Introduction: Acknowledging the Spiritual Realm
In a world where we have become largely unaware of the spiritual realm and how it affects our daily lives, I feel it is important to state plainly that Reflections Along The Way is not a religious text. Some may wish to label it as such, simply for acknowledging the unseen realm which lies beyond the physical, but it is not.
In the same way that it is not religious in nature to tell a young child raised far from the coast that there exists a giant body of water called an ocean—which stretches for thousands of miles from shore to shore—it is also not religious in nature to write on the ever-present spiritual realm because, like the ocean, it simply exists (no matter how incomprehensible this may seem to the child, or to us). The spiritual realm was not created by humankind, it is not a byproduct of human tradition, and it doesn’t bend to our personal preferences; we cannot shape it how we please; it simply exists, whether we want it to or not.
One of the great errors of our modern times is to pretend that the spiritual realm isn’t there, that there is nothing beyond the physical. Academia frequently sabotages itself by adopting this position. It searches for answers on a vast array of topics, ranging all the way back to the origin of the universe, through only the observation of matter and energy. This is fruitless because it is from the spiritual that the physical was created. The spiritual does not need the physical to exist, but in order to understand the spiritual and thereby the universe itself, you must venture beyond where the physical ends.
If we are to have any hope of turning back the tide of environmental destruction, racial divide, economic inequality, and religious/ideological genocides that have darkened our history and which define our present age, we must travel beyond the physical and return to the source of light, energy, matter, and life itself.
Reflections Along The Way, Vol. 1: The Pillars of Life on Earth focuses particularly on how the spiritual realm is relevant to us as humans. It highlights three key ways we interact with the spiritual realm and the sections of this book are written to resonate with the soul, the mind, and the heart in turn.
The mind is supremely rational; it observes and dissects things with no regard for emotion or morality. It is aware of the energy of things acting around it, but it does not take these energies into itself and is thereby unable to motivate itself. This is why we also have a heart.
The heart is explicitly sensual; it does not think it only feels. It takes in every sensation around it and pursues what it desires without considering the consequences. It cannot discern what is good and what is harmful; it only knows what it wants and what it doesn’t.
In a healthy balance the mind guides the heart and the heart energizes the mind, but neither one can determine right from wrong, or, more precisely, good from evil. Our soul is the seed of our individual life that connects us to the spiritual realm and allows us to interact with the forces that operate therein. It puts us into direct communication with All-That-is-Good and all that is evil. This places us in a position to realize endless life and unlimited potential through cooperation with All-That-is-Good, or certain and complete ruin by joining with all that is evil.
This is because good is the absolute creative force of the universe. It cannot die. Evil consumes and destroys. It is bound to the death that it wields, and can only survive for as long as it is allowed to consume that which was initially created by good.
The first section of this book, “Life under the Sun: Oracle 1,” is directed toward the soul. It speaks of mysteries that only the soul can comprehend through its connection to the spiritual realm. As the soul is stimulated it will pass along information and feelings to the mind and heart.
The second section, “The Spirit of Wisdom (and the Corruption of Madness),” is intended to educate the mind on spiritual matters, and its tone is predominantly intellectual. Although our thoughts and feelings cannot be completely separated, its emphasis is on facts intended to be considered by the mind with the aid of the spirit.
The third section, “A Good Heart,” speaks to our desires. New information is also passed along in this section, because in a right balance the heart, mind, and soul never act completely independent of one another, but its main purpose is to demonstrate the energizing effect of filling the heart with good energies.
As this book is focused on spiritual matters, it is important to note that it will be difficult to understand what has been written if you do not utilize all your spiritual parts—heart, mind, and soul. There are many spirits in this universe both good and evil, but at the center of everything is the One Great Spirit to which we are all connected. If at any time you feel confused, or conflicted, by what you are reading speak to the One Great Spirit (out loud, or in your head; it makes no difference) and ask for understanding.
Ask for any evil spirits that may be trying to confuse you to be silenced, and that you would be able to see past any human error contained in the text itself, or within your interpretation of the text. Ask to see and comprehend only the truth, and if the truth is really what you desire then understanding will be granted to you.
It is within the power of the One Great Spirit to grant this request and he must grant this request, for that which is good cannot deny any good thing, or it would not be good. If good for any reason refuses to cooperate with good then it is evil, and the universe would not exist.
