voice will contradict our intellect. If so we must decide whether to follow our head or our heart. We might even look inside again for confirmation. But experience will usually teach that feeling is superior to thought.

Nothing's all bad (or all good)

We have a tendency to polarize our experiences into good or bad, but these concepts are illusory. We smile when it is warm and sunny, and indeed we can better enjoy the beauty of the world we have been gifted in nice weather. But for those living in conditions of drought and famine a prolonged hot dry spell is disastrous. Likewise, we complain when it is cloudy and rainy, but without the rain we would have no food to eat, no water to drink and no flowers to brighten our world. And so a rainy day is also beautiful in another way. Nothing's all good, or all bad, but all things are relative everything else.

However good things may seem we always live with the shadow that our pleasure will not last, for time changes everything. Does that mean we should be gloomy? Not at all, it means we should enjoy the happiness of the moment for what it is. Similarly, when disaster strikes, we may feel that all is lost. The old proverb about every cloud having a silver lining is true. However bad things may seem there are always lessons to be learned, experience to be gained. And so we take stock, and move forwards, possibly bruised, but certainly wiser.

At one stage in my life I made a series of judgment errors which cost me a lot of money and a great deal more dignity. I felt bitter and angry. Surely nothing good could have come from those dark days. But looking back I realize I learned a great deal, and I can also recognize the positive things happened during that period too.

Good and Evil

Good is that which is in accordance with the will of Spirit. That which is good is constructive, helpful to others treading the path and tends to move the universe forwards upon its evolutionary path. Evil is the opposite of good. It is destructive, harmful to others or tends to inhibit universal growth.

But evil is a relative and emotive term. A so-called evil act is carried out by an immature soul. Its "reward" is further experience, not eternal damnation in the fires of "hell". And given that existence is eternal and infinite, the effect of any such act is infinitesimal.

The universe has tremendous (self) healing power. Negative/evil acts tend to be neutralized, while positive/good acts are amplified over time.

Worry

Worry is the greatest hindrance to (Spiritual) progress. Worry is part of human nature. We worry about things that might happen, we worry about things that might not happen. Worry turns to fear and fear cripples us from the inside. Perhaps, for many of us, it is impossible to eliminate worry, but we can minimize its harmfulness.

We might worry about attending a job interview. We allow the worry to prevent us from doing our best. But what is the worst that can happen? That we do not get the job. But even if we don't get the job the interview itself will have been an experience. We will have learned a little more about what is required for the kind of work we are seeking, so we make take steps to be better prepared next time. Or perhaps we failed the interview because the particular job was not right for us. If so we would have saved ourselves a lot of grief by discovering the fact at an early stage rather than after we started.

We watch the news and see wars raging around the globe. We naturally worry about the future for ourselves and our children. But what can we practically do? We can certainly send out love and prayers that peace and reason may replace violence and hatred. If we are so inclined perhaps we can choose how to cast our vote on ballot day, or air our views in other ways. The point is that we alone cannot change the situation, but we can do what it is within our power to do, and having done it we have no further need to worry because we know that we can do no more.

When our eyes are filled with worry we cannot see the beauty of the sunset.

Today is the tomorrow that we worried about yesterday.

Letting Go

We need to recognize the point at which to let go. We are all wronged (and also wrong others), to varying degrees at varying times, because by our very nature humans are imperfect. If someone does something bad to us then we should deal with it and forget about it, ie seek justice and move on. But if we pursue a grudge long after we should have let go, we ultimately harm ourselves because we cannot make the best of the future.

Unconditional Love

It is easy to love your own family, friends and those of similar views. But unconditional love means love for those we don't have a natural fellowship with, eg those with different views.

The world has room for all shades of opinion, because we all have different backgrounds and different life paths. No one has a monopoly on truth or righteousness. No one has the right to judge another, because we cannot see the world from their eyes. There is an old Red Indian saying, "don't judge a man until you've walked a mile in his moccasins".

Listen to the other person's point of view, and offer your own in the spirit of friendship. Where differences exist, do not support that which you feel to be wrong, but be tolerant and avoid judging the other person.

