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How
To Be A Mystic In A Traffic Jam
Dr.
Jodi Shams PRINZIVALLI
The
past few decades have seen the renewal of interest in
the healing world and the spiritual path, with more and
more people seeking ways to make their lives more meaningful.
Yet the old-fashioned spiritual paths involving either
asceticism or religious dogma are no longer appealing
to those of us living in modern day America. We need a
spirituality that is both meaningful and practical, that
is an enhancement of the life we are living rather than
a renunciation of it. This is the time when practical
mysticism is at its greatest relevance.
There
are several concepts that are essential for us if we are
to be spiritual people living in the real world of every
day life. The first is the understanding of the dynamics
of the unconscious. Although in our culture, psychology
us often thought of as unrelated to spirituality, the
literal definition of psychology is 'the study of the
soul' and for most of us it is an important component
for our return to a spiritual lifestyle and is essential
to living a good life. It allows us to take the judgment
out of why people do what they do. It allows us not to
take things personally. It gives us a bird's eye view
of life to understand that every single feeling and statement
and action that is made has it's root in the inner landscape
of our being. And most of what we do and what others do
that baffles us is related to the misunderstood nature
of the unconscious. Regardless of how illogical or irrational
an action or statement may be, it has a reason for existing
that, at least in the beginning, had a purpose that served
us. It may be very outdated now, but some part of our
psyche usually does not know this. Understanding the nature
of the unconscious and how to respond to it is one of
the most freeing gifts we can give ourselves in our search
for meaning and a spiritual life. Some say that the doorway
to God is through the unconscious.
Secondly,
practical mystics understand that we live in an ocean
of unseen energies. Just like the radio waves and microwaves
that surround us everywhere, there also exist mental and
emotional energies that we may not be able to see, but
which can be felt quite easily. Think of the last time
you walked into a room full of people and your mood changed
instantly. Think of someone that you consider as having
"good vibes," that you enjoy being around. All
of this is from our innate capacity to sense and experience
the unseen realm. As an aspect of this, practical mystics
believe that in the unseen world there also exists an
Angelic realm, beings who are part of the Divine plan,
beings who have specific purpose although they may not
have physical bodies. The Bible, the Torah and the Quran
all speak about the presence of the angels as Divine emissaries
of God who have different laws of existence than we do.
They cannot fulfill their purpose unless invited. Universal
law states that all beings of light can only involve themselves
with humanity or other conscious beings by invitation
only. Therefore part of our role in the healing world
is not necessarily that we do the work, but that we ask
those who know how, to come and intercede for those in
need. This is a primary function of prayer. And we can
pray as easily in a traffic jam, or in line at the supermarket,
as we can in church. We can ask that a Divine emissary
come as a healing presence to the situation no matter
where we are.
Finally,
many of us have a tendency to "pick things up"
in this unseen realm of energy. Without realizing it,
other peoples' feelings and "stuff" sticks to
us like Velcro as we walk through the world. And some
of us are more sensitive to this than others, often processing
other peoples' emotions as if they were our own. We all
clean our bodies every day, yet our energetic bodies are
often so filled that we look like Pigpen in the Charlie
Brown cartoon. With a tool to clean our energy field,
we can restore a sense of vitality and well-being we may
not have realized is possible. We are often deeply effected
by the energetic Velcro effect, whereby in an interaction
with another we walk away feeling worse while the other
feels better. But there are time-tested clearing tools
that the great mystics have worked with for hundreds of
years. One example of such a tool is the use of the whirlwind,
which can be done anywhere. Simply imagine a vortex of
light like a tornado descending from above you and surrounding
your entire body, ultimately dropping into the earth,
pulling away all unnecessary clutter from your being.
If it is hard to visualize, try putting a flame or light
on the edge and following it around, allowing the flame
to burn away all the dross as it circles around you. This
is a practical use of the mind to effect an energetic
change that truly works. Although the whirlwind will not
remove the wounds or difficulties that are your own, it
will in effect vacuum away the residual "junk"
of others which may be affecting you. The next time you
return home from the mall, try using the vortex and see
if you feel more energy as a result.
All
of these are examples of practical but powerful tools
for how we can live a more meaningful life. As we understand
how to use the mind as a tool for positive change, we
create opportunities for healing and a means of bringing
the Divine light into every day life. Perhaps over time
if enough of us use our thoughts, words and actions as
a force for good in the world, peace truly will prevail
on earth.
Profile of Dr. Jodi Shams PRINZIVALLI
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