I believe there is a universal path of wisdom that underlies all true spiritual paths, and it is to do with the dawning realisation of our interconnectedness, our oneness at the energetic level, which science is saying these days. We are aware of a need to change our human ways. We seek a spiritual path for today. It seems to me that we are One in the divine matrix of consciousness that holds us all in being – and Jesus knew it. His words in the gospel of John (whether actually his or the gospel writer’s understanding of him) were “I ask … that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, … so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one…” (John 17:20-23)
His teaching was to love, to love ourselves, to love each other, and even to love our enemies – and that is the way to develop higher wisdom and interconnectedness. Love is about compassionate relationships, which is what is needed in the world at all levels. We have to rise above the tribal mentality that says my religion is better than yours, my race is better than yours, my country is better than yours. This is the spiritual journey – into realising that there is only one humanity and that the way ahead is into sacred Oneness and compassion. That is the teaching needed in today’s world.
But how do we, as individuals, make that shift? There are certain tried and tested disciplines, techniques and practices that help us to ‘awaken’ spiritually into this oneness and interconnectedness and compassionate way of being.
There are two aspects to this: the first is to raise our level of consciousness, in order to connect with our true Self, Higher Self, greater Being, the bit of us that is connected and open to the Divine.
And secondly, to widen our breadth of consciousness, to experience ‘being’ more fully, to relate positively to all other beings. It involves reconnecting with, knowing, and ultimately being centred in the True Self. It is not about transcending the world; it is about raising our consciousness into our higher being, and then living that out of that place in our daily lives. It is about being as fully here, as fully present as we can be. Simply and fully ‘being’ is at the core of every authentic spiritual practice.
The most important practice in this move is having a practice of meditation. There are many different types, and in WCCM we practice a particular form.
It is central as a way of dis-identifying with the ego-self, with the self-centred desire nature, and developing a deeper connection with our true-soul-self. It helps us to develop the ‘witnessing presence’, that part of us that can rise above the swirl of emotions and desires. Meditation is about observing, feeling and welcoming whatever arises, but then letting it go.
There are many other practices that help as well. To see from Oneness, we have to move our centre to a higher, finer, more compassionate place that transcends the level of egoic thinking that is so prevalent in the world. For the world to survive, we have to rise above that level of thinking – and this is the shift that is happening. The troubles we see all around the world at present are, I believe, the birth pangs, the labour pains of that shift to a new way, a new story for humanity, that we are all One. The shift in consciousness is happening from two directions.
- Awakening within – we have to be willing to engage in the inner work that can change and transform. Through prayer, contemplation and reflection we learn
more about our inner being, we heal early memories, we grow in compassion. - Opening to the Source. There are other forces at work in this universe, and different traditions use different words. Call them Mother nature, divine love, the Source, God, the Universe, the Holy Spirit or whatever. But the direction of these energies is to move us, that is the whole human race and the whole planet, to move us on to a better place, a higher level.
Rev. Don MacGregor
Area Team Member for Wales