I admire Louise Erdrich's characters in this novel. She portrays Native Americans with their strengths and weaknesses, and while we may not initially like many of the characters, they grow on us as we experience their stories. Despite lives ruined by government interventions, booze and hard luck, there is a resilience that generates our respect.
I write about spiritual books, books that provide a connection to the divine without being religious. There is spirituality in Erdrich's characters: in the commitment to themselves, to each other, and to the return home to their past. This is a practical spirituality, a belief in something greater than ourselves. Spirituality is not about naming a God or a Higher Being; it is living as if such an entity or belief exists and matters.
Despite all, her characters rise up as an admirable group, a group that deserves respect for their strength and reserve. Yes, that is the human spirit overcoming the mundane. That is a practical spirituality, a larger-than-life view.
Her characters force us to care. And we do. We want to be better people without realizing why, as we watch them rise above the human condition, no matter how depressing or abusive their lives. Her characters do that. So must we.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Spirituality is More Than an Academic Pursuit
Spirituality is more than an academic pursuit. We must practice our faith. While for some that is obvious, many focus solely on cognitive awareness and intellectual study. As Ken Wilbur, my current favorite philosopher, points out in Integral Psychology, we need personal involvement to know what it "feels" like to be spiritual, not just theoretically know what others say.
Wilbur talks of the need to "transform consciousness," not just change our view of the world, which is an intellectual activity. Practical knowledge of how to save the world is important. To complement that, however, what are we doing to change and save ourselves?
Thinking is not enough for spiritual development. We should interact differently with ourselves, others and the world. This change is precipitated by interior stages of growth. Inner transformation is crucial to balance the outward actions. Getting in touch with our own thoughts and ideas helps. Meditation or alone time is important. We can't just read about what it is like to meditate; we must be quiet and listen. Somehow, we must "experience" the spiritual.
We should weigh our daily demands
with our spiritual quest.
In that search, we need personal and internal growth,
not just mental pursuits.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Seven Books To Assist a Practical Spiritual Quest in 2009
Remember that we are body, mind and spirit. We exercise our body and develop our mind, but what are we doing for our spirit? If you are looking for direction for your spirit in 2009, here are seven books that might assist.
The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire: Harnessing the Infinite Power of Coincidence by Deepak Chopra
Without our consciousness, or our thoughts, there is no physical existence. We, collectively, create our world. Our thoughts bridge the virtual reality and the physical world. This is a complicated concept, but the spirit domain is the source of the coincidences we find in our lives. Tapping into this domain, into this unlimited and undefined area, we observe the synchronicity in our lives. Then we can create, on the physical level, the lives we desire.
The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power by Vernon Howard
“Man’s task is to awaken to his true identity. The Kingdom of Heaven is within. Spiritual truths are discovered with an entirely new kind of thinking, quite distinct and vastly superior to the mind that builds bridges and sells merchandise.”
On God: An Uncommon Conversation by Norman Mailer with Michael Lennon
Mailer states that God is a Creator, but one that is still evolving. Mailer considers that we are developing with God and, because of this, He needs us as much as we need Him. Perhaps Mailer’s view is egocentric, but he may be right. If we are still progressing, why wouldn’t our Creator be doing the same?
Sage-ing While Age-ing by Shirley MacLaine
MacLaine, in one of many discussions on various topics, defines soul mate as the one person that is exactly like us. There is only one for each of us, but this person is often too intense to be around. Twin souls have been together before and find it easier to relate. Companion souls have not been together in many lifetimes but recognize each other immediately. Perhaps a twin or companion might be more compatible in this lifetime.
The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter, and Miracles by Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D.
Dr. Lipton claims that our environment, which includes nutrition, emotion and stress, influences our cells. We know that DNA passes on hereditary traits, but he cites research from a new study, epigenetics, that shows gene modification from the environment is also passed on.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry of Values by Robert Pirsig
The narrator, traveling across country, attempts to define “quality.” What he finds is that we all know what quality is; there is no need to define it. The search is important, but the answer is within. Our quest to define “spirituality” is similar. We know what it is for each of us. The search is important, but the answer is within.
Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse
We can transcend the two parts of us, the human side that is civilized and tamed, and the “wolf” or shadow side that is wild and instinctive. We can’t disown our less-than-human side. We need to let go of one in order to not fear the other. Then we can rise above both and glimpse that other world of spirit.
