How to be W.O.K.E part 4
Happy Are Those Conscious of Their Spiritual Need.
Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.
Spiritual needs are not always well understood. Many of us live in a world where the ego and material comforts are the only things that are considered sacred. Millions of people live right on the edge of acceptable behavior, and pretty much anything can push them towards unspeakable violence. This uncomfortable truth became undeniable as so many people descended into reckless, abusive behavior due to government actions to lessen the effects of a global pandemic. Stay-at-home orders increased domestic violence, child abuse, suicide, drug abuse, rioting, and treason. How could a person lose touch with reality simply from getting paid to chill at home?
Millions of people have very little understanding of their own spiritual needs. What is spirituality, and why is it important? Spirituality is mainly the belief and reverence for something beyond the self. Spirituality is essential because the ego is the most destructive construct of all.
People imagine themselves as heroes in complex games fighting against some villain, but reality doesn’t clearly distinguish good and evil the way good fiction does. Even the most thoughtful work of art can be wholly misinterpreted and encourage stupidity in people with shallow spiritual understanding.
A perfect example is the Matrix movies. To a person conscious of one’s spiritual needs, this movie contains a compelling message about how our minds can betray us. It is just a movie about rebelling against the government or social conventions to one lacking wisdom.
Governments have the power to commit evil, but even the most corrupt governments provide valuable services to their citizens. Social conventions can also have unfortunate consequences, but that is very rare. Most social customs are necessary for the survival of civilized society.
How can each individual determine in an objective sensible way whether or not the social conventions and government they are accustomed to are acceptable or not? Is it just a matter of simple observation and basic logic? if it were, would all societies naturally gravitate toward the same type of government and social conventions? Shouldn’t every reasonable person be able to agree on the correct kind of government and community to have? Why do people on the same planet with similar basic needs have so many different beliefs and goals? Why does war even exist? Shouldn’t everyone know war is wrong? Why do we have so many technical advancements that few people want to get rid of, but people have starkly different reactions to social advances?
These questions have answers, but many may be difficult to understand or accept. Being well grounded spiritually helps people appreciate life, and spiritual awakening is the only way to achieve true happiness. Many wise people tell you with absolute certainty that money and success don’t lead to lasting happiness. Even a few brave souls will admit that human relationships don’t lead to eternal happiness either. Lasting happiness comes from submitting to the will of God. If that phrase makes you uncomfortable, You can call it being at one with the universe.
Wanting is better than having.
Achieving a tangible goal can be very satisfying, yet the satisfaction is only temporary. If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, you need a goal that you can come close to achieving without ever being sure you have reached it. This dream shouldn’t involve controlling things you have no influence over. Worthy goals are things like being a good parent. You can never be sure how good of a parent you are, and all you can do is your best. Loving your neighbor as you love yourself is a good goal. It sounds simple enough but is a real challenge that will never end. Don’t live as a dazed and confused simpleton falling for every trick in the book. Find a firm foundation on which to build your values.