Spirituality Without Religion, in two parts, action and community
Our goal is spirituality without religion. That is how we can identify true new age types; what they all want is spirituality without religion. Spirituality is not just a set of ideas. It is action and community. But, it does begin with a set of ideas.
The evil characteristics of religion are sectarian intolerance and dogmatic acceptance of a set of doctrines. That applies to the religion of science (reduction to causality and chance, atoms and the void), quite as much as any other. I have to keep reminding everyone of that, because it is not widely known that academic science requires acceptance of a religion. The essence of scientific method makes no such requirement, and I stick to that, even though the science of metaphysics turns out to be a little different from all the others. Reproducibility is there, but mystical states are private, personal and difficult to communicate. Revelations from the depths of Self are symbolic, and may be distorted or mistranslated by the channel. So comparing one revelation to another, and to other experience, is a good idea.
In terms of the 22 books of the Word of One, we must first be the Baby holding keys to 7 doors. This will give us understanding, tolerance and compassion for all the spiritual paths that there are. The Way of the Sun shines the supernal light of Reality upon them all. True adherence to the essence of scientific method will ensure that we hold no dogmas. A dogma is an assumption not based on experience, and contrary to experience. All of our ideas must be discoveries, learned by experience, and open to change by more experience.
The Baby (Reactor) and all other ideas from the Word of One are found in the chapter “One Speaks” in “the book.” “The book” is shorthand for UFOs, PSI, and Spiritual Evolution. I don’t plan to write any more books. This is the latest, the last, and the best that I can do, since I am not a professional writer. “The book” will teach you the Way of the Sun. What then?
Then we take action. Then we form a community, tolerant and inclusive, capable of fun group activities, like group mandalas. Spirituality should be fun. No grim faced Puritans here. Everything should be fun. If it isn’t fun, don’t do it. Of course, everybody’s idea of fun is different. The actions each takes can be entirely different, since each of the 22 books has different actions associated with it.
A note about the Way of the Sun: the New Tarot version of the Sun card is called “The Doer,” but we can still think of it as the Sun card. The sun is prominent overhead, large, and richly figured. The figure is a seven year old boy, though it could just as easily be a girl. He has made some progress beyond that of the Baby (reactor). He has learned things and created things, here represented by an open book. But it doesn’t have to be a book. It could be any kind of creative expression. Art, music, architecture, dance, theatre, website, blog, or…a book. Perhaps the most importance should be given to the white and the black horses. These represent the sides of our nature. Yes, Virginia, there is a dark side. Star Wars got that right. We all have it. Anger, self-loathing, jealousy, regret, irritability…and so forth. The Doer has his Dark Side under perfect and effortless control. He controls the docile black horse with no more than a ribbon.
The White Horse rears triumphantly on a human skull. What does that mean? It means an end to all fear of death. This is knowledge, not faith. The boy has studied the scientific proof of reincarnation, and of Near Death Experience. Under the dead hand of the Thinker, entranced and “up a tree,” most people live rather gloomy and pessimistic lives, knowing that it just leads to death, which the High Priests of the religion of science have told us is extinction. But the Doer knows better. And this releases the spirit to soar in gladness. When you have reached this stage, you are definitely on the Way of Sun, and can help those who seek help, as a Changer, Deliverer, Reverser, or Speaker, or some other Solar activity.
Many people ask me about meditation, knowing that to be a common way of spiritual evolution. Yes, it is, and that is described in the Book of the Seeker. That book is for those who have decided to devote themselves entirely to meditation. We can all work in a little Solar type meditation into our daily lives, and no one will even notice. It could be a daily walk (alone). It could be washing dishes. It could be commuting to work, or back home again. All it requires is a physical activity that you can do automatically, without thinking about it. Then clear your mind of all worries, and let it wander where it will. Our form of meditation is day-dreaming. It is not at all like other forms of meditation, that require forcing attention on one single object or idea. Our form of meditation never requires sitting still, although if one is alone, that too can work. However, sitting in your easy chair is just as good as kneeling on a mat in some uncomfortable position.
Solitude and nature are the chief requirements. It is all in the Book of the Deliverer. This is the way to cosmic consciousness, also known as the illumination of fire. One must free oneself of all worries, since they tend to get the mind stuck. Let the mind go free, to wander as it will. And the best way to do that is to give the body something monotonous to do, something that requires no concentration. Our way of meditation is the opposite of concentration. It also helps to live a stress free life, so you have nothing serious to worry about, nothing that you cannot put to one side.
Next time: spiritual community without hierarchy.