Desire, Opinion, Superstition

The Apostle John said that we must "test the spirits whether they are of God." In our desire to remain open to revelation, we need to be conscious that what is alive in us is not solely our own conscious opinions and subjective desires, but also the reactions of race consciousness. Therefore, when opening the windows of our heart and mind in our search for spiritual inspiration and revelation, it is important to "stop, look, and listen."

In our quest to know in our life experience - the Divine Reality, we must remember that reason and truth are contained within this reality and should not be discarded with new revelation, regardless of the source. Spirit will not ever guide us in ways or through means that challenge right judgment and right action.

When others come forward proclaiming "Thus says the Lord," and bring forward messages that can inspire and bring peace, and how many times with a book or scripture for us to make our own…we would be wise to be cautious to "stop, look, and listen." We should not give up reason and science and sound judgment simply to be inspired. Each of us views the world through the lenses of our perception (and misperceptions) and this includes those we regard as prophets, saints, scribes and sages.

Many have been quick to sacrifice science and reason in the name of spirituality. Entire movements have formed that deny the reality in front of us in favor for an imagined “sweet by and by.” Spirit is not the author of confusion and while higher orders of consciousness will cause us to have a new perspective, the only evidence that these require us to deny our physical experience are “new revelations.” If any spirituality or message causes confusion, there may be an invitation to embrace a newer order of thinking but remember to “stop, look and listen, within and without.

Let us be mindful not to make offerings of superstition in the name of transcendent truth. Superstition and magical thinking can be a powerful and seductive force, yet we must be grounded in fact and reason to remain balanced in our journey to seek truth and understanding.

Using the discernment that we have been given we can honor both science and spirit. We can seek truth and knowledge in both science and spiritual traditions. Spiritual discernment can help us see through the fog of fear or misunderstanding that often separates us from optimal living. We shouldn’t be so quick to take on the opinions and perspectives of others without questioning them. We also shouldn’t be so quick to abandon what we know to be true.

The knowledge and understanding that we gain about the world, ourselves and those around us can help us to better understand the unseen. And we must be ever aware of our own biases and motivations, as well as those of those around us. By discerning what is true and what is not, we can gain insight and clarity on our journey. Our task as seekers is to seek in order to find. In our personal and collective journeys much has already been found. Let us not just be “seekers,” waiting for some new revelation. The kingdom of Truth is at hand, now. It is time for us to practice doing what we know to be and do.