“Beware, lest You lose the substance by grasping at the shadow…”.
(Aesop)
(Aesop)
Well, today is Valentine’s Day — one of many holy days (holidays) honoring a saint who contributed a particularly unique contribution to his society. Happy Valentine’s Day to all You Lovers: those of You who Love people, children, spouses, parents, the disabled, the vulnerable, the weak, the sick, the homeless, the poor, the indigent, etc. We need more Love, so welcome to the True meaning of Saint Valentine’s Day…
OK — enough with the mushy crap…
Today’s Philosophical / Political Post is about the difference between what is seen and unseen…between what is temporal and what is eternal…between what is substance and what is shadow. It is a concept that goes back as far as i know in history, although certain people like Aesop and Plato are more well known for addressing it in philosophical circles.
There is — in the entire sphere of what we might term “reality” or “actuality” — a dichotomy between two types of matter. There are always two sides (at least) to things. For example, right now scientists are virtually positive that there are at least eleven (11) dimensions — not just the three (3) that You are used to noticing. This is a foundational tenet of current string theory (You can learn more about string theory here). That may not mean much to You, but it just illustrates that things are not as “flat” as humans always see them. Just as Galileo could prove the earth was round but still couldn’t convince people mired in religious thinking of that fact, there are Truths today that are not accepted by the rigidity of religion but are nonetheless True even still.
On this point, though, religions usually “get it”: that there is more to reality than meets the eye. There is more than just our senses can detect.
What is important for humans is to acknowledge that the three different parts of our being (spiritual, physical, and soulal) allow us to access different parts of the overall reality. It was intended to be that way. So, when You limit Yourself, let’s say, to only what can be proven through science, for example, You end up denying Yourself access to parts of reality. That’s why evolutionists get it wrong and don’t understand the way things really work. They limit themselves to what they know. Now, any adult who’s ever taught a stubborn child ought to recognize this as foolishness: the posture of only acknowledging things that You know or can be shown empirically.
So, what is so important about opening Yourself up to the other dimensions of reality? Well, those other dimensions contain Truth that can be helpful or healing or enlightening or invigorating or whatever for You. For example, learning to see things from a spiritual point of view can inform You greatly as to how to explain anomalies in the physical world. Learning how to navigate the soul can really help You understand the physical or the spiritual. This is common sense in many areas of the world, but not in the U.S. or the Western world for the most part.
When i was young, people (especially teachers) would try and prepare me for the “real” world, but now i know that what we see is more like a “fake” world than it is a real world. Of course, what You can observe sensually is real, too, but it only masks what is beyond it. i know that most people would be freaked out to insanity if they could see the spiritual beings that are around us all the time, but they are there. There is so much more to all of this than just what Your eyes can observe.
A dear friend of mine is right now accruing certifications in ASL (American Sign Language). She was telling me several months ago how deaf people hate being labeled “disabled.” She said her teacher had introduced a subject by giving them an analogy. The analogy went like this: the teacher asked the class, “What if You were approached by a person who was able to see radio waves and other things that most people don’t see. And this person was trying to explain to You that You were somehow less of a person due to Your “disability.” What would You think of that person? Well, that’s how most deaf people view “hearers.” They don’t like being called “disabled” any more than anyone else likes it…”. i thought that the teacher’s analogy was striking. Deaf people view “hearing” folks as privileged, not themselves as disabled.
So, how are You privileged in Your abilities to see beyond just the surface obviousness? What are You able to notice or observe or process or feel or engage that not everyone around You seems to be able to access? Today, my encouragement to You is to realize that there is a difference between the reality You can see, touch, feel, smell, or hear and the totality of the larger reality. There is more to it than what You can engage if You leave Your soul or Your spirit out of the conversation. And engaging those parts of Your being can be scary, but it can also be exhilarating. It can be dangerous, but it can also be freeing.
God said, “Let there be Light,” and there was. God’s creative mandate is still being accomplished. The universe is still expanding, according to the amazement of scientists.
Why yes, yes it is, and a big part of that is through You....
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