For a more complete discussion of these books, please visit my website at http://www.nottinstitute.org
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Chopra's The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire
The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire: Harnessing the Infinite Power of Coincidence by Deepak Chopra.
The third domain, Spirit, is more even confusing, yet Chopra provides some structure to this formless level of existence, which he describes as “virtual” or “nonlocal.” Whereas the physical world has a specific place, this “nonlocality” has no boundaries.
In the 20th century, science found proof of the existence of this virtual domain. The world is made up of particles and waves. Particles are solid, while waves, such as sound and light waves, are not. A wave-particle was discovered, and “until we measure either its location or its momentum, it is both particle and wave simultaneously” (48). “Without consciousness acting as an observer and interpreter, everything would exist only as pure potential” (51). This “pure potential” is the nonlocal domain.
Without our consciousness, or our thoughts, there is no physical existence. We, collectively, create our world. Our thoughts bridge the virtual reality and the physical world. This is a complicated concept, but the spirit domain is the source of the coincidences we find in our lives. Tapping into this domain, into this unlimited and undefined area, we observe the synchronicity in our lives. Then we can create, on the physical level, the lives we desire.
For a better understanding of how we create our lives, this is a must read. No short discussion can incorporate all that Chopra offers. The explanation of the three domains is only the beginning.
There is one other, among many, of Chopra’s ideas that I wish to mention: power over our emotions. “Ask, don’t demand…Don’t give others power over your emotions” (229) is Chopra’s advice. Think about that. When we demand something from others, we give them the power to conform or refuse. They are in control, not us. If we simply ask, we retain the power and don’t have to be angry at any decision. We continue to create our world with positive emotions, even if we don’t like others’ actions.
A Review by Cheryl A. Chatfield
In this book, Chopra states, “When you live your life with an appreciation of coincidences and their meanings, you connect with the underlying field of infinite possibilities…This is synchrodestiny, in which it becomes possible to achieve the spontaneous fulfillment of our every desire” (21). To achieve his synchrodensity, we must go inward to tap the deep recesses of our spirit as well as outward to accept the coincidences of the physical world.
An understanding of three levels of existences of matter, mind and spirit is necessary for understanding the synchronicity in our lives. Matter is the physical domain, where the world is visible, rational and objective. Everything in this level has a beginning, middle and end. We are born and we die. This part of the world is predictable; scientists can measure it. We understand this domain.
The second level of existence, Mind, refers to energy and thoughts. We can’t see either, but we know they exist. This domain is less clear than the physical one. Our thoughts aren’t solid and we can’t touch them. We do not see atoms and molecules and we cannot distinguish energy waves. “Everything at this level is insubstantial, meaning that it cannot be touched or perceived by any of the five senses” (36).
In this book, Chopra states, “When you live your life with an appreciation of coincidences and their meanings, you connect with the underlying field of infinite possibilities…This is synchrodestiny, in which it becomes possible to achieve the spontaneous fulfillment of our every desire” (21). To achieve his synchrodensity, we must go inward to tap the deep recesses of our spirit as well as outward to accept the coincidences of the physical world.
An understanding of three levels of existences of matter, mind and spirit is necessary for understanding the synchronicity in our lives. Matter is the physical domain, where the world is visible, rational and objective. Everything in this level has a beginning, middle and end. We are born and we die. This part of the world is predictable; scientists can measure it. We understand this domain.
The second level of existence, Mind, refers to energy and thoughts. We can’t see either, but we know they exist. This domain is less clear than the physical one. Our thoughts aren’t solid and we can’t touch them. We do not see atoms and molecules and we cannot distinguish energy waves. “Everything at this level is insubstantial, meaning that it cannot be touched or perceived by any of the five senses” (36).
The third domain, Spirit, is more even confusing, yet Chopra provides some structure to this formless level of existence, which he describes as “virtual” or “nonlocal.” Whereas the physical world has a specific place, this “nonlocality” has no boundaries.
In the 20th century, science found proof of the existence of this virtual domain. The world is made up of particles and waves. Particles are solid, while waves, such as sound and light waves, are not. A wave-particle was discovered, and “until we measure either its location or its momentum, it is both particle and wave simultaneously” (48). “Without consciousness acting as an observer and interpreter, everything would exist only as pure potential” (51). This “pure potential” is the nonlocal domain.
