Monthly Archives: April 2012

Right Brain, Left Brain

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Nearly two months ago I posted some thoughts, early in the life of this website blog. I called it, “Head or heart?” As I stated there, I continue to be a work-in-progress! I am still mulling all this over.

Our left brain deals with the logical, analytical, thought processes, figuring things out. The right brain deals more with intuition, creativity, sensing, mysticism, just knowing. As I walk my spiritual path, more and more I am depending on right brain sensing.

Some of my fellow travellers do not trust this right brain way of being. They encourage me to remain in line with the creeds and with the ancient writings. “How will you know if you wander off the path?” they wonder. What keeps me on the straight-and-narrow? How do I determine right from wrong? What is my standard, my criteria? This is very much left brain thinking.

More and more I am coming to see that when faith and religion become a matter of creeds and theology, God is silenced. By adhering to beliefs we silence God. We no longer need to hear God, to sense him, to intuit him. We have the scriptures and the creeds to inform our faith; we can figure him out, analyze the scriptures and know God this way. And our logical, linear way of thinking once again silences God’s true voice speaking to our inner being. We need to have both sides of the brain working in order to encounter God.

In the preface to a book I just began reading today, the author expresses the development of religion and faith, both through history, and in individual lives.

At different periods in history, spiritual search has been expressed in philosophies, psychologies, arts, and above all in religions; by these ways seekers have been called and helped in sustaining and deepening their quest. With time wayfarers and pilgrims are in general replaced by believers and officials prizing the security of their positions. Rather than the path leading to openness and vulnerability to truth, we find too many frozen statements and doctrines claiming to provide the answers. (“Whispers from the Other Shore”, Ravi Ravindra, p. ix)

Once again I thank the Divine for sending me wisdom I need right at this moment! I was mulling these thoughts over last evening, just beginning to think I should journal this on Urban Monk, when “Whispers…” arrived in the mail and was left on the table by my wife! The Universe truly works wonders in our lives. The Source of all wisdom synchronizes events in our existence to bring about teaching, learning and growth.

I suspect there will be a fuller review of this little gem of a book in the future. But for now, I hear Spirit telling me I’m on the right path. I am learning to trust my inner leading, my intuition, as much as I trust my mind. Both halves of the brain are given us by the Creator. Both are necessary to a full life. Neither are to be ignored in favour of the other. Right brain, left brain? Whole brain, no brain? Which is it to be?!!! Don’t you just love this journey?

“Paul and Stephen”

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Just finished an intriguing book: Paul and Stephen, by Francisco Candido (Chico) Xavier. This book, published by the International Spiritist Council of Brazil, is listed as “A Novel Dictated by the Spirit, Emmanuel”. Subtitled, Historic Episodes of Primitive Christianity, it has been “psychographed” by Chico Xavier, that is, written down by him. Is this the way some of the biblical documents were written? H-m-m-m!

The book tells the story of Saul of Tarsus, and Stephen, the first martyr of the Christians. It is completely faithful to the sparse details the Bible gives us. It fleshes out the story, giving us a much fuller picture and more complete story of the early years of the followers of Jesus after he was killed. In that way it is a most fascinating story, especially since I have been a student of the scriptures and have known these stories for many years.

My biggest critique has to do with the writing. Since this is a translation from the Portuguese, it is not fair to criticize the author. But the language is overly flowery. Everything is always perfect; everything always works out for the good. Skies are always crystal blue, with gentle breezes blowing. Because of this it gets quite tiring to read. Do angels and spirits not have a sense of good literature?!!

But it was helpful to understand more fully the struggles of the earliest followers of the Way of Jesus. Theirs was not an easy existence. And to see the transformation of Saul the persecutor into Paul the Apostle was marvelous. An interesting detail was that Saul was betrothed to the sister of Stephen, before either of them knew that the Stephen who Saul was persecuting to the point of his stoning death, was actually her brother Jeziel under an assumed name. When she and Saul discovered this, at the time of his death, both were completely overcome with despair and guilt. Understandably this became a very formative event in Saul/Paul’s life.

So, an interesting read, raising some questions. I hope to be able to read more from this source, about the early Christian days. I have already read Astral City by the same author, a book coming from a doctor in Rio de Janeiro who died, and then began communicating with Chico Xavier about life on the other side. This also is a fascinating account, but very poorly translated. The Portuguese version, Nosso Lar, has been around since the 1940’s. It illustrates many of the things I have been learning over the past years about death and life on the other side. The video is well worth checking out.

Rest

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A spiritual director once said to me, “Dennis, rest into God.” Relax. God is in charge. You can rest in that knowledge. “Come to me all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11.28). And he continues, “. . . you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (vs 29,30).

Granted, there is a sense of restlessness when living the life of Spirit. The Spirit blows where it will, etc. But there is also the sense of rest and relaxation. Our human tendency is to get all wrapped up in intensity. Everything is so important, we have to do it now!

But there really is no true urgency. Because the Divine is in charge. And his burden is light. The task he has given us is easy. We need only learn from him. And rest in him. And as we rest, as we empty our minds of mundanity, we can hear his voice. And his voice is true; it is light. Blessed are they who hear my voice and respond. Let him who has ears to hear, hear what the Spirit says.

“Rest into God!”