Holystic Essential's Website

New Holystic Spirituality  

Here I  include what I believe is some essential information about the spiritual  life . Regardless of what religion you may practice, I think there are certain aspects of spirituality which apply to all.
  
I use the name of Christ and use many Christian quotes, because I am from a Christian background.  If you are of a different background or religion  please think of the name of God as Universe, Creator, Source, Higher Power, or whatever other name you may be accustomed to.    After all, it is my belief that true Spirituality is for all people,  encompasses all religions, and in fact transcends religion itself.

However, it is my conviction that Jesus was the most highly evolved human that ever lived, and more!

Spirituality in a Nutshell ~The Beatitudes

Jesus Pattern for a Happy Life 

(author unknown)

Jesus  talks  about light in Matthew 5:14-16.  Notice that he says, you *are* the light of the world, not you will be when you are something better. Right now, within yourself, shines the light for this world. Many have not discovered that light in themselves. Many perhaps feel that they have no light. Do you think Jesus was mistaken? Did he not know what he was talking about? So you must in fact be the light of the world now. Start to look for that place within yourself where light shines. It is there.............

When you begin to show ever so little willingness to find your light, offer that willingness to the Holy Spirit.  Do it consciously, deliberately.  Holy Spirit, I am willing to find my own light.;  If that is scary, do it anyway. Your own light is for you.  It is the Father's gift to you. You can trust it to bring you joy. You can be free to enjoy your own light.  If you are willing, the Spirit will rush to show you his shining within your own spirit.

Liquori Publications, Missouri 1981.

Types of Christian Spirituality

Author Unknown   

Within the very large context of Christianity, a wisdom about spirituality has developed through the ages. It has long been recognized that different individuals are drawn to different ways of responding to the two great commandments to love God above all and one's neighbor as oneself. Some Catholic religious orders, for example, seem to emphasize ministries appropriate for extraverted, outgoing, sociable types; others attract more introverted, introspective types. Neither is better or more valuable in the overall life of the Church, however. All do emphasize the same kinds of values and disciplines, only to different degrees.

In his work on Ignatian Spirituality and the Directed Retreat, George Schemel, SJ has provided a helpful way of understanding different types of Christian spirituality by identifying three broad pathways in Christianity. I shall summarize them below, then conclude with a few remarks about contemplative practice:

A.  Monastic Spirituality. 

This is the highly structured and contemplative-oriented lifestyle of those who live in monasteries: Carthusians, Trappists, etc. Non-monks who live mostly solitary lives that are structured to emphasize spiritual practice might also be considered in this group. Their primary service to the Church is through prayer, and they witness to the joy and peace of the contemplative life through their writings and hospitality to visitors.

B.  Psychological-Contemplative Spirituality. 

Includes religious orders like the Carmelites and Dominicans, and also Charismatics and anyone drawn to deep and regular prayer. This spirituality might well be summarized by the Dominican idea of "action proceeding from contemplation." Those who travel this highway are more active in the world than monastic types.

C.  Apostolic Spirituality. 

Includes most lay people, diocesan priests, Jesuits, Franciscans, and most of Protestantism. Although prayer and spiritual disciplines are encouraged, equal emphasis is given to finding God breaking through in the everyday affairs of life. Very involved in what's going on in the world. Service is emphasized.


Obviously, contemplative disciplines would seem to be highly relevant to people in the Monastic and Psychological-Contemplative pathways. But what about the majority who travel the broad, Apostolic pathway? These are generally more extraverted types; are contemplative practices helpful to them as well?

Absolutely!   While the more introverted types seem more naturally drawn to contemplative spirituality to attend to their inner life and find God there, where their gaze is more naturally disposed, we need to recognize that all extraverts have an introverted side as well.  For them, contemplative practice can help to round out their spirituality, and deepen their sensitivity to finding God in all things. Without giving at least minimal attention to these practices, extraverts can get so caught up in the outer affairs of life as to lose perspective--even Self! Contemplative practices help one become more in touch with the True Self, and, hence, more authentic in one’s involvements. They also enable better discernment of the leadings of the Holy Spirit--a goal which every Christian spirituality considers primary.

Our True Spiritual Identity 

-A Dream of the True Self

 - by Nancy

I would like to share a spiritual experience that happened more than ten years ago.   This experience to me is like a precious pearl in my spiritual walk.   I am sharing it because my relationship to the Christ is greater than any spiritual experience He has given me. I am also sharing it with you because it offers hope and meaning to everyone, not just myself.  I feel the experience is not just about my spiritual walk but everyone's.   Feel free to see yourself in the experience!

At this time in my life, I had hit a very dark point.  I was in a state of depression  and very uncertain about what was going to come next.

One night, I had a dream.  I dreamed that I was standing in the marketplace in the Old City of Jerusalem.  The dream was so vivid, I can recall every detail, down to what I was wearing and what every piece of material looked and felt like.  The dream was too vivid to be an ordinary dream.

Anyway, in the dream I was in the third person, watching myself in Jerusalem.  Suddenly, I was watching myself looking at a mysterious figure approaching down the street.  This figure was literally floating.

