Post #24- Just for the "Experience" of It!

 

For thousands of years the age-old question of “why” has plagued humanity. Why are we here? Philosophers, theologians, and laypersons alike have, for millennia, pondered the ultimate purpose of our existence, the meaning of it all. While I don’t pretend to know the absolute answer to this question nor will I attempt to unlock some deep universal, metaphysical truth regarding the ultimate purpose of our mere reality, if you will entertain me, however, there is one thing of which I am certain. We are here to experience life.

Last week we spoke of multidimensional knowing and the “experience” component of John Wesley’s methodology for spiritual reflection. For the next couple of posts I want to simply conclude that train of thought by talking more practically about experience and what it means to experience life. For, in fact, if I’m not sure about much else, I am sure that this is exactly our purpose or task in life. We are to be present, aware, awake and engaged in our own life.

In his latest book, Dr. Phil asks, “If we aren’t the star in our lives, who will be?” This deeply resonates with me. For so many of us, we spend an ungodly amount of time trapped in the reality show world of our favorites celebrities while wallowing in the woulda-coulda-shouldas of our own life. Equally, I don’t think we spend nearly enough time appreciating what our life is rather than complaining about what it is not.

So, in our attempt to truly experience life and thereby be fed and led by the experience of that life, we must invoke multidimensional knowing. Again, we are more than our bodies, and if we embrace this notion we will experience the wholeness of ourselves, the totality of our humanity and the deep wells of wisdom that resides with us, allowing us to be present for this life like never before.

Unfortunately, so many of us have abandoned our lives to live the life that others have deemed for us. We have hidden behind our families, our education, our jobs, and our communities. We have even hidden behind societal demands or even God, failing to show up….to be marked present for life.  But in fact, if we ever invoked our whole selves, our physical, mental and spiritual selves, we would truly find God…..for finding “us” is finding God.

Oh no, here I go meddling with our understanding of God again. But can we at least say, that God is God. God is not limited to our feeble attempts to explain or theorize God. God is God. God is not a Christian, but God isn’t a Jew, Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist either. God is God. God is beyond all of that; God transcends all of that.

In fact, the biblical god is a starter kit for a lifelong spiritual quest toward transcendence or that which can't be spoken of, expressed, heard, seen or even completely understood. So, upon this spiritual quest,  if our view or conception of God hasn't changed throughout our life, something is stagnant or underdeveloped.

Religion is a practical knowledge like swimming or driving. Just as one can't really know how to swim without actually doing it, one can't actually know God without experience. We must experience God, and this requires action or active engagement and involvement….and there’s no better way to experience God than in life…the ups and downs, twists and turns of life. For, it’s in life that we find our truest selves and the essence of divinity. In other words, through the experience of life we come to best know God.

God/Divinity is everywhere and in all things, which is why we must stay present, in the now, to see it. GOD=NOW. We grow close to God or that which is divine when we see each stage and phase of our life and ourselves as sacred, humbling ourselves to the powerful lessons our life has to teach. No space or place or stage or phase of our life is superior to the next. So stop waiting on something or someone within our life to change in order to have joy or peace. Embrace this life, the one we have today. Don't judge it or turn your nose up at it, for it beckons us to be passionately present, aware and diligent to what it has to teach. This is why we are here….we are here, if for no other reason, we are here to experience life.  So, in your experience please be reminded that…..

This is not the end of your story. Your best days are not behind you, they are ahead of you. So, experience life with all that you are and with all that you have. Be passionately present to yourself and your surroundings, and you’ll recognize you have #bigthingscoming!

Enjoying the Experience!  

 ~Ray

NOTE: If you’re new to the site it might be helpful to read my first introductory post. Also, feel free to post your questions or comments here and you can always reach out to me on Twitter @raycjordan using the hash tag #bigthingscoming.

(Copyright, 2013, Ray Jordan)