Circumstances, Joy and Sorrow

Before we are born we choose what lessons we will try to learn and what kind of circumstances we will be born into. But a fundamental part of the human condition is our free will. Although limited by circumstances, the choices we are able to make do make differences, sometimes big differences, and the choices of others sometimes alter our path, sometimes dramatically and irrecoverably.

Life is pain interspersed with joy. It is only from the difficulties that we learn and grow, ie fulfill our real purpose in being here. It is the joy that helps us survive the pain.

In dealing with difficulties we need to keep in mind two great truths (however hard they might be to accept at the time). Firstly, difficulties are our opportunity to learn and to progress, and we ourselves chose what we would learn in this world. Secondly, Spirit will never present us with any burden too great for us to bear.

Earthly achievements are ultimately and utterly insignificant. Even the greatest events down here don't really matter in the great scheme of Spirit, other than to further our experience and growth. But earthly experience is why we are here.

Life rolls unstoppably on. We try our best. We savour the joys, the love of family and friends, the beauty of nature, a favourite food or drink... We learn from our experiences. But we must cope with what we are dealt.

We seek to do what is right here, for ourselves and our close ones. But it is only the lesson learned that is significant.

Healing

When we think of healing we may think of some chanting mystic with magical powers laying his hands upon the afflicted and miraculously curing their bodily ailments. Some healing does take this form, but with the important difference that the powers do not come from the healer, but from Spirit. The healer acts only as a channel.

The important point is that we are all healers, because we are all of Spirit. Some of us may develop as channels for healing and may alleviate symptoms through the laying on of hands. But far more will practice their healing in more subtle ways. Maybe by dropping in on a neighbour to check they are alright, or a friendly smile directed at a stranger, or simply the sending out of loving thoughts or prayers. There are a million and one ways in which we can heal. And by healing others we feel better inside, ie we heal ourselves.

And that is the real purpose in healing. Not the temporary relief given from the inevitable aches and pains of this life, but the recognition that in doing something for others we also help ourselves, because both we and every living creature around us are all part of Spirit.

Be Happy

Life is full of sadness, melancholy and tragedy, if you allow it to be. There are also many things to be happy about. A walk by the sea, a pleasant meal or drink, time spent with family or friends. They are transient, as is sorrow, but they are there to be appreciated to the full.

Materialism

We all need money to satisfy our basic requirements of shelter and sustenance. But once we have "enough" it is arguable how much real benefit additional wealth may bring.

There are many in the world who do not have "enough" and for whom every day is a struggle for survival. Perhaps those in more fortunate circumstances may feel it appropriate to send out prayers, or to provide more substantive help. We should all consider the degree to which we pursue wealth beyond what we truly need as we may be foregoing more valuable alternative opportunities.

Go with the Flow

Don't make waves by challenging the existing order just for the sake of challenge. To survive and thrive, learn to exist within the existing order.

Don't try to be different, just for the sake of it. Don't try to be what you are not, just to please others. Just seek to discover your true self and to be that person.

Sometimes circumstances just seem to drive us in a certain direction, though we may not know why and we don't instinctively want to follow. In such instances it is usually best to simply go with the flow and conserve energy for more favourable opportunities. There is a reason for everything, though it is not always revealed to us.

Sometimes it is right to challenge, but such occasions must be carefully chosen, and such challenges carefully planned. Remember that in our earthly clothes we are finite. There are many more things that we'd like to do than what we are able to do. And part of our experience is learning where and how to apply our efforts to greatest effect.

Friendship

Friendship is important. We are all interdependent upon one another. None can exist in isolation or be totally independent. Learn to get along with others, to co-operate, to give and take. Shine a light of love upon the world and it will be reflected back a thousand-fold.

But also be careful about the company you keep. The world houses many souls on differing pathways and at different stages of development. Be accepting of all but recognize that some are best kept at a distance.

Never be Bored

Life is a wonderful experience, even if sometimes things may superficially be tedious. In such circumstances do not be bored but allow your mind to wander freely, for the inner world is every bit as interesting as the outer. Thus boredom is indicative of wasted opportunity.