As Natural as Breathing

AS NATURAL AS BREATHING

Many people who believe in the “spiritual but not religious” path—myself included—are often considered “anti-religion”.   This is the furthest thing from the truth. I am forever thankful for the incredible work that Christian organizations do to ease human suffering. Each day, millions of people around the world are fed, clothed and taught by Christian churches, schools, and hospitals.  For centuries, Christians have made a positive difference, from healers like Mother Theresa and Padre Pio, to the individual who anonymously donates money to a poor family in their congregation. Furthermore, I still believe in church as a sacred place and would never do or say anything to belittle it. 

That said, it is also my belief that the “faith-built” churches of today are not a continuation of the original church begun by Christ.  Instead, over the past two millennia, man has created the Church in his image, rather than in God’s.  The result is that there are some 39,000 separate and different expressions of Christianity around the earth that claim to hold the Truth.  

In a rather straightforward manner, I state in Chapter 7 of The Two Agreements, “As evidenced by the history of all religions, mankind seems to compulsively work to complicate the spiritual life of living in harmony with God, a relating that is as natural as breathing.”  Indeed, the connecting to God has become so circuitous and convoluted as to be a life’s pursuit, instead of the place from which we live our lives. I am reminded of the story of the two cats.  One is turning in circles chasing its tail. The second cat asks him why he is doing such a thing. “I was told that happiness abides in the tip of one’s tail. And I desperately want happiness.” To which the second cat replies, “I have learned that as I peacefully go on my way that happiness is with me and follows me wherever I go.” And, certainly, we need not seek something we already possess.

Indeed, upon examining church history, we find that the original church was not a formal institution, but small groups of people meeting in each other’s homes to spread Christ’s messages. The purpose of these meetings was twofold:  first, to bring salvation to those who had been born under the first covenant with God and, secondly, to spread the story of Christ’s life and resurrection.   The Church of today, however, is something altogether different. Sadly, it has become a tool to measure our “worthiness”, even one’s worthiness to hold public office and serve society.

Please note, Christ did not give a list of rules and regulations for doing church the “right way” in order to prove that we believe deeply enough or in the right way. He simply told us to accept the Holy Spirit. Ironically, the man who was persecuted for saying, “I and my Father are the same” is now believed to have been the only one so connected to Source, when in fact we all are. Now we are the blasphemers if we make this claim. Too often, instead of being encouraged to live our lives with God, we are encouraged to give our lives over to institutions that run similarly to the government and any other bureaucracy.  These institutions are largely based on the premise that we are separate, not only from God, but from each other. Ultimately, that premise leads us into feelings of fear, guilt and shame, which make manipulation possible.

As evidenced by the thousands fleeing the Church each year, that premise is no longer working. I believe these folk are being called to be mystics—to directly plug into the Source instead of going through the “middle man” that the Church has become.  

. . . ALL things?

"All things work together for the good for those who love God and are the called according to His purpose."

The Good Samaritan was not a Christian?

I once heard someone say, “Just because you don’t believe in God doesn’t mean He doesn’t exist.” Now, obviously, this person was talking to an atheist, and politely pointing out a perceived shortsightedness in his/her refusal to acknowledge the existence of a higher power.  As always, I must state that I am not maligning or supporting the atheist’s position; however, I will point out that religious folks often suffer from the same myopia. They feel that those who don’t believe in God, or in following an organized religion, are incapable of doing good works. As difficult as it is to believe, the atheist and that religious person have quite a bit in common, for neither of them understand that there is no way for any of us—regardless of our deeds or beliefs—to separate ourselves from the Creator. 

By way of example, I offer you the story of the Good Samaritan. The biblical story is so well-known that the term good Samaritan has become part of our every day vernacular and is even used in legal jargon.  We know the Samaritan was someone who helped others, not for personal gain, but out of a simple desire to do good. We rarely, if ever, ponder what religion he practiced, or whether he practiced any religion at all. In fact, the good Samaritan was not Jew; we know this because in those days a Jew would not touch anyone other than another Jew. The Samaritan was not a Christian either, because, as we know, there were no “Christians” at that time. From these two pieces of information, we can reasonably conclude that the Good Samaritan was simply a kind person—a Gnostic or a mystic, perhaps. His actions were not guided by religious dogma or an obligation that assured his place in Heaven; instead, he was operating on his inner guidance to help a fellow human being in a difficult situation—one of those “Spiritual But Not Religious” people I mentioned in my previous post. 

