Some Unitarian Universalists struggle with reconciling the concept of spirituality and spiritual practices with their need for a reasonable approach to their religious journey. Yet, deep in our own history is one of the earliest sources for modern-day concepts of spirituality. It was Ralph Waldo Emerson who spoke out as a pioneer for the integration of rational thought with personal experiences of transcendence. He encouraged people to take their search for God out into the world and find that sense of the holy in the world around them, not in the pews or the pulpit. This idea is affirmed by our naming the direct experience of transcending mystery and wonder as one of our sources in our living tradition. In fact, I think it was quite intentional that this is our first source.
Modern day brain studies of such transcendent experiences shows us how the brain is processing and even creating the sensations we feel, that many call holy, transcendent, or spiritual. Knowing the scientific explanation for such experiences may cause some to consider these invalid or insignificant. But for me they actually make them even more meaningful, and cause me to dedicate myself more earnestly to nurturing such moments because there is evidence that generating such experiences is actually quite healthy for us. For me, this makes the case for the need for spiritual practices in our lives … no less than the need for food, water, sleep, and human connection.
In a time in which there is much chaos, conflict, fear, busy-ness, and worry, there is scientific evidence that it is healthy to nurture the reactions in our brain that create moments of euphoria and well-being. Engaging in spiritual practices can make us emotionally healthier to face the onslaught of bad news, political rhetoric, grief, and over-scheduling. Alternatives for coping with the challenges of life, such as abusing drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or food; or engaging in other self-destructive behaviors, can damage our bodies, our relationships, or our ability to be effective in our work. There are healthier alternatives.
Regular practices that nurture our internal selves (called the spirit or soul by some) are wide-ranging. There’s something for everyone! From meditation to math, gardening to hiking, painting to plumbing. In the UUA’s Tapestry of Faith program “Spirit in Practice” there is a long list of examples of spiritual practices.* Sometimes we may need to experiment with different possibilities to find what we need at this time in our lives to bring us back to center, and prepare ourselves for the unexpected turn in the road of life.
* http://www.uua.org/re/tapestry/adults/practice/workshop1/59187.shtml
Some Unitarian Universalists struggle with reconciling the concept of spirituality and spiritual practices with their need for a reasonable approach to their religious journey.
Each of us struggle with not only the concept (perception and judgment) of spirituality (and practices = rite (ritual)= religiosity) As well as inculcation of HOW we individually interface (hook up) with life itself. A goat interacts with life (as given to a goat) with horns and hooves. We cannot do that. We are mammals like a goat but we are human aniumals and we are cognizant of life an interact with it in a mental AND physical way .. A human way. We cannot avoid it. If we do not we cease to exist. Humans have rituals (shaving, showering, cooking, loving, valuing, preferring and prioritizing). We COOK for Thanksgiving, Passover, Easter, Christmas, 4th of July .. Ritualized cooking. We have certain daily “habits” .. Rise and shine, wine with dinner(?), reading, watching TV, looking at sports scores, shopping, gabbing, emailing. They become “rites” and integrated into our being. So we have a cell phone class who can punch words with their thumbs while eating, driving, watching TV. Struggle and reconciliation: well yes like it or not we have a spiritual aspect to our existence (academics would limit it to “rational” and “intellect” but in fact we FEEL and we feel everything from a touch to love and even scary presence in our midst .. It’s human. We have a spiritual awareness (the spirit of something) .. Power, grace, beauty, admiration are spiritual perceptions about water, forests, plains, animals, sky, weather, birth, death.
Yet, deep in our own history is one of the earliest sources for modern-day concepts of spirituality. It was Ralph Waldo Emerson who spoke out as a pioneer for the integration of rational thought with personal experiences of transcendence. He encouraged people to take their search for God out into the world and find that sense of the holy in the world around them, not in the pews or the pulpit.
The pew or the pulpit is a passive reception of lecture by another (fallible) human being. Learned or not the other human is a limited as we are to convey thought, feeling, perception, causation, integration, inculcation. But we have (often) handed over to others the authority to make rules of not only behavior but of what “truth” may or may not be.
John 18:38 .. To this end was I born .. that I should bear witness unto the truth. .. 38Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? ….
And so the pulpit and the pew (recipient) are lectured on “the truth” .. And in the university the professor with clerical robes or the courtroom judge with clerical robes tell the “truth” and we are colmpelled to accept their “truth.” The church pew, the classroom pew, the courtroom pew .. All SPOUT their truth (like Jesus did) and give it as immutable (as Jesus did).
This idea is affirmed by our naming the direct experience of transcending mystery and wonder as one of our sources in our living tradition. In fact, I think it was quite intentional that this is our first source.
Modern day brain studies of such transcendent experiences shows us how the brain is processing and even creating the sensations we feel, that many call holy, transcendent, or spiritual.
We evolved (let’s face it .. We evolved even if we do not know exactly HOW) as a creature who LEARNS from five senses (the senses feed information to the brain and the brain learns). We also develop a “sixth sense” or intuition. Our fives senses can experience the supernatural (like the “Phoenix lights”) and be unable to explain it in physical terms. It is not physical. Sometimers it is that the buffalo showed up just in time to prevent our non-existence (or food or an army or whatever). We have a spiritual awareness of the EXISTENCE of things that cannot be explained (and yet exist). We become aware that an ultimate CAUSE exists. God.
Knowing the scientific explanation for such experiences may cause some to consider these invalid or insignificant. But for me they actually make them even more meaningful, and cause me to dedicate myself more earnestly to nurturing such moments because there is evidence that generating such experiences is actually quite healthy for us.
I am not big on pigeon holing things into scientific vis-avis spiritual or non-scientific. It is an academic exercise that dcenies the reality of being. We cannot summarieze life in a ten page academic paper (or even in a 200 word or 200 page paper)
For me, this makes the case for the need for spiritual practices in our lives … no less than the need for food, water, sleep, and human connection.
Makes sense? Well yes since so much of what wee do it a spiritual practice: music, love, sadness, appreciation,
In a time in which there is much chaos, conflict, fear, busy-ness, and worry, there is scientific evidence that it is healthy to nurture the reactions in our brain that create moments of euphoria and well-being.
It is actually folly to see anything as totally scientific (knowledge oriented; science is “to know”) since the very practice of scientif ic research is motivated by personal passion.