Tip the
Balance
“...You
will have to create the path by walking yourself; the path is not
ready-made, lying there and waiting for you. It is just like the sky:
the birds fly, but they don't leave any footprints. You cannot follow
them...”
Osho
I attended a seminar
yesterday by Jungian Analyst, Renae Cobb. Her area of research
involves working with people who are members of fundamentalist
religions. How hard it is for those of us who've been brought up in
rigid faith traditions to forge our own path, as Osho suggests that
we must. Such religions restrict what we may say and do, dictate what
we must believe, and usually condemn to hell those who do not fall in
line. They put an external authority in charge, and create enough
fear within that few adherents challenge that authority. That is the
opposite of evolution, or in Jungian terminology, individuation.
There are good things
about fundamental religions—they provide exceptionally supportive
communities as long as one walks the straight and narrow path.
They occupy a rung on the ladder of spiritual development when
literal interpretation and black and white beliefs are appropriate; that point should occur when one is very young. When it persists
beyond young adulthood, it no longer supports spiritual growth, but
becomes an obstacle to it. If one does not question the external
authority, they may never take the next step, and such religions do
not encourage questioning. However, they work for some people; they feel
safe and familiar. In the words of Rosa Luxemburg, “Those who do
not move, do not notice their chains.”
Forging one's own path
can be a daunting job. Sometimes it feels like two steps forward and
one back. It's called “individuation” because it is a solitary
quest, not “ready-made,” as Osho says, but there are helpers
along the way if we look for them and are open to them. Not everyone
can afford Analysis or professional counseling. However, many
excellent books have been written and many thoughtful pod-casts and
interviews are recorded, so there is no lack of spiritual material to
assist one on the journey. On Being with Krista Tippett is one of my
favorites. Her interview with David Steindl-Rast has provided much
food for thought for me. Also, Mark Nepo's daily reader, The Book
of Awakening, and anything by Barbara Brown Taylor—my favorite
is An Altar in the World—can excite one's imagination and
provide an opening for spiritual growth. And for many, many people, Oprah is a prophet.
Most of all, courage is
required. Take some deep breaths and trust that there is a loving
presence in this universe that wants each of us to become all of who
we can be, and that presence is within us as well as without. Human
evolution occurs when enough of us move forward spiritually, mentally
and emotionally to tip the balance toward love and away from fear.
In the Spirit,
Jane
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