Many Paths to Wholeness

In my realm, the metaphysical, wholeness refers to the totality of reality, whatever that might include and whatever name we might give it. The whole enchilada – God - Infinite, Compassionate Intelligence – Allah; it is bigger than all of our labels put together.

My handy pocket dictionary defines wholeness as an organic unity. That feels right to me.

How do religions reveal wholeness in ways that people can relate to and practice? We feel like observers of life so much of the time, separate from others and from this huge, magnificent universe we live in. 

The Science of Mind philosophy benefits from being a synthesis of several, powerful world wisdom traditions. We teach that the cosmos, seen and unseen, is a singular consciousness which has complexified and ordered itself over time into billions of things within a vast web of interdependence. Or, as Sri Aurobindo put it, “Existence that multiplied itself for sheer delight of being and plunged into numberless trillions of forms so it might find itself innumerably.”  

We come to Sunday services where we practice affirmative prayer, meditate, sing together, and hear uplifting talks. Like other faith traditions, we have both outer and inner forms through which to come to grips with the immensity of reality. For most people in any religion, following the outer form is enough to enrich their lives. Mystics of all traditions feel a deep urge to go beyond the forms, to comprehend this immensity intimately – now there’s a contradiction in terms!

 One of my favorite aspects of the Science of Mind philosophy is our delight in learning from other groups. I am very much an interfaith kind of person. From time to time here, I’ll showcase the brilliance of some other tradition than my own.

Today, I’m looking at the oldest known faith tradition, that of Australia’s First Peoples. Originally spanning 400 or more languages and at least as many spiritualities, I share here are a sprinkling of insights from that vastness of time and culture.

We are cautioned that humans are prone to exploitative behavior if not constantly reminded they are interconnected with the rest of creation. We are told that we are spiritual beings here on earth having a human experience. And we can deepen our intimacy with the cosmos and each other by following an Australian First Peoples’ 10 commandments, a set of dos rather than don’ts. They are:

Express your individual creativity.

Realize that you are accountable.

Before birth, you agreed to help others.

Continually mature emotionally.

Entertain others with positive energies.

Be a steward of your energies.

Indulge in music.

Strive to achieve wisdom.

Learn self-discipline.

Observe without judging.

Truly, fine guidelines for living; rich enough to sustain any follower of the forms and deep enough in practice to satisfy the mystic in me. In you too, I hope.