As you may know from reading previous issues/posts, I am a firm believer that we are spiritual beings in a physical package; that this material life is finite; that any past or subsequent physical life was or will be finite; and that only the soul or spirit is eternal.  

Yet so much investment in time, effort and money goes towards the physical finite portion of our whole being. And by contrast, so little investment goes towards our eternal spiritual fulfillment and perpetual improvement or advancement of that spiritual self. 

That is truly short term thinking. Not only can it be selfish, materialistic and spiritually ignorant; it can be detrimental to progress down the path of spiritual development and enlightenment. Surely, some forms of physical priority are essential and allow for a better platform from which to pursue spiritual growth. Mind, body, spirit; the body is a temple; etc. Physical health and an economic foundation from which to take responsibility for yourself and your family are very important to living the finite physical existence in which we are in at this time, but they are also integral in providing a solid healthy body and mind-set with which to prioritize and pursue perpetual spiritual development. They should not be priority one, however, but rather part of a foundation that places the soul and spirit at the forefront of our life – our eternal spiritual life. 

Much like a cocoon that will be temporary, this physical package will be shed and the spirit will journey onward. 

This may sound extremely generalized and narrow minded, but dare I say that all good things come from prioritizing the soul and spirit and many bad things come from prioritizing the finite physical body or package that envelopes each of us in this life. Prayer, sacrifice, meditation, being kind spirited, being a gentle soul – these are all good things and they bring about changes to both the finite physical world in which we currently exist as well as changes to the perpetual spiritual developmental path that we are on at this point of our eternal, spiritual existence. And the changes that they bring about are good, for the good, to the good, etc. Greed, self-centered thoughts and actions, lust, physical pleasure as a result of sinful acts, deceit, being mean spirited, being cold hearted, etc. – these are all bad things that bring about negative changes to both the finite physical world of others (even if they satisfy one’s own selfish physical desires) and to the spiritual development of oneself. 

As we move further and further into a world of instant gratification, physical desire fulfillment at the cost of others, taking advantage of situations and of others, pettiness, mean girl mentality, bullying mentality, and other negative actions become the norm; we surely, as a whole of humanity, are spiraling to a place of spiritual diminishment and destruction. If we could harness the goodness within ourselves and each other and progress in tandem down a spiritual path towards enlightenment, oh what wonders of the soul would await us all. Towards a brighter and more advanced state of soul development each of us, and all of us collectively, would be moving. 

The pace of the movement is not as important as the direction of the movement. This holds true not only for the spirit and soul of one being but for all of humanity. To stem the tide of the swing towards spiritual decay and to swing it back, even if gently, towards that of enlightenment would result in a tremendous positive vibration from which we would all gain momentum in our individual journeys of the soul. 

Meditate on this. Pray on this. Make a concerted effort to align yourself towards these positive priorities in your own life. It will make a difference instantly. It may stem the tide in some small way and it may put us all back on the path that we were meant to meander down for eternity. It starts with one and it is exponential in its impact with a collective concert of souls working together. 

God is for all of us, as one and as all. 

KGM