As Truth students, we often find that we are living between two worlds.  The world of our everyday life---the job, the  family, and following of social norms, is one world.  Consciously or otherwise, most humans live as though this is the only reality. But every now and then we may break into an expanded consciousness and become aware of a separate reality — another world.

 

Back in the seventies, social anthropologist Carlos Castaneda introduced us to  what he called Separate Reality.  His book of that title gives account of his journey into the life and world of a Hopi Indian Sorcerer, Don Juan.  We were  fascinated and hungry for this expanded sense of reality, a world of magic that gave hope and meaning to our human existential struggles. The language of spirituality and separate reality have become more familiar (if not common place), but one wonders to what extent we actually have integrated this into our operational reality.  In theory, we have accepted that what we see in the three-dimensional world is not all there is, but how operational and practical is this belief to our everyday functioning — where the tire meets the road, so to speak?  A separate reality describes a world which is much more familiar to mystics and native medicine men and women of every culture and time.

 

Every now and then many of us, in a state of deep meditation and prayer as well as in dreams, experience this world.  Our modern scientific insights into the nature of the universe, from a different vantage point and using a different language, have been validating for us that reality is not what we necessarily think it to be. However, for an average person, knowing this is one thing, but living a life impregnated with and influenced by  this awareness is quite another matter.

 

In recent months, I have been hinting that as a church body or a spiritual movement, we are sensing that a separate reality is beaconing unto us, and we therefore need to seriously deal with the hypnotic spell within which most of the culture tend to do religious or spiritual ministries.  We live in a state that has not fully   integrated the Truth we teach into our everyday operational habit.  We are not  immune to the influence of the world that spends a greater proportion of time worrying about money and survival, in ways that are far removed from active  spiritual consciousness. 

 

The Christmas season brings into focus the message and metaphor of new birth.  This, for us, ought to be an inner birth into an expanded dimension of consciousness, from which to organize our conscious living.  This awakened state becomes the reality that informs and manages our three-dimensional world.  In short, we are to allow the higher dimension to manage our three-dimensional reality. The tool for this integration is disciplined prayer and meditation practice, as well as conscious observation.

 

This is easier said than done, unless we are committed to abandoning reactionary living habits.  This is a commitment that has to  be consciously made until the expanded dimension becomes a living, functioning reality in our consciousness, and then replaces our habituated focus on three-dimensional reality.  We need to cultivate this new territory wherein lies the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

In recent months, I have been getting very strong intimations that something higher and deeper is seeking expression in my life, and in the life of our community of Unity South Church.  Through our transformed lives, the new reality that this church is called to embody will then manifest.  Business as usual is no business at all!

 

Though I cannot now pin down the reason why, it did not surprise me that I am making an unplanned trip to Nigeria accompanying a key leader in our Unity Movement along with a minister who has made a difference to the Nigerian Unity Movement.  Going to Nigeria at this time for me has a feeling of a pilgrimage!  I have a feeling that The Great Spirit is inviting us to collapse our two realities into one!  Unto us is given to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth!!

As students of Truth, we need to be vigilant and realize that we need to go beyond rejecting the limitations of the churches or spiritual traditions of our upbringing; realizing that inner change and growth require commitment of our spirit, effort and mindfulness.  This Holiday season is assuming a very special meaning of a call to me, to transcend my existential striving and enter the spiritual life consciousness, again!

 

In spite of the unsettled atmosphere that seems to pervade our world today, I am sensing that something else is going on, and higher energies are seeking to use us to break through and usher in a 'separate reality’ in practical ways into our lives.

 

The message of Christmas is that of a new birth and it begins with Thanksgiving and unfolds through Advent into Christmas. 

 

 

Blessings,