The majority of individuals remain unaware that an alternative mode of living exists. They fail to recognize that contemporary society has compelled us to make a detrimental choice: by embracing an artificial environment, we ultimately diminish our capacity to connect with the vital energy of life. Many do not perceive this as a loss, as they are unfamiliar with this innate ability or the boundless potential and exceptional well-being it can provide. Regrettably, artificial stimuli now surpass natural positive signals. For example, a restful night’s sleep offers us positive natural stimuli that nurture our life energy. Similarly, for example, contact with the Earth, exposure to sunlight, consumption of natural foods, and the internal sensations of the body all convey positive signals that help sustain the connection with life energy. Unfortunately, these positive signals are increasingly overwhelmed by artificial and negative stimuli, resulting in a diminished natural sensation and disconnection from energy.
The acceptance of a creative force or source can only bring us to a conclusion of an inherent acceptance of ourselves as being a part of the Divine itself. If the Divine energy creates the great oneness of all things; physical beings, sentient beings, universes, dimensions, even the space that exists between planets, universes and dominions, then we as human beings are an expression of the Divine and this beautiful love-energy. We are not separate from it. We are here to play our part in the work in the great oneness. This beautiful divine thought of creation. Shaolin Buddhist Temple, Slane, Co. Meath, Ireland
Therefore, the body is deeply sacred indeed. The body is a beautiful expression of the spirit come to life. This view about body and spirit has been described by Jorge N. Ferrer, professor of religious psychology as “embodied spirituality.” He wrote that:“Embodied spirituality regards the body as subject, as the home of the complete human being, as a source of spiritual insight, as a microcosm of the universe and the Mystery, and as pivotal for enduring spiritual transformation. The body is not an “It” to be objectified and used for the goals or even spiritual ecstasies of the conscious mind, but a “Thou,” an intimate partner with whom the other human dimensions can collaborate in the pursuit of ever-increasing forms of liberating wisdom.”
For Ferrer the body is the home of the complete human being. It is the physical reality in which we live. It is through the body that we both literally and metaphorically walk our own unique path. The mistake that so many religious understandings have made is that they have seen the body as the prison of the soul. Something that the spirit or soul needs to be liberated from. He claims that the mystery of incarnation never suggested that spirit entered into the body but that the spirit became flesh. To quote John’s Gospel “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God…And the Word became flesh.” Through our bodies, our lives, the way we live our lives the spirit comes to life. We are here for a reason, life truly means something and it is our task to bring that something to life, through our lives, through our bodily existence.
Embodied spirituality is about fully inhabiting our lives, our thoughts, our feelings our relationships with ourselves, our lives, each other and the mystery that connects all life. It’s about being fully present in our bodies and lives and therefore fully experiencing our potential, being fully alive. The body is not just a suit that clothes our being. It is through the body that we experience what it is to be fully alive. They say “listen to your body”, sage wisdom indeed. For me the body is not a separate entity to spirit, I cannot agree with this dualistic view, it seems to me that it is through the body that spirit comes alive and further through the body that the spirit is fed.
Embodied spirituality views every aspect of our humanity, whether that be body, spirit, heart, mind and consciousness as equal partners in bringing the self, community and world into a fuller alignment with the mystery that brings into being all life, while at the same time connects all life. I suspect it’s a kind of panentheism, that sees all life as being in God and that God is in all life and that little or perhaps infinite more. It sees the full engagement of the body as being vital to spiritual growth and transformation.Rev. Danny Crosby
Eutierria can be an antidote to alienation, from nature and society both. Eutierria refers to secular experiences but echoes the “oceanic” feeling identified in various world religious traditions. When it occurs, your perception of the boundaries between yourself and all else—the thoughts and feelings setting you off from the rest of the cosmos—seem to evaporate. The distinction between you and nature (or in the religious versions nature and God) breaks down. You become one with the universe. A reassuring sense of harmony and connection with the world infuses your consciousness. It’s an experience that matches up with the knowledge of your own dependence on and connection to the world. Consider for a moment what this all means for identity and personhood. Each person is always living in a precise and unique position and moment. Nobody else receives all the same perceptual stimuli as you because you’re always at different positions on the planet, in the universe. That is, you exist at a unique juncture in the world and thus absorb a unique trajectory of sensory experiences that exactly match nobody else’s. et me conclude by noting that experiences of eutierria can be a powerful antidote to the over-separateness of our modern world. The rise of individualism over communitarianism and conceptions of the unity of nature in the West from early modern times, as I write in my book Invisible Nature, has left us with feelings and experiences of alienation from nature and lots of social alienation as well.[3] By placing the individual at the center of concern rather than the whole community of life, modernity can create loneliness. Seeking out eutierria can help heal the divide. Kenneth Worthy Ph.D.
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Contemporary society increasingly has a fragmented view of the world, it sees its diversity but not the unity that underlies it. This fragmentation is at the root of tribal mentality, environmental degradation, polarization, and other problems. Apophatic philosophy provides a much-needed alternative to traditional cultural and religious materialistic viewpoints. Contrary to religions that assign known anthropomorphic characteristics to a power often referred to as “God”, apophaticism teaches that we cannot positively know or assert anything about the nature of “God”. At the heart of the discussion are the key characteristics and enormous benefits of ancient spiritual wisdom; an apophatic, non-dualist approach to life, as well as its links with Buddhist philosophy and economics. It is a wisdom that converges the findings of modern science, with the observations of eminent mystics and religious personages from across time and different backgrounds, as well as my own extensive experience in modern psychology and Buddhist practice. In this book, I establish how a non-dualist approach to life can preciously revolutionize our personal well-being as well as that of society and the relationship with the Earth.