The figure came closer and closer.   I knew in my dream that this figure was not human.  I watched myself anxiously watching this figure, trying to figure out who it was that was approaching me.   As it got closer,  I could see that it was the most beautiful, awesome being I had ever seen!  This being looked like an angel;  her (I say "her", but the being was androgynous) hair shone with a light that glowed from within her long wavy hair.   She was wearing a beautiful yet simple gown made of gold with a thin gold ribbon tied around her chest. This gown was so unbelievably detailed,  I still remember it to this day.    She was walking toward me like a queen,  her head held high with a holiness about her that was incredible.

In my dream,  I strained up to see her face because she was so tall.   She came straight toward me, so close that I finally could see her face, and I finally recog- nized who this being was!   IT WAS ME!  I was SHOCKED!  The being seemed to walk right through me in my dream 

I was shocked when I woke up.  What on earth could this mean?  Then, I started  to learn from books about the higher self.  I now believe, ten years later, that this dream was to show me that I have a higher self within me, the Christ that lives in me, who is waiting to be drawn out into the conscious level of my self.   The point is, my  dear brothers and sisters, is that we ALL have this higher self, the inner holy beautiful Christ living within us, waiting to be drawn out into conscious reality.

Living In Eternity

They say that one often teaches what one needs to learn.  I find this to be the case with me!  Recently, I have been learning that if I want to get things done, I need to slow down. This may sound like a paradox, of course, but if you have read, "The Power of Now"*,  by Eckhart Tolle, or books such as "Ageless Body, Timeless Mind", by Deepak Chopra,  or are into quantum physics, or have read about the theory of relativity,  you have an idea about what I am referring to. (However, I, for one, don't claim to understand quantum physics!)  

My husband and I sometimes compare the sayings and proverbs that our mother's used to quote.  There is much wisdom in some of those sayings.   My mother used to say "Haste makes waste" . I have found this to be true of myself many times. On the other hand, I have found that when I slow down,  relax, and take a deep breath , I am much more effective, more present, more conscientious.

So it's always now.  Now isn't yesterday, nor is it tomorrow.  When tomorrow comes it will still be now!   I believe in immortality and eternity.  I believe one can  live in timelessness...in eternity... even in this life... now.  I think we can learn to live in the spiritual realm,  the kingdom,  the higher dimensions.  The Bible says that we have passed from death into life, and that we can have eternal life even "now" in this world.  We can tap into the beauty and wonders of the spiritual realm, which is more real than the physical realm.  We can step into  the heavens... into the Light, where there is no time.

Many are even now "passing over" into this higher dimension, into timelessness.   Many across the earth..  people like you and me... in great numbers.  This is not too far fetched in my opinion. "Thy Kingdom Come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven", says the scriptures.  This passing into the spiritual ream and into eternity... timelessness is in agreement  with the Christian scriptures.  Some see this as a single event and happening in a different way ....being "caught up into the air" as in the "rapture" of the church.

I did an experiment  a short "time" ago.  I took several weeks and diligently practiced mindfulness, awareness, meditation, yoga, and just being aware that I am spirit and live in the spiritual realm  as well as in the physical ream.  It is just as real. I tapped into a higher reality. It seemed I was living in a higher dimension...  having quality "time", tuning into and listening to Spirit, and as a result getting more things done than ever.  I felt good. I allowed the Light, the Life, the Love to flow into me, and out. During this "timelessness" I became one with nature.  I became one with the trees, the plants, and with the wildlife,  including  two young fawn.  I looked into their eyes.. they into mine. They were not afraid.

Now, how do highly sensitive people  fit into the scheme of things... into timelessness and eternity. Since HSPs generally are able to feel more and have a sensitive nervous system, we can more easily "tune in", and feel the subtleties of the unseen realities. Many of us can see with our spiritual eyes, hear with our spiritual ears. This is why I encourage highly sensitive people (HSPs)   to develop, believe in, and use their gifts of intuition, healing, and other spiritual gifts to help others to tune into the spiritual realm and "eternity"  also.

Yes, there will come a time when time will be no more.  Time will stand still.  Part of the  good news in all of this  and the bottom line is that  you can slow down and smell the roses. you have all the "time" in the world. You have all eternity to do all you need to do... all you want to do.     

Oct. 2003 Kathy 

"Jesus embodied the highest level of enlightenment..."  ~  Deepak Chopra

 "Eternal life is not a boringly endless recycling of the familiar but a complete state of full existence that, due to the poverty of language, might be provisionally expressed as  present moment NOW-ness."    ~ Thaddeus J. Trenn

"How "spiritual" you are has nothing to do with what you believe but everything to do with your state of consciousness."  ~  Eckhart Tolle

 “People long to be heard. They are healed by the laying on of ears.” Anonymous

Comments From Readers

"Kathy, I loved your page!  Thank you for the effort to make it and the love that fills it guided by wisdom and Light!  I've book marked it and will return to it often!  ~  Mary