As I state in The Two Agreements: “By asking questions and engaging in an inner dialogue with the Holy Spirit you will receive deep, revealing insights into your personal world of thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. In doing so, you will find rest from a belief system that has your body and mind as your own enemy.” 

Remember the challenge issued to us by Christ: “Those who have ears to hear, let them hear. Those who have eyes to see, let them see.”  Accepting this challenge is guaranteed to change your life, no matter what you believe, and I humbly invite you to do so, and follow the Samaritan’s example.  

Artwork by EllenWhite

Hey, our heros make the news!

News of our heros makes the front page of USA Today!

A large number of these men and women suffer from mental health challenges. They are our special brothers and sisters. Let's ask why they are without adequate treatment   

The world is my country,

All mankind are my brethren,

To do good is my religion. 

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I AM . . .

My spiritual work is my message

Push Back Against Stigma
Steve Brannon
I identify myself as "spiritual but not religious". And one of my core beliefs is that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. We enrich this experience by remembering/acknowledging/honoring our oneness with the Source and with each other. To do this, we must embrace our neighbor as an individual, regardless of their state of their physical or mental health, the size of their wallet, the "correctness" of their religious views. For the past ten years, my work as Founder and President of DBSA Jackson has focused on the "consumers" (individuals utilizing mental health services for depression and bipolar disorder), as well as their family and friends. Together, we have created a supportive "understanding family" comprised of a plurality of belief systems.
As "progressive" as we like to think we've become, there is still an enormous stigma attached to mental illness. We all have our problems and worries, and we all have coping mechanisms—some healthy, and some, not so much—that we use to deal with them. However, what about those among us that need help managing their mental health challenges? Faced with the very real prospect of rejection, they are silenced and cut off from the world. Unfortunately, many religious institutions reflect this societal view, and this has only further isolated those dealing with mood disorders.
Mother Teresa did not shy away from those facing challenges. On the contrary, she gravitated not to the pillars of society, but to those considered less fortunate and even, by some, undesirable, most notably the poor and infirm. It is with a desire to serve that I have based my organization's community outreach: first, to in-patients in a behavioral health facility and, secondly, to a population of consumers in the larger community. My inspirational support meetings provide spiritual encouragement to in-patients and other consumers suffering from mood disorders, regardless of the person's faith (or lack thereof). The aim is to create a supportive, trustworthy, respectful, non-judgmental, and nurturing atmosphere where these individuals can safely explore and strengthen their desire for wellness and contributing to society.
I begin these meetings with a moment of silence in which we remember "those members of our family that we have yet to meet." A central message of our work is that everyone needs time to be alone and go within: what I refer to as visiting the "inner sanctuary". In my book, The Two Agreements, I discuss the importance of entering the "stillness" and the "Silence" to find one's own connection with the Source, on their own terms, rather than those imposed upon them by any person, organization, or religious dictates.
I am also sensitive to the fact that mental illness does not only affect the consumer, but their loved ones as well. That's why I hold a second meeting each week that's open to friends and family in need of support. Many focus all of their energy and attention trying to help the diagnosed person. Others are frightened away, and remain distant from the person experiencing the illness. Still others report feeling hurt, helpless, overwhelmed, confused, sad, guilty and ashamed because of their loved one's illness. I believe that no matter the reaction, these family members and friends need support and comfort as they walk the often-challenging road to wellness alongside their loved one. To this end, my work includes special events that build a family atmosphere and promotes healthy relationships between people with illnesses, family and friends from different walks of life.
I believe that bringing consumers out of isolation helps push back against stigma. Both of the groups that meet weekly, our understanding family, are part of a larger mosaic. Within that mosaic, our family demonstrates the necessity of unity not only to these individuals and to their loved ones but also, on a deeper level, the human family, and our connection with one another. Spiritually speaking, the esoteric teachings of major religions speak of an underlying unity in all of creation, an eternal oneness.
In these most trying of times, our inspirational support group and network creates a safe place, in space and time, for these vulnerable individuals and their loved ones. The result is that they maintain their treatment plan and likely avoid hospitalization. There are a number of fully-employed consumers who regularly attend our meetings and events. These individuals claim they gain the strength to work and contribute to the community because of the support and encouragement they receive. In helping every consumer in our organization to "be well and live well", we are pushing back against stigma in a most profound way.

S.L. Brannon on DBSA Life Unlimited web site -- http://bit.ly/1kEBzlZ
The Two Agreements fb page -- http://bit.ly/the2agree

www.DBSATennessee.org

The New Testament is about a mystic

           

live and let live . . .

When The Two Agreements was published, I was not surprised that