Embracing Apophatic Philosophy: A Path Towards Beneficial Personal and Societal Transformation
Prevailing materialist assumptions have taught us that we, as individuals, are fundamentally a skin-encapsulated ego or “I” relating to a world with a sense of isolation and disconnection. Societal constructs influenced by such assumptions foster alienation and detachment, perpetuating egocentrism and neglecting the congruity and interdependence of human beings with each other and their environment. To modify resulting harmful economic systems, it is necessary to understand that economic reality is not an autonomous sub-system but a highly interdependent system of value creation. Drawing on the teachings of the Buddha, Martin Buber and others, as well as scientific research, we propose a paradigm shift towards a non-dualistic, biocentric perspective. Martin Buber formulated a model where the depersonalized, autonomous, isolated, and psychologically separated “I-It” stands in contrast to the “I-Thou” relationship. The “I-Thou” perspective promotes a non-dualistic transcendental idealism and teaches that we are interdependent, interbeing, and continually transacting with the environment and other sentient beings. Biocentric ethics, like the “I-Thou” concept, calls for a radical readjustment of the relationship between humans, nature, and all existence. Also, the entrenched individualism of prevailing societal and economic paradigms neglects the intrinsic interconnectedness of all natural entities, hindering sustainable development. Through the framework of non-dualism, biocentrism, and Buddhist economics, we discover why and how we must shift from the present predominant dogma to an alternative social and economic strategy with a view to promoting subjective well-being and societal happiness, creating comprehensive pathways to achieve harmony, eliminate economic deprivation, enable human dignity, and respect Earth’s ecosystems.
In a contemporary society increasingly dominated by radicalized viewpoints, self-interest, tribal mentality and alienation, apophatic philosophy provides a much-needed alternative to traditional cultural and religious viewpoints. Contrary to religions that assign known and defined characteristics to a power often referred to as “God”, thus presupposing that they can comprehend this entity, apophaticism teaches that we cannot positively know or assert anything about the nature of “God”. At the heart of the discussion are the key characteristics and enormous benefits of an apophatic approach to life, as well as its links with Buddhist philosophy and economics. Backed by scientific research, the observations of eminent mystics and religious personages from across time and different backgrounds, as well as my own extensive experience in traditional psychology and Buddhist practice, I demonstrate how an apophatic approach to life can revolutionize our personal well-being as well as that of society and Earth as a whole.
Also Throughout the Buddha’s teachings, transformation leading to transcendental enlightenment is an intentional psychological attainment. Enlightenment or awakening is created through the process of planned psychological/emotional change, consistently practiced by motivated learners, moving on from an uninformed way of living (acting, thinking, feeling) to one according to universal principles. This book highlights those insights and the beneficial results. In the following chapters, the reader will notice that I have emphasized not only the Buddha’s teachings but a wide range of cross-cultural non-dualistic descriptions. I have found that these universal, ancient, as well as modern teachings provide an in-depth analysis of transpersonal training and perspective. While not encyclopedic, the chapters about the non-dualistic writings are not only for intellectual curiosity. They are also a living testament of truths with vital positive consequences for the wellness and well-being of the individual, for society, and for the whole of Gaia. When understood and incorporated into one’s life, this is transformed in a transpersonal way. One frequent consideration necessary when writing this book was what noun should be used when referring to the transcendent and immanent quality that is often referred to as God, Deity, the Divine, Being, etc. In the end, I used the word Transcendent as often as possible as the most neutral yet appropriate noun for this topic. To conclude, my intent in this book is the analysis and integration of numerous non-dualistic teachings such as the Buddha’s teaching and modern scientific insights. I will explore these perspectives about the mysterious nature of the Transcendent or No-Thing and its relationship with our existence through ancient schools of thought. Also included in this book are varied meditation/prayer practices or structured activities that can lead to personal experiences that provide humanity with what is necessary for living embodied, integrated, and spiritual lives. Even in this age of dualistic and hyper-rational science and technology, non-dualism, which has stood the test of time, is an illuminating explanation of the totality of human experience.
REVIEW
“Non-Duality: What the World Needs Now” by Rodger R Ricketts is essential reading for anyone concerned about the welfare of humanity and Earth as a whole. It is also an important text for anyone interested in religion, spirituality and Buddhism. In this well-researched book, Ricketts makes a powerful case for an apophatic approach to “God” – in other words, the knowledge that we cannot know anything definite about God as this is beyond human language and comprehension. Ricketts argues convincingly that Buddhism is an apophatic path. He also provides evidence from modern psychology and neuroscience supporting apophatic views of the universe. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Ricketts points out that it is only through a return to apophaticism and Buddhist economics that we can create a sustainable life for all. This impactful and convincing book should be required reading for all!
We are all Interconnected even with the Universe 