Nurture your soul & change the world!
Hey friends, I have earth shaking news! GOOD news for a change! And this news is SO good that it has the potential to change our lives in a BIG WAY!!! Once understood, it can transform and revitalize most of us — at least those of us who grew up in Judeo-Christian traditions. I’m shocked we’re not hearing about it through the media! (That last thing is just my little joke.)
I have opposed organized religion for most of my life because of its blatant hypocrisy and dogma. Of course we’ve all heard about the diddling that ruined countless lives and families, but what registered with me recently is the vast, immeasurable damage it causes by inflicting deep-rooted shame and guilt on children during their most formative years — very much by design. Apologies to any who take offense, but the damage caused has been lethal to so many, and spirit-breaking to scores of people. I’m not even counting the millions who have been murdered over the past millenium for their beliefs or for the way they chose to practice.
As a member of 12-Step Recovery, I have my own experience, and I’ve had a front row seat to the pain, misery and dysfunction propogated by these religious teachings.
For people unfamiliar with 12-Step programs, the quickest way to convey the heart of the issue might be to tell you this: The first thing new AA or NA members hear are told: Do two things ASAP: 1) get a sponsor and 2) find a loving, compassionate higher power.
Both are essential. But that second item is a big problem for most, sometimes even impossible because of the image of God they’ve been taught as children. In fact, what triggered my need to write about this we’re a series of conversations with a good friend of mine who attended Catholic schools and, even after 35 years in recovery, is having great difficulty with this issue.
Like most of us, I grew up in fear and wonder at the God I learned about in Sunday school. That’s the all-powerful, all-knowing deity, strict, stern and foreboding, who demanded that no others come before him and who seemed intent on testing the “love” of his faithful while simultaneously scaring them to near-death.
I think that should have been a tip-off. Shouldn’t we have known something was wrong when “God-fearing” is how devotes are described? It is considered the proof of membership in good standing. But why must we fear our creator? Apparently, from what I’ve gathered, it’s because we are defective. We lack goodness. We need to fear God, otherwise we’ll run wild like rampaging baboons! This is pure bullshit.
What we need to teach our children first of all is that this “thing” we are experiencing called LIFE is a miracle in and of itself, the greatest of all gifts in this world. And the most magical and profound aspect of the human experience in this world is the soul, which is something each of us have (with maybe a couple of notable exceptions). Our soul is the essence of who we are, and consciousness is our playground, so let’s explore it kids!
Such an approach would help build a much more constructive foundation during our childhood and radically change our subsequent life experience. Much of my own life’s work has been about undoing the damage done by what I was taught as a child. Having survived into my 60s now, I’m getting first-hand experience on how the human body breaks down with age (yeah, I’ll have to admit that part does suck kids). But I am pleased to discover there are benefits that make it all worthwhile. Mind you I’m a Class A complainer by nature so writing these words of gratitude is a big deal for me.
But today I say it whole heartedly! At age 63, I’ve acquired the wonderful gift of clarity and, I dare say wisdom. These are things I’ve never possessed, except for occasional flashes coming and going very quickly. I don’t know the exact formula for getting here, but I do know some requirements; like self-care, tirelessly seeking self-knowledge and the removal of various filters and/or other counter-productive tendencies that feed the ego and lead to destructive behavior. For me it’s a work in progress and there’s still a long road ahead, but today I’m filled with gratitude for having the ability to step back and see myself with some clarity; to be able to reflect on life, and I’d now say that all the pain was worthwhile!
An apt analogy is one commonly used for spiritual seekers walking the path up the mountain of life. The weather has been mostly overcast through the years. Those clouds were fear, low self-esteem, base desires of material things, and a desperate need to wear various masks and appear as someone who was admirable, hip or relevant.
It’s the usual array of misconceptions that come with the standard societal “brainwashing”. Our religious institutions are assisted in the effort by an army of marketing professionals and (more currently) social media architects who compete for our psyches.
Once the messengers convince us of our shortcomings and infuse an ample supply of shame and guilt, we can’t help but be misguided by images and ideas presented by mass media and repeated often by those among us who are early adaptors. I’m referring to people who pick up the code quickly — many with the best of intentions, perpetuate it, becoming “teachers” or leaders who in essence are purveyors of the dystopian way. Other darkened souls take a more cruel approach by basically shaming the laggards with taunts of “What’s wrong with you? Get with the program!”
I’m not one to preach and I have no definitive answers. Mostly what I’d like to do is capture and share what I’ve learned, for the benefit of my kids, my friends and others -especially younger people who might relate, and use this as food for thought on their own paths.
First and foremost the task at hand, as I’ve said, is to cast aside that twisted, perverse model of a spiritual hierarchy that was drilled into our heads as children, and instead tune into your soul. It is your sacred essence. (More on that shortly) The next pearl of wisdom the importance of feeding your soul. You might call it the key to good living; freely giving to others in need feeds your soul. “Giving” of course includes material things, but what’s more important is tending to our human emotions which, depending on your inclination can either feed or darken your soul.
This may seem impossible to some, but It really is a conscious choice. It’s about how you relate to others. The willingness to give the benefit of the doubt and assume good intentions. The state of this world make it a formidable challenge, but that IS why we’re here!
With my own personal experience, a trigger for change came in a flash, but it took years from that point to even understand what I had suddenly been shown. For the first time in my life when I looked at my fellow humans, I saw souls and, once I had such a view, it was no longer desirable for me to judge others. Judging was something I had been tenacious at doing in the past. I was shown that life is truly difficult for each and every one of us, and that what I needed to do was to have and give both love and compassion for other people — for my family, my friends and people I’d just met.
How you choose to engage with the world is where it begins. The term “choose love” took on a much deeper meaning for me from that point on. Unfortunately for many of us, the easiest route is to stay with our lowest bestial nature, resulting in negativity, harsh judgement, a lack of empathy and no desire to understand the perspectives others — thereby shutting down any connection with them. Our world today is bleak and maintaining compassion is very difficult, but it’s what is needed.
I have even seen this happen in recovery, which is the only sanctuary for many suffering souls in this world. My heart goes out to those who came seeking refuge and salvation only to be judged, shamed and shut out. Here too, the scenarios are brought about by the teachings of our religious institutions so we have dysfunctional, unhappy and/or damaged people bringing the venom that infected them into a program designed to undo that damage.
In the end the result is a miniature version of a poisonous organization like the Catholic Church, complete with a pope and a bevy of bishops and priests. Still they appear perfectly normal — even helpful to many newcomers who grew up with the same dysfunction. Eventually though, with a little clarity, most addicts awaken to recognize this path is a dead end.
I’m not talking about a single instance here, nor a specific 12-step program either. There are several instances of such occurences spread across a variety of groups. It all ties right back to religious teachings and their effects.
But fortunately these are exceptions and not the rule. Society at large presents challenges on a broader scale, but I have seen the effects of love and compassion. These have the power to open eyes. It’s time to change the world and each of us have a critical part to play.
Always remember, should you lose your way in the darkness you’ll surely encounter, that the starting point is love, compassion and forgiveness. Nurture your soul, maintain loving thoughts toward yourself and all others. It is only by tending to your soul, will you find peace and fulfillment in this world.
And now for the news — can’t believe I haven’t even gotten to it yet!
About 75 years ago, during the 1940s, a number of scrolls were found hidden away in Egypt. I don’t believe this happened accidently. Truth cannot be supressed. The Nag Hammadi Scrolls provide information that turns what we’ve been taught on its head. The information is extensive and wide ranging, but to cut right to the point for now it is this: the God we see in the Bible is an imposter! He of the Ten Commandments and the burning bush that spoke to Moses — the same harsh entity that commands the Israelites to commit genocide — yes, to me there’s no topping what is described in Samuel 15:2–3. This is where God tells Saul to lead his forces into Canaan and murder “every man, woman and child”.
But the Nag Hammadi Scrolls tell us this is not God at all. Instead he’s referred to as Samael and goes by a couple of other names. Through the scrolls we learn that this entity (Samael) is called a Demiurge. Not a light being at all but rather a dark entity. Most importantly, Samael is NOT our creator. What he did create is this material world complete with all it’s darkness and greed, which we need to experience in order to learn to rise above base desires, hatred, apathy and evil.
Our true creator is a higher being — our source, and s/he is love and compassion. You’ll find references to this being if you study the teachings of the Buddha or of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Thomas. These teachings fall under the category of Christian Mysticism — a branch of practice the church institutions do not condone. The essence of mysticism involves sitting quietly and looking inward to find our true nature. It’s a dire threat to them and to their ability to control us so they tell us all we will find there is evil or Satan. Don’t fall for it.
The only possible conclusion then is that this planet is actually a training ground for our souls.
We are spiritual beings, infused with the profound light of our creator. We have a capacity for Love, compassion and empathy. Our work here, in this life, must be about expanding that capacity. This is, and needs to be our focal point. Before being taught these stories of human shortcomings, defects and the resulting punishments by our “God”, children need to understand their essence and birthright. The true Light is right here if one simply looks with unfiltered discerning eyes.
So our society needs to topple the ugly monster of organized religion that feeds the lowest, most base aspects of our nature. These institutions have us repress and feel shame toward our inner nature. This needs to stop. We must rid ourselves from all institutions that we’ve come to rely on as staples of our lives. THIS WILL CHANGE THE WORLD!!!!
This topic is so extensive that it cannot be covered by a single piece. I have much more to say regarding the scrolls and their implications in 12-Step Recovery so stay tuned, more to follow. And in the meantime feel free to chime in. I’d love to hear from you!
