Spirits in a Material World
“Where does the answer lie? Living from day to day, if it’s something we can’t buy, there must be another way.” - “Spirits in a Material World,” The Police
Photo: K. M. Anderson
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Eastern yogis and teachers have long taught that what we see here, in the material realm is “maya,” or an illusion.
Ancient teachings refer to matter as the lowest configuration into which the spiritual has taken form. We are eternal spiritual beings. We have taken on a material form. Here and now, in this life experience, we have taken on a material form or body. Yet, we each remain a part of, or aspect of, the One Infinite Creator.
We’re here to learn and to provide the Creator with opportunities to know Him/Her/It Self in unique ways. Each of us, as an individual, can experience life in a way that no other individual can. We create and receive many opportunities to have these experiences and to learn.
What are we doing with our lives? Are we seeing our lives as opportunities to create, to learn and to grow? Or, have we merely been captivated by this particular, short, temporary life we are now experiencing? Are we moving through this journey as sovereign beings choosing how we will creatively negotiate the challenges before us? Or, have we allowed ourselves to be caught in this illusion like a fly in a spider’s web?
Because we presently live in a material body in a material world, materiality exerts powerful influences over us. We feel sensations in our bodies: hunger, pleasure, pain, etc. We experience the physical world through our five senses. We see, feel and know our lives through our situations and circumstances. It’s easy to forget that we are essentially spiritual beings with creative power and with intuition. It’s easy to lose sight of our ultimate reality.
Moreover, in this “modern” age, some say they believe only in what they can experience through their five senses. They espouse a belief in “hard evidence.” Yet, most of these same people never think about all they experience and believe in that has nothing to do with their five senses.
For instance, we cannot see, smell, or touch radio or television waves. Yet, not only are they all around us, there are differentiated waves that enable us to tune in to myriad radio and television stations.
What about wind? We can feel and see the consequences of its movement as it bends the grass, rustles the leaves, caresses our face and wafts through our hair. But, we cannot see it. We can only perceive its effects.
We cannot see the movement of subatomic particles. Yet, if any of us believe what we’ve been taught in school, the most inert pieces of matter are actually comprised of whirling spinning particles in constant motion. We can pick up a stone and feel its seemingly dead weight in our hand, but we are unable to apprehend the paths of its traveling electrons.
Of course, overwhelmingly, the message that is broadcast to us is that we are victims who must do whatever is necessary to remain “safe.” We must listen to “the science.” We must conform to whatever “experts” or “fact checkers” tell us. We mustn’t hear or see viewpoints or ideas that may run counter to the approved narrative, because it’s too dangerous. We’re encouraged to be afraid and to see ourselves as victims.
In fact, victimhood is fashionable. Merriam-Webster defines the word, “victim,” as: one that is acted on and usually adversely affected by a force or agent such as
a) one that is injured, destroyed, or sacrificed under any of various conditions b) one that is subjected to oppression, hardship, or mistreatment.
one that is tricked or duped
Increasingly, we’re instructed to “identify”: racially, sexually, medically etc. Government forms have boxes for us to tick off in order to indicate if we are black, white, native, straight, gay, cis gender, trans, cancer patients, physically challenged, handicapped, depressed, etc., etc., etc. Sadly, many accept these labels. What’s worse, not only do individuals accept a label, they embrace it wholeheartedly. They define themselves, and allow others to define them, in a one-dimensional and limiting manner.
Our race is simply one of many aspects regarding who we are in our present body during this present life. Our sexuality/gender identification is simply one aspect of many. The status of our health is one aspect of many. Our mental/emotional state is one aspect of many. Who we are is so much more than any of these single facets.
On another front, there is something about our psychology that prompts many of us to long for acceptance from others. We want to feel that we belong. We want to be part of a group, especially part of a dominant group. Many will refuse to acknowledge whispered questions they hear in their own minds. Many would rather comply, many would rather abandon their principles, and/or even commit heinous acts in order to remain part of a dominant group.
But, instead of cravenly divesting ourselves of our hopes, beliefs and aspirations simply to remain part of a group, we can remember what Earl Nightingale said:
Whatever the majority of people is doing, under any given circumstances, if you do the exact opposite, you will probably never make another mistake as long as you live.
Let’s not allow ourselves to be demeaned and belittled. Let’s not give credence to those who would lie to us, telling us that we are some happenstance creatures inhabiting a transient scary world. Let’s not forget who we are. Let’s continually bring to remembrance that we are spiritual beings, aspects of our Creator, with eternal lives in which we can learn, overcome, grow, love, and choose to serve others.
The British band, The Police, said it so well in one of their hit songs: We are spirits in a material world.
Who do you say that you are? Have you limited yourself? Have you been “living day to day,” forgetting your true identity and purpose for being here? Have you been bogged down in circumstances and are you missing the big picture?
For your convenience and enjoyment, a link to the song, and the lyrics, are below.
(Please note: The following is a YouTube link. I do not, in any way, receive remuneration from this. It’s provided and credited for your convenience, consideration and enjoyment. 😊)
There is no political solution
To our troubled evolution
Have no faith in constitution
There is no bloody revolution
We are spirits in the material world
Are spirits in the material world
Are spirits in the material world
Are spirits in the material world
Our so-called leaders speak
With words they try to jail you
They subjugate the meek
But it's the rhetoric of failure
We are spirits in the material world
Are spirits in the material world
Are spirits in the material world
Are spirits in the material world
Where does the answer lie?
Living from day to day
If it's something we can't buy
There must be another way
We are spirits in the material world
Are spirits in the material world
Are spirits in the material world
Are spirits in the material world
Are spirits in the material world…
Until next time,
K. M. Anderson
Whisperia
You have a point regarding children and their intuition and openness. Perhaps, the longer we are here, the more most of us become bogged down in circumstances and the day-to-day or the maya. That’s where consciousness comes in: what will we think about? How will we think of ourselves?
Hi K. M.,
I can remember asking myself these fundamental questions even as a young boy. Maybe as children we are more open to the Divine and everything that is True because our intuitive minds haven’t been tarnished by our society.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and questions regarding this very important topic. I look forward to your next post!