Spiritual Vocabulary
Our Words "Bound"
Our Meanings
We use words to describe
our experiences. We derive meaning from these verbal
descriptions and from the similar representations of
others. Our choice of vocabulary and the inherent meaning
within the words we use filter or classify the described
experience into the context and boundaries of that particular
vocabulary. Jesus spoke in Aramaic, a Middle Eastern
language which had no concept or definition for "stasis".
Everything thought of in Aramaic was in the context
of change and motion. Life was a "caravan"
in perpetual motion. English on the other hand has many
terms that introduce permanence, stasis or non-change
into our expectations. [Personally I think Aramaic is
closer to reality and we now live a conceptual illusion
of permanence that causes us to suffer greatly]
The choice of vocabulary
to describe the indescribable, namely the Divine, by
its very definition for each word puts conceptual boundaries
and limitations around our experience of the infinite
- the unbounded. Therefore each different vocabulary
inherently creates different contexts, definitions and
boundaries to the same experience. The descriptive spiritual
experience can be further changed, lost or rendered
unintelligible in the transmission from one vocabulary
to another.
In the English language
spirituality is often described using the vocabularies
of energy, form or consciousness .
The
Vocabulary of Energy
Popular with the New Agers, the Energy Vocabulary seeks
to describe the sense of the Divine as an ephemeral
quantity that can be ascribed values and be moved, changed
or processed in some way. Words common to this vocabulary
include positive - negative, dark - light, flow - stuck,
good - bad. It is a very dualistic and Newtonian mechanical
approach where there are boundaries to be crossed into
the ephemeral to describe experience. Positive and negative
entities can also be detailed as being on the other
side of the physical four dimensional boundaries that
we perceive as our living within now.
The
Vocabulary of Form
In this vocabulary Divinity takes a physical form within
our 4 dimensions [space and time]. The spiritual experience
is necessarily both physical and of this plane. Avatars
seen as walking this planet are living gods embodied
fully in the flesh. The religious treatment of Jesus
comes to mind. The ascription of Divine attributes to
animals and plants is another. Hinduism has a pantheon
of Divinity being described as form.
The
Vocabulary of Consciousness
In this vocabulary Divinity takes the form of self-awareness.
That what is found within. This is in the context of
"self" where awareness of self mediates how
one perceives or is conscious of reality irrespective
of form, value or location.
+++
Dr Eric Pearl tends to use
the energy vocabulary in the first instance, to describe
Reconnective Healing. It works well for him and all
the power to him. My first spiritual vocabulary grew
out of my experiences with schizophrenia. My attempts
at describing my experiences to the medical establishment
were met with resistance [and increased medications!]
as I had no systemicly recognised vocabulary to use.
I invented a notional vocabulary of my own which to
a few trusted friends I tried to explain my experiences
as I was venturing inwards seeking resolution. I had
lost my sense of "self" and sought remedy
in contemplation. So imagine my joy to be introduced
to a book (Conversations with God - Book One) that expanded
my notional vocabulary with almost complete synchronicity
and fidelity. I had discovered the vocabulary of consciousness
and for which I am eternally grateful. I find this vocabulary
expands as my consciousness expands.
So while this website pays
service to Dr. Pearls vocabulary of energy as portrayed
in his writings, you will find that my writings quickly
elide
into that of the consciousness vocabulary as I wish
to describe Reconnective Healing to you from my personal
experience rather than simply relying on the words of
others.
Namasté
Stephen
Vardy
2004.12.21
Victoria BC Canada
+250.598.6679
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