Over the next few writings, I am going to be commenting on some materials which I have been reading for some time now, the genesis of which can be found in the book entitled “Transcending the Levels of Consciousness” by David R. Hawkins M.D., Ph.D. I’m not going to explain the basis and practice of Dr. Hawkins work simply because it is impractical on this venue to fit over 40 years of work which produced over 20 books into a couple of posts and be able to provide it justice. If you want to learn more about Dr. Hawkins work, I suggest that you start with his book “Power vs Force.”
What are spiritual tools?
Tools are a means to an end. A hammer allows you to drive a nail; a hoe enables you to break up the soil; a whisk helps you combine ingredients. We use tools all day long to make our physical life easier.
Spiritual tools are not implements or gadget which will get you to enlightenment faster. Rather they are thought patterns which over the many of millenniums of human existence have been recognized as truths which shape the path towards spiritual enlightenment.
Recognize how the term “spiritual enlightenment” does not resonate with Western religious traditions as much as it does with Eastern religious traditions. In the West we have been opposed to anything which isn’t found in the words of Christ. However, truths which Christ spoke were already present in the teaching of the Buddha, Confucius, the Vedas, and many other religious communities which have sought the higher meaning of the divine life. Even the Hebrew writings tell us to get wisdom, and in getting wisdom, get understanding. So, consider these tools a wisdom lesson toward your spiritual enlightenment.
The following are what Dr. Hawkins has defined as spiritual tools. They are simple to use but produce profound results when applied daily in our lives. Using just one can transform you and your community; using all can transform the world.
Tool #1
Be kind to everything and everyone, including oneself, all the time, with no exception.
This seems easy to do at the beginning of the day, but then you look in the mirror and suddenly you’re confronted with the reality of your ego, the narcissistic driver of your life which seeks dominance and worthiness as a precursor to all of life’s activities past, present and future.
It’s easy to be kind to those who are kind to you, but Christ even said what good is that. Can you be kind to those who cut you off on the road; those who curse you simply because you walked past them; the clerk who got your order wrong; the spouse who made a joke about you to their friend; a co-worker who habitually leaves early at the end of the day, and so many other nuisances that strike at the heart of your ego. And these are just the “everyone” of this tool.
Can you be kind when the battery of your vehicle is dead because the lights were left on; when your mobile phone or computer fails to respond; when a dog continues to bark throughout the night; when fall leaves plug the catch basin causing your yard to flood; when the government…yes, even here! No exceptions after all.
The key to this tool starts first with you. Many of us are merciless to ourselves. We don’t feel we measure up to some perceived ideal which either we created or was thrust upon us by someone else. We hate what we’ve become through a series of bad choices, or we’ve placed a laser focus on a past event which went wrong, and this has become the entire narrative for the failure of our being. We’ve put labels on us that we repeat incessantly in the shower, the car, on walks with friends, when we wake up in the morning and even when we go to bed. We need to lighten up.
Spiritual enlightenment is a process of death to your ego. Your ego is not only the well spring of pride, but it is also the fount of condemnation. It can turn on a dime from gregarious support to hell-driven criticism. Your ability to be kind to yourself first is the governor to how your ego responds in all circumstances. Give yourself some grace and see grace open up for you.
Finally, notice how this tool does not tell us what being kind looks like. When we were children we had parents, family members, even teachers tell us to be kind when an action was deemed to be unkind. Now that we’ve grown, moral relativism dictates many of our “kind” actions to those around us. Honestly, if you’re going to be a seeker of spiritual enlightenment, relativism of any style is not “kind” to your journey. You know what kindness is – don’t skimp on it just to fit the circumstances.
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