How do I connect with the spirit?
Q: How do I connect with the spirit?
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A:
First of all, we have to define what spirit is?
…and why do we want to connect to it?
I like to define things through everyday experience. Otherwise, it can only be a mental self-satisfaction that misses the point.
There is good news. Spirit is what you already are. It’s not an ON-OFF switch, but rather a gradient that we experience more OR less of. For example, if you’re feeling creative, inspired, light, intuitive, and loving, you're experiencing more of your spirit. Children are like that.
In this place, things flow better. This is what the Taoists called the WU WEI, which means "non-doing".
The problem is that people often want to get to this as an ideal state. And it becomes a fix to their problems. But fixes rarely work.
This is the problem with spiritual trends, like the Law of Attraction. They seem like a seductive idea. A fix. A prescription. A way to run away and not to understand how things are. It's missing the point; that the path to spirit is integrative. That the obstacle is the path.
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We are ALWAYS connected to spirit. Spirit is the thing we ARE. We're spirit under our psychology. Under all our thinking, feeling, conditioning, our self-concept, we're spirit.
There are 3 ways people think about the path:
1/ First, the practitioner sees the path as an ADDITIVE one. You need more things; More meditation, more plant medicine, more understanding. It’s not untrue, but there is a subtler level.
2/ Then the practitioner sees that connecting to spirit is a SUBSTRACTIVE path. Fewer thoughts, fewer emotions, less clutter. It’s not wrong either, but as you understand, you'll see it even more subtle.
3/ Finally, the practitioner sees the path as an INTEGRATIVE one. Everything is spirit. You both add and subtract. You don’t kill the ego. You don't kill anything. You understand. You integrate. You see that all thinking, feeling, and conditioning happens in the space of your awareness...which is the expression of your spirit. You don’t try to get rid of things, rather you integrate them. You start to see things more and more AS THEY ARE.
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There are many skilful ways that get you more integrated.
1/ Meditation
Through meditation practice, you start to see that your thoughts, feelings, and conditioning are all temporary experiences. They are not the core of your being, and they don't have to define you. Like the clouds, they come, stay, and eventually pass. Because you’re aware of these experiences, you won’t be reactive. Your psychology will calm down, and you will feel closer to spirit.
2/ Healing
As you do healing work, you start to see and understand the parts of yourself that you shoved into the shadow. You did that because you deemed them bad. This understanding brings about acceptance, then letting go, and finally, love. When you love the obstacle, you heal it. You won’t have the same emotional reaction to the same thoughts. You let go of what has been holding you back. You get closer to the spirit.
3/ Other skilful means
There are a plethora of skilful methods for connecting with spirit. Some people swear by plant medicine, breathwork, bodywork, art therapy, or other types of therapies.
In Buddhism, they talk about 108 paths. The meaning of this is that we are all very different. It's very helpful to know, but don’t get too caught up in finding the right method. The path is your journey, and the method is a practice.
Use your intuition to find a teacher and follow one method. Don’t forget that your path is your responsibility. Nobody else will have all of the answers or be able to solve your problems, only you. It's your path. Question things, dive deep into the practice, be compassionate and curious.
Thank you for your question and for reading this post. I wish you to get closer to the spirit. If you’d like to deepen your understanding, reach out.
From the bottom of my heart,