Without our consciousness, or our thoughts, there is no physical existence. We, collectively, create our world. Our thoughts bridge the virtual reality and the physical world. This is a complicated concept, but the spirit domain is the source of the coincidences we find in our lives. Tapping into this domain, into this unlimited and undefined area, we observe the synchronicity in our lives. Then we can create, on the physical level, the lives we desire.
For a better understanding of how we create our lives, this is a must read. No short discussion can incorporate all that Chopra offers. The explanation of the three domains is only the beginning.
There is one other, among many, of Chopra’s ideas that I wish to mention: power over our emotions. “Ask, don’t demand…Don’t give others power over your emotions” (229) is Chopra’s advice. Think about that. When we demand something from others, we give them the power to conform or refuse. They are in control, not us. If we simply ask, we retain the power and don’t have to be angry at any decision. We continue to create our world with positive emotions, even if we don’t like others’ actions.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Our Excessive Consumerism
In a time of financial concern, it is important to look at our rate of consumption. What about the consumption of products? Too often the social center of our country is the shopping mall. While this is a good place for kids to meet, it is often the family destination as well. Is spending money on "things" a good focus? Is there a problem when consuming is our national pastime? Should we look at the implications of this obsession with owning more and more? What about the message given to our children? We worry about family values. What are family values when we seem to have consuming as a main goal?
We cannot continue our greedy rate of consumption. Each new electric gadget reguires more electricity. Do these make us happy? Do we understand the correlation with the need for more power that pollutes the air we breathe and affects the overall climate of our planet? Does the small amount that we each use cause any real harm? Multiply that by all of us and, yes, it makes a big difference.
Less consuming with more awareness. That could be a wonderful goal at this time.
We cannot continue our greedy rate of consumption. Each new electric gadget reguires more electricity. Do these make us happy? Do we understand the correlation with the need for more power that pollutes the air we breathe and affects the overall climate of our planet? Does the small amount that we each use cause any real harm? Multiply that by all of us and, yes, it makes a big difference.
Less consuming with more awareness. That could be a wonderful goal at this time.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
No More Words - on aging parents
For many of you with an aging parent who requires care, here is book that a friend recommended to me: No More Words: A Journal of My Mother, Anne Morrow Lindbergh by Reeve Lindbergh. Reeve Lindbergh's style reminds me of her mother's, a soft, gentle use of words that is soothing, yet provocative. She shares the heart-warming, loving and sad journey of gradually losing a parent.
My Mom used to read Anne Morrow Lindbergh's books, and she particularly liked Gift from the Sea, so I felt an instant connection to a story about the author by her daughter. This is the first book that describes my mother's condition from Alzheimer's. Reeve Lindbergh writes of her own mother's decline, not from the same disease but from a series of strokes. The cause is different, the effect was the same. My Mom also lost her speech; there have been "no more words" for the past three years. My mother, after four years in an Alzheimer's facility, is still very aware of her surroundings. She knows all of the family, her aides and her dog. She reacts and responds to most questions. Even in her silence, she has a strong presence and a way to display appreciation and happiness by standing tall and smiling widely or display displeasure by grimacing, gesturing and shaking her walker.
Reeve Lindbergh does a touching job of conveying the care of her well-known mother. She provides an emotional picture, which is what I have looked for, and not found, from other authors. Reeve describes the fact that what we may need most from our aging parents is the validation we felt we never received when we were younger. She does not sound, however, like a whining child who has forgotten to grow up; she simply mentions the feeling as a reality. Too often books on aging parents have an underlying and dominant self-serving sentiment, when what I want to hear is some uplifting inspiration for the family with a sympathetic understanding of the suffering. Reeve does that for me.
She is describing my Mom when she says:
Her gaze is direct, but I don't know what she's looking at.
What are you looking at Mother? What do you see? (81-82)
Her previous body-shyness has melted away, as she is
touched over and over by careful, caring hands all day long...
She has finally let herself go now, giving herself up with no
comment at all, falling lightly as feathers and softly as snow
into our waiting hands. (80)
Anne Morrow Lindbergh is part of my Mom's generation. I see the similar concerns of being proper and worrying about what others might think. The differences between these women have melted as the ravages of aging create a similarity. I find some comfort in that.
Reeve Lindbergh mentions a dream she had in which the mother she remembered came to her and said about this new frail, silent mother, "You just have to take care of her." Tht is what we must do for our aging parents. While that might mean a different approach for each of us, it helps explain my current role. Thank you, Reeve Lindbergh, for reminding me that my job for my mother is simply "to take care of her."
