continuing believing vs knowing....please don't be too bored :-)

[Guest guest]

OK folks, now that you have no more doubt that if i had half a brain it wouk be lonely...or I wouldn't have written such childish stories to make a point, I am now ready to engage the intellectuals amongst us, those with a logical mind and a need for rational thinking......yes, I see that side too. Or why would I have ever started to study and concentrate on Jung, and engage in Jungian analysis in my path of seeking closeness with G-d. All those other masters, psychologists, philosophers and spiritual masters who knew that spirituality must be connected to our minds, our awareness and our consciousness as well, have knowledge and experiences we need.

My point is that experiencing G-d is something almost everyone does once or more times in his/her life, but we often aren't paying attention or understanding our experiences.Jung on the other hand paid quite a bit of attention to his own visions and experiences. He studied all religious traditions and tried to learn from them.In Christianity, his own religious background, he was open to revelation and the need to interpret its psychic contents. He certainly pointed the way for many of us, especially in MDR

The point I wanted to make is that after an experience of the numinous as portrayed as simply as i could, the next step is ours.Jung agreed that we must have a personal moment of transformation., a personal experience, and that we receive as free gift or struggle through will and grace to put ourselves at the right place for it. We are powerless to will ourselves into union, but we can watch as Jung explains his understanding:

" I find that all my thoughts circle around GO-do like a planet's around the sun and are as irresistibly attracted by him. I would feel it to be the grossest sin if I were to oppose or resist this force." ( MDR,page x1)

This is an easy way to start, after experience a moment of the numinous which finds us humble, grateful and stunned. G-d has our attention. This is where conversion begins, he adds.

Jung spoke of many transformation of the G-d Image, but he did come to the important spot of union..the conjunctio which he considered a stage along the path that results in a new image of oneness.

I do not plan to review all Jung's great ideas on thee subjects but they changed my life at the time I was leaving the organization of the Church, for which I am ever grateful.He did believe in the numinous within and experienced it.( I also felt it to be there and was happy to have someone of his stature see it too.)

Jung and all his followers helped me and most others who read him to find a connection to our spirituality and a better understanding of what is demanded of us to find meaning in our lives and truth..

Conversion, you say, but I did that years and years ago. Really? and it is as fresh truth within you today? A true conversion, G-d's work would never be a thing of the past, however busy or forgetful we are...we can always go back and redo what has grown old and tired within.

Jung wrote in a letter ( Letters 1973) I believe we have no real access to who we are except in G-d"

To which Merton would add;" Knowing in being know"

Its impossible to cover all that Jung contributed, but I did want to assure you that psychology has a lot of insights into spirituality and Jung found many.I am not against the mind, or rational thought while trying to understand the science of human beings as he put it.But he also did put emphasis on the sense function and intuition, especially in reading the Bible.

My point returns to each of our personal experience of the Divine. This doesn't take great erudition to my mind, just positive attention and awareness of what is happening. Jung, a humble man in many ways saw and experienced this often.

I am writing this in continued discussion of "BELIEF VS KNOWLEDGE"

I wish there were someway one could "show" others, but most Masters say that we are powerless to will (believe) ourselves into authentic union. All his isn't rocket science, and demanding less that a full conversion not to hurt the feelings of those still wondering would be less than honest. Many missionaries will settle for anything, but a witness must tell how it was for her. No, the sky won't fall down if one walks away, but not to show how great the G-d we know a little is would be in my mind telling only the easy parts afraid of hurting???? others or scaring them away?????,looking to overload the rational which works with modern human beings.

Whatever way we chose, to ignore, to put off or to find a path depends on each of us. Awakening does not begin with our own efforts anyway...it is a tugging at our hearts.

I ask everyone's indulgence . this ;long and probably not very interesting to most. I felt i needed to witness while i can with peace and joy bubbling up by pure grace.

Toni