Spirituality for Beginners 5: Who Are We (Together)?

Life Connected to the Universe

Questions about motivation, “What gets me going?” are worth thinking about. They involve looking deeply inside yourself, searching for sources of satisfaction, also of strength, courage and hope. These are especially important when serious problems arise, when life starts to get difficult, for example when you or someone close to you loses their job or becomes seriously ill.

To approach the subject of motivation, it is worth thinking again about the question, “Who am I?” this time from a different angle, from who you are as a person who shares characteristics with other people. This refers to similarities not just with some other people, “people like me”, but with all other people, even those who have already lived and died, and those not yet born.

Think about this, for example: “Everyone’s blood is red; everyone’s tears are salty”. The question becomes not, “Who am I separately?” but, “Who are we together?” in other words, “How are we all inter-related?” A good answer to this is ‘spiritually’.

“Spirituality links the deeply personal with the universal.”

It helps to understand the universe as a dynamic whole; constantly changing, but with every component seamlessly linked to every other component. Modern physics supports the idea that every atom, every particle, is somehow connected to every other atom and particle—both throughout the universe’s history, and by virtue of all matter being equivalent (through Einstein’s famous e=mc2 equation) when converted to energy.

The words ‘whole’ and ‘holy’ are linked. From a spiritual perspective, then, the universe itself is sacred, a sacred whole. (In some languages, the word for God can also be translated as ‘sacred unity’, or ‘the sacred totality’.) Human beings form a vital and intimate part of this whole universe; and so, through it, each person is closely connected to each other person.

Smart Phone Connected to the Internet

The part that communicates with the sacred whole is called ‘soul’, the ‘spiritual self’ of each person. This is what makes it like having a smart phone, or mini-computer, permanently connected to the internet representing the spiritual totality, the entirety of the universe.

It is as if, with our normal personality, our ‘everyday ego’, we communicate with friends and family, and run our own routine and favourite programmes; but meanwhile, our spiritual self stays permanently tuned in to the totality. Much of the time, there is just a harmonious background silence, or low-grade vibration, underpinning the functioning and perfection of the whole. Even this, the hum of the universe, so to speak, has a healing and guiding effect; and, occasionally, people receive stronger messages.

Spending time in stillness and silence, as in thoughtful contemplation, in meditation and in silent prayer, helps us tune in to the spiritual dimension of our lives. Rather than wasteful, as some may think of it, this is a valuable way to spend time.

These are difficult ideas if you are new to them, but important in the understanding of spirituality, so we will be exploring them in more detail again.

Copyright Larry Culliford

Larry’s books include ‘The Psychology of Spirituality’, ‘Love, Healing & Happiness’ and (as Patrick Whiteside) ‘The Little Book of Happiness’ and ‘Happiness: The 30 Day Guide’ (personally endorsed by HH The Dalai Lama).