My Mom used to read Anne Morrow Lindbergh's books, and she particularly liked Gift from the Sea, so I felt an instant connection to a story about the author by her daughter. This is the first book that describes my mother's condition from Alzheimer's. Reeve Lindbergh writes of her own mother's decline, not from the same disease but from a series of strokes. The cause is different, the effect was the same. My Mom also lost her speech; there have been "no more words" for the past three years. My mother, after four years in an Alzheimer's facility, is still very aware of her surroundings. She knows all of the family, her aides and her dog. She reacts and responds to most questions. Even in her silence, she has a strong presence and a way to display appreciation and happiness by standing tall and smiling widely or display displeasure by grimacing, gesturing and shaking her walker.
Reeve Lindbergh does a touching job of conveying the care of her well-known mother. She provides an emotional picture, which is what I have looked for, and not found, from other authors. Reeve describes the fact that what we may need most from our aging parents is the validation we felt we never received when we were younger. She does not sound, however, like a whining child who has forgotten to grow up; she simply mentions the feeling as a reality. Too often books on aging parents have an underlying and dominant self-serving sentiment, when what I want to hear is some uplifting inspiration for the family with a sympathetic understanding of the suffering. Reeve does that for me.
She is describing my Mom when she says:
Her gaze is direct, but I don't know what she's looking at.
What are you looking at Mother? What do you see? (81-82)
Her previous body-shyness has melted away, as she is
touched over and over by careful, caring hands all day long...
She has finally let herself go now, giving herself up with no
comment at all, falling lightly as feathers and softly as snow
into our waiting hands. (80)
Anne Morrow Lindbergh is part of my Mom's generation. I see the similar concerns of being proper and worrying about what others might think. The differences between these women have melted as the ravages of aging create a similarity. I find some comfort in that.
Reeve Lindbergh mentions a dream she had in which the mother she remembered came to her and said about this new frail, silent mother, "You just have to take care of her." Tht is what we must do for our aging parents. While that might mean a different approach for each of us, it helps explain my current role. Thank you, Reeve Lindbergh, for reminding me that my job for my mother is simply "to take care of her."
This is a practical spirituality.
This is what we do to help the ones we love.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Real and Ideal
I just finished reading an article by Tom Huston in What is Enlightenment Magazine (Issue 36 Apr - Jun 2007). If you aren't aware of this magazine, you might want to check it out. It is one of the few I read consistently and one of the best on discussing all aspects of Spirituality. The magazine's website is www.wie.org.
Much of the article is irrelevant to this discussion, but the author reflects on an important aspect of Spirituality. He references Robert Rabbin, a spiritual teacher and executive coach, as he points out the distinction between the ideal and the real in relation to Spirituality. He asks about "authentic Spirituality or enlightenment." Rabbin suggests that "We get real, not ideal," trying to be sure any spiritual quest has a practical, everyday component. While Huston, the author of the article, partially agrees, he worries that Rabbin is being too "mundane." Huston wants to "change, to grow to mature, to develop, to evolve and to otherwise transform my oh-so-less-than-ideal human self."
Huston claims that "spirituality is inseparable from 'transcentent ideals.' Intellectual "self transcendence" and practical "self acceptance" seem to be opposite ends of a spectrum. Perhaps in the middle is where we should be. I agree with Huston. Spirituality does involve transformation and a striving for ideas, but that must be tempered with the daily, necessary chores of being in a human form.
Much of the article is irrelevant to this discussion, but the author reflects on an important aspect of Spirituality. He references Robert Rabbin, a spiritual teacher and executive coach, as he points out the distinction between the ideal and the real in relation to Spirituality. He asks about "authentic Spirituality or enlightenment." Rabbin suggests that "We get real, not ideal," trying to be sure any spiritual quest has a practical, everyday component. While Huston, the author of the article, partially agrees, he worries that Rabbin is being too "mundane." Huston wants to "change, to grow to mature, to develop, to evolve and to otherwise transform my oh-so-less-than-ideal human self."
Huston claims that "spirituality is inseparable from 'transcentent ideals.' Intellectual "self transcendence" and practical "self acceptance" seem to be opposite ends of a spectrum. Perhaps in the middle is where we should be. I agree with Huston. Spirituality does involve transformation and a striving for ideas, but that must be tempered with the daily, necessary chores of being in a human form.
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