Wednesday 3 September 2014

'Iffy' About Revelation

         Inwardly, it has been a difficult time of late. As I mentioned, as a response to the comments to my previous post, "A Step Closer to Reality", my ego was not slow in berating me for my actions, or lack of them. The result has been that I have felt entirely cut off from that Presence of Realness which is my constant companion. It has felt like a sickness that I could not shake off, and had to endure until it felt moved to release me. Now, I feel once more in touch with the Real and can at last settle down to writing again.
         When I described that 'near miss' in my previous post, I knew that my description of my inner experience was quite inadequate. Yet how else could I describe a happening that was beyond words? I must emphasise that I am not dealing here with the physical event, the appalling lack of attention, but to the inner experience from which I must learn all that I am able.
         I came across some interesting reading today that might just be the answer for which I am looking. Here are some quotes which seem to reflect the psycho-spiritual experience I tried to describe:

".........Revelation induces complete but temporary suspension of doubt and fear. It reflects the original form of communication between God and his creations.........[Revelation does not] emanate from consciousness but [is] experienced there.........Revelation unites you directly with God. [It] is intensely personal and cannot be meaningfully translated. That is why any attempt to describe it in words is impossible. Revelation induces only experience........."

         I have always been rather 'iffy' about revelation even though I have been unable to come up with a better way of understanding past experiences in my spiritual life. This has never unduly bothered me, but then I have never been moved to describe such an experience to outsiders before. The words I have quoted above clearly come from a religious source and therefore require some further, careful examination on my part. As it may have been guessed, I am not a christian, although I could, perhaps, as Prof. Diarmaid MacCulloch once said, be considered a friend of christianity.....alright a willing acquaintance.
         Thus it is I present some evidence of my restoration to spiritual reality, and the sincere hope that any further 'revelations' that may be forthcoming will arrive without the risk to life and limb that accompanied the recent experience. Beyond that, I can only say that it has been insightful to see a life-incident through faculties other than the intellect, and that insight is both unnerving and pregnant with possibilities.

9 comments:

  1. Hi Tom, I am pleased to hear your feeling renewed and found material that is of supportive nature in expressly your feelings – that’s healthy and helpful!! . I am familiar with the source of the quoted material, which is very comprehensive (as your may already know) but from my perspective I think it is mostly a derivation from Zen Buddhism, existential style philosophy or adapted from Gnosticism. As such it’s not my cup of tea, but it could well be another’s favourite brew!! –understanding it’s not my wish to be critical.
    Best wishes

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  2. I did not quote my source, very largely because I have yet to check it out more fully. Whilst not claiming to be a christian, (I do not like being 'tagged'!) neither am I Buddhist or Gnostic, although I feel all such teachings have much to offer, if studied intelligently.

    I have never found you to be negatively critical, and that's one reason at least that I enjoy reading your comments. Oh that I understood more about the material you write. A comment from me might be worth giving. :)

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  3. "pregnant with possibilities" sounds like a great phrase for what is to come, Tom!

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  4. Indeed it does, Marja-leena.

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  5. The experience I referred to in my comment to your last post took place on a highway of three lanes each direction and heavy fast traffic. When I realized that I could not get the car under control (icy patch), I was sure that this was the end of me and very consciously decided to let go.
    What is soothing to this day is to know how easy it is to let go for ever.

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  6. Food for thought there Ellena. It does rather reflect my VW Golf experience. All the same, it leaves me wondering.....when the end seems to be inevitable, is power finally taken away from the ego? Thank you for your thoughts.

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  7. The baseline for everyone is not the events that we experience, but the experience we have of the events.

    I wish you well, Tom.

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  8. Now where did that come from? That is the kind of observation that too easily gets missed amongst the hubbub of every day living. Thank you Susan.

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  9. Must have books for the desert island....interesting exercise.

    Perennial Philosophy would be on my list too. Also joining: "Cloud of Unknowing," and Thomas Merton's "The Inner Experience." Tao Te Ching, probably. And maybe Chogham Trungpa's "Crazy Wisdom."

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