If you can comprehend this truth then you already understand the Way of Life broadly, and if you choose to join yourself—heart, mind, and soul—to the Way you will escape death itself and have all of eternity to further comprehend the Way in ever enriching detail and intimacy.
In the same way that it is not religious in nature to tell a young child raised far from the coast that there exists a giant body of water called an ocean—which stretches for thousands of miles from shore to shore—it is also not religious in nature to write on the ever-present spiritual realm because, like the ocean, it simply exists (no matter how incomprehensible this may seem to the child, or to us). The spiritual realm was not created by humankind, it is not a byproduct of human tradition, and it doesn’t bend to our personal preferences; we cannot shape it how we please; it simply exists, whether we want it to or not.
One of the great errors of our modern times is to pretend that the spiritual realm isn’t there, that there is nothing beyond the physical. Academia frequently sabotages itself by adopting this position. It searches for answers on a vast array of topics, ranging all the way back to the origin of the universe, through only the observation of matter and energy. This is fruitless because it is from the spiritual that the physical was created. The spiritual does not need the physical to exist, but in order to understand the spiritual and thereby the universe itself, you must venture beyond where the physical ends.
If we are to have any hope of turning back the tide of environmental destruction, racial divide, economic inequality, and religious/ideological genocides that have darkened our history and which define our present age, we must travel beyond the physical and return to the source of light, energy, matter, and life itself.
Reflections Along The Way, Vol. 1: The Pillars of Life on Earth focuses particularly on how the spiritual realm is relevant to us as humans. It highlights three key ways we interact with the spiritual realm and the sections of this book are written to resonate with the soul, the mind, and the heart in turn.
The mind is supremely rational; it observes and dissects things with no regard for emotion or morality. It is aware of the energy of things acting around it, but it does not take these energies into itself and is thereby unable to motivate itself. This is why we also have a heart.
The heart is explicitly sensual; it does not think it only feels. It takes in every sensation around it and pursues what it desires without considering the consequences. It cannot discern what is good and what is harmful; it only knows what it wants and what it doesn’t.
In a healthy balance the mind guides the heart and the heart energizes the mind, but neither one can determine right from wrong, or, more precisely, good from evil. Our soul is the seed of our individual life that connects us to the spiritual realm and allows us to interact with the forces that operate therein. It puts us into direct communication with All-That-is-Good and all that is evil. This places us in a position to realize endless life and unlimited potential through cooperation with All-That-is-Good, or certain and complete ruin by joining with all that is evil.
This is because good is the absolute creative force of the universe. It cannot die. Evil consumes and destroys. It is bound to the death that it wields, and can only survive for as long as it is allowed to consume that which was initially created by good.
The first section of this book, “Life under the Sun: Oracle 1,” is directed toward the soul. It speaks of mysteries that only the soul can comprehend through its connection to the spiritual realm. As the soul is stimulated it will pass along information and feelings to the mind and heart.
The second section, “The Spirit of Wisdom (and the Corruption of Madness),” is intended to educate the mind on spiritual matters, and its tone is predominantly intellectual. Although our thoughts and feelings cannot be completely separated, its emphasis is on facts intended to be considered by the mind with the aid of the spirit.
The third section, “A Good Heart,” speaks to our desires. New information is also passed along in this section, because in a right balance the heart, mind, and soul never act completely independent of one another, but its main purpose is to demonstrate the energizing effect of filling the heart with good energies.
As this book is focused on spiritual matters, it is important to note that it will be difficult to understand what has been written if you do not utilize all your spiritual parts—heart, mind, and soul. There are many spirits in this universe both good and evil, but at the center of everything is the One Great Spirit to which we are all connected. If at any time you feel confused, or conflicted, by what you are reading speak to the One Great Spirit (out loud, or in your head; it makes no difference) and ask for understanding.
Ask for any evil spirits that may be trying to confuse you to be silenced, and that you would be able to see past any human error contained in the text itself, or within your interpretation of the text. Ask to see and comprehend only the truth, and if the truth is really what you desire then understanding will be granted to you.
It is within the power of the One Great Spirit to grant this request and he must grant this request, for that which is good cannot deny any good thing, or it would not be good. If good for any reason refuses to cooperate with good then it is evil, and the universe would not exist.
If you can comprehend this truth then you already understand the Way of Life broadly, and if you choose to join yourself—heart, mind, and soul—to the Way you will escape death itself and have all of eternity to further comprehend the Way in ever enriching detail and intimacy.