Ryan Baxter's Blog: WHY AM I HERE? - Posts Tagged "life"
THE NEVER ENDING SURPRISE
Life is a never ending surprise. You never know from where that surprise will spring. Or whom it might come through. Recently I found myself watching Keith Urban (an Australian singer married to Nicole Kidman) deliver a tribute to Nicole during the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Awards. It was during these remarks that he shared one of his favorite sayings while describing Nicole’s approach to Life:
We are all spiritual beings having a human experience.
Did that ever resonate. In every fiber of my being. It sent me on an immediate search for the source. To my surprise it originated with a 20th century French Jesuit, paleontologist, theologian, philosopher, and priest named Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. A more complete version of the saying goes like this:
We are not human beings having a spiritual experience.
We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
Now the expression shone in all its breathtaking beauty. Gratitude welled up inside me to be given such a gift. Even if you know this to be true, hearing this insight expressed with such clarity brings it into sharp focus.
Of the many labels we could hang around de Chardin’s neck, I would choose "mystic." He was a clearly a mystic, a dangerous state of spiritual being for a priest of the Catholic Church, and he would come within an inch of being excommunicated for daring to give voice to his insights.
His biography reflects the constant peril of a soul who has glimpses of the truth, but is forced to hide his light under a bushel. He dared not shine too brightly or the Church would exorcise him. He lived under this threat his entire adult life and had to record his insights in secret. How sad when an organized belief system stifles the voices of those whose awareness has awakened to the truth. How sad that belief systems by their very nature only have room for the approved dogma. To stray from the path brings doom.
In the world, survival almost always takes precedence over growth. Belief systems automatically prioritize their continuance over the growth of individuals, a choice that sadly undermines both. Which means that belief systems dare not allow individuals to grow to their fullest potential. Otherwise, what use will individuals have for belief systems?
It is the nature of the world that there are those times when individuals need belief systems at different stages of their evolution. Belief systems can be helpful, provide structure and even meaning for those who need both. But there comes a time when you must transcend belief systems if you are ever to be free.
Once you have seen the truth for yourself, you are capable of seeing it everywhere. Because the truth always comes from the same source. It comes from the heart of Existence. And truth is unshakable because it arises from the unshakable.
We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
When you switch the direction, when you move from a human seeking spiritual enlightenment to a spiritual being having the experience of being in a human form, everything changes. Everything changes. Why is this you might ask? Because we are first and foremost spirit. We were meant to bring this spirit onto this stage we call the world and infuse the world and our human lives with the Divine. Perhaps more to the point, we were meant to live so completely that our spiritual and human selves merge.
Only, we have forgotten our source, our origins. All of our problems have arisen from our forgetfulness... What a wonderful, marvelous reminder de Chardin has given us: We are spiritual beings having a human experience! If we start from that direction, everything falls into place. It all makes sense.
When a mystic speaks, he speaks in the language of the Infinite. While you may know words such as creation, being, truth, and love; you know them in a limited way, the way they apply to the world. But when a mystic uses a word like love, the word carries the music of Existence, all the mystery and beauty. The word becomes Love, something that embraces an understanding that only those who have opened their own hearts can truly appreciate.
We have divided our lives into the worldly and the spiritual. You may well be familiar with this verse from the Bible: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” This is the very expression of duality, the separation of matter and spirit. This is the way people normally approach Life, by making the distinction. And it makes a certain sense if we are first and foremost human beings having a spiritual experience.
But when you flip it around— We are spiritual beings having a human experience—everything changes. Now there is no need to wait until death to experience the Kingdom of Heaven. You don’t have to postpone until some indefinite time in some indeterminate future. Instead you transform this world into the Kingdom of Heaven, you infuse the world with the spirit. You may call it Nirvana or Paradise or whatever term you wish. The point is that as spiritual beings we can create anything we want. And creating Heaven on Earth is easy enough for those who understand.
However it is expressed, everything comes back to Love: “Whatever the question, Love is the Answer.” As humans we too often find that love is ephemeral. That is the human experience and the source of so much heartache. But as spiritual beings we know another truth—Love lies at our center. Love embraces everything and everyone.
If we are looking to find the building blocks of the Universe, we have found the source. And that source is Love. This Love has no beginning. And no end. It just is, the ultimate mystery. And the source of the magic. If you awaken to Love within yourself, what do you discover? That your Love can grow and grow and grow. Endlessly, until you embrace everything and everyone.
Once you understand, it doesn’t matter how you express it. You will learn to live it, to merge so deeply with Life, with Existence, that nothing is left but this wondrous understanding. You will burn so bright with the truth that all who draw near will see the path illuminated for themselves.
It is time to remember who you are—this spiritual being who dances upon the Earth, even as the sweetest music fills the air. When you look into another person’s eyes you will see this same spirit looking back at you. You will see the Oneness of Life. Let this reminder resonate deep inside.
I will close with just one additional insight that illustrates so beautifully what de Chardin has generously shared with us:
Matter is spirit moving slowly enough to be seen.
This insight is such a gift who would dare to ask for more. How utterly delightful. And yet Life is constantly showering us with blessings. We just need eyes to see.
We are all spiritual beings having a human experience.
Did that ever resonate. In every fiber of my being. It sent me on an immediate search for the source. To my surprise it originated with a 20th century French Jesuit, paleontologist, theologian, philosopher, and priest named Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. A more complete version of the saying goes like this:
We are not human beings having a spiritual experience.
We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
Now the expression shone in all its breathtaking beauty. Gratitude welled up inside me to be given such a gift. Even if you know this to be true, hearing this insight expressed with such clarity brings it into sharp focus.
Of the many labels we could hang around de Chardin’s neck, I would choose "mystic." He was a clearly a mystic, a dangerous state of spiritual being for a priest of the Catholic Church, and he would come within an inch of being excommunicated for daring to give voice to his insights.
His biography reflects the constant peril of a soul who has glimpses of the truth, but is forced to hide his light under a bushel. He dared not shine too brightly or the Church would exorcise him. He lived under this threat his entire adult life and had to record his insights in secret. How sad when an organized belief system stifles the voices of those whose awareness has awakened to the truth. How sad that belief systems by their very nature only have room for the approved dogma. To stray from the path brings doom.
In the world, survival almost always takes precedence over growth. Belief systems automatically prioritize their continuance over the growth of individuals, a choice that sadly undermines both. Which means that belief systems dare not allow individuals to grow to their fullest potential. Otherwise, what use will individuals have for belief systems?
It is the nature of the world that there are those times when individuals need belief systems at different stages of their evolution. Belief systems can be helpful, provide structure and even meaning for those who need both. But there comes a time when you must transcend belief systems if you are ever to be free.
Once you have seen the truth for yourself, you are capable of seeing it everywhere. Because the truth always comes from the same source. It comes from the heart of Existence. And truth is unshakable because it arises from the unshakable.
We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
When you switch the direction, when you move from a human seeking spiritual enlightenment to a spiritual being having the experience of being in a human form, everything changes. Everything changes. Why is this you might ask? Because we are first and foremost spirit. We were meant to bring this spirit onto this stage we call the world and infuse the world and our human lives with the Divine. Perhaps more to the point, we were meant to live so completely that our spiritual and human selves merge.
Only, we have forgotten our source, our origins. All of our problems have arisen from our forgetfulness... What a wonderful, marvelous reminder de Chardin has given us: We are spiritual beings having a human experience! If we start from that direction, everything falls into place. It all makes sense.
When a mystic speaks, he speaks in the language of the Infinite. While you may know words such as creation, being, truth, and love; you know them in a limited way, the way they apply to the world. But when a mystic uses a word like love, the word carries the music of Existence, all the mystery and beauty. The word becomes Love, something that embraces an understanding that only those who have opened their own hearts can truly appreciate.
We have divided our lives into the worldly and the spiritual. You may well be familiar with this verse from the Bible: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” This is the very expression of duality, the separation of matter and spirit. This is the way people normally approach Life, by making the distinction. And it makes a certain sense if we are first and foremost human beings having a spiritual experience.
But when you flip it around— We are spiritual beings having a human experience—everything changes. Now there is no need to wait until death to experience the Kingdom of Heaven. You don’t have to postpone until some indefinite time in some indeterminate future. Instead you transform this world into the Kingdom of Heaven, you infuse the world with the spirit. You may call it Nirvana or Paradise or whatever term you wish. The point is that as spiritual beings we can create anything we want. And creating Heaven on Earth is easy enough for those who understand.
However it is expressed, everything comes back to Love: “Whatever the question, Love is the Answer.” As humans we too often find that love is ephemeral. That is the human experience and the source of so much heartache. But as spiritual beings we know another truth—Love lies at our center. Love embraces everything and everyone.
If we are looking to find the building blocks of the Universe, we have found the source. And that source is Love. This Love has no beginning. And no end. It just is, the ultimate mystery. And the source of the magic. If you awaken to Love within yourself, what do you discover? That your Love can grow and grow and grow. Endlessly, until you embrace everything and everyone.
Once you understand, it doesn’t matter how you express it. You will learn to live it, to merge so deeply with Life, with Existence, that nothing is left but this wondrous understanding. You will burn so bright with the truth that all who draw near will see the path illuminated for themselves.
It is time to remember who you are—this spiritual being who dances upon the Earth, even as the sweetest music fills the air. When you look into another person’s eyes you will see this same spirit looking back at you. You will see the Oneness of Life. Let this reminder resonate deep inside.
I will close with just one additional insight that illustrates so beautifully what de Chardin has generously shared with us:
Matter is spirit moving slowly enough to be seen.
This insight is such a gift who would dare to ask for more. How utterly delightful. And yet Life is constantly showering us with blessings. We just need eyes to see.
