It is challenging but informative and even encouraging to discuss what some have called the “vague term of spirituality.”
William James (1842-1910), anAmerican philosopher and psychiatrist, was a leader of pragmatism and a founder of functionalism. He referred to our subject as “the Reality of the Unseen.”
The Spiritual Mind accepts the reality of the unseen and acknowledges its influence on behavior, perception, and understanding.
Only those with a Spiritual Mind think of the unseen in our world of optics and pyrotechnics, except when stricken by a personal crisis.
William James capably aligned “healthy-minded religion” with mental health. I’ve often recited James to agitated patients: “We all need to learn to give our little, private, convulsive selves a rest and find the Greater Self. When we find the Greater Self, our life and our work will take on a sense of lyrical enchantment.”
It helps them to be understood. “To be understood is to be immediately comforted.”
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), a deist, said, “When I meet with a proposition beyond finite comprehension, I abandon it as I do a weight which human strength cannot lift; and I think ignorance, in these cases, is truly the softest pillow on which to lay my head.”
Thomas Edison (1847-1931) significantly influenced modern life with creations like the incandescent light bulb, phonograph, motion picture camera, and improvements to the telegraph and telephone. Before his death, Edison invented a super-sensitive instrument to measure the weight of a human body immediately before and after death to determine the weight of the soul.
Philosopher Charles Taylor, born in Canada in 1931, tells us of a major spiritual shift in our society: from a period in which it was “virtually impossible not to believe in God, to one in which faith, even for the staunchest believer, is one human possibility among others. I may find it inconceivable that I would abandon my faith, but there are others, including possibly some very close to me, whose way of living I cannot, in all honesty, just dismiss as depraved, blind, or unworthy, who have no faith (at least in God, or the transcendent). Belief in God is no longer axiomatic. There are alternatives. And this will also likely mean that at least in certain milieux, it may be hard to sustain one’s faith.”
Philosopher Taylor won two national elections as a member of The New Democratic Party (NDP; French: Nouveau Parti démocratique, NPD), a federal political party in Canada. Widely described as a social democracy, the party sits to the left of the Liberal Party.
Spirit is the nonphysical part of a person, which is the seat of emotions and character; the soul is similar to the psyche, inner self, essential being, or pneuma.
While often used interchangeably, in a spiritual context, the soul is generally understood as the seat of one’s emotions, intellect, and will, while the spirit is seen as the part of us that connects to the divine or spiritual realm.
In Judeo-Christian theology, the first written reference to “the Spirit of God” is found in the Book of Job.
The story of Job takes place during the Patriarchal period, roughly between 2100 and 1900 BC, a time before the Exodus and the writing of the Torah. It may record the earliest use of “Spirit” or “the Spirit of God.”
“The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” Job 33:4.
Many scholars place Job’s story within the time of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who lived around 2100-1900 BC.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” Genesis 1:1-2.
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27.
“The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7.
God breathes physical, mental, and spiritual life into humans, creating them in His image and giving them a priestly status. As with Adam and Eve, all people are given a priestly status, but rebellious disobedience forfeits our priestliness. Our Creator’s happiness turned to regret owing to our disobedience.
The cost of our disobedience could not have been greater. To regain our priestliness, God sacrificed his own Son, best described by apostle John: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.
Jesus teaches that “God is spirit,” meaning God is divine, not limited by physical form, life-giving, and incomprehensible. Humans are bound by location; we exist in one place at a time.
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and is Almighty God. As such, He is personal and also fully God, co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father and the Son of God.
Scripture describes the Holy Spirit in personal terms, not as an impersonal force when it says that He teaches, guides, comforts, and intercedes. He possesses emotions, intellect, and will.
Living in the Spirit is about living in the continual presence and influence of the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to lead your thoughts, words, and actions.
The foundation of receiving the Holy Spirit is believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Turning away from sin and seeking forgiveness is a crucial step in preparing to receive the Holy Spirit.
In religious contexts, “sin” generally refers toany action, thought, or attitude that violates divine law or moral standards, often viewed as an offense against God or a breach of religious or moral principles.
Water baptism is a common practice in many Christian denominations as a symbol of cleansing and a public declaration of faith, often seen as a time of receiving the Holy Spirit.
Praying and seeking God’s guidance through prayer and scripture is essential for experiencing the Holy Spirit’s presence and power.
Living a life that is obedient to God’s word and submitting to His will is vital for maintaining a relationship with the Holy Spirit.
Some Christians believe that receiving the Holy Spirit can be marked by experiences such as speaking in tongues, heartfelt praise and worship, or a strong desire to obey God.
Many Christians believe that once they receive the Holy Spirit, it indwells within them, guiding and empowering them to live a life pleasing to God. The apostle Paul clearly taught that we receive the Holy Spirit the moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior.
One key component is repentance. Before God can fill a person’s temple (body), one must repent of his/her sins.
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to Catholic tradition, arewisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
Today, subjectivity is predominant. Feelings have become the ultimate authority. Laws are obeyed depending on how one feels about the law. Rampant destructive protests are organized expressions of feelings, largely feelings of hate.
Many previously rejected forms of morality are “coming out,” demanding both adulation and having those with opposing opinions confined to the closet of silence.
When one faces the death of a loved one, spirituality is not a “vague term.” Assured of reunion with the decedent in eternal life is promised by God to all those who love Him and obey His commands
There is no time more urgent to believe in “The Reality of The Unseen,” to call upon the Unseen by His name, and to ask for the Peace of God.
The Spiritual Mind is concerned with matters of the spirit, including faith and obedience to receive God’s spiritual grace of unmerited eternal life and love.
Robert S. Brown, MD, PHD a retired Psychiatrist, Col (Ret) U.S. Army Medical Corps devoted the last decade of his career to treating soldiers at Fort Lee redeploying from combat. He was a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Professor of Education at UVA. His renowned Mental Health course taught the value of exercise for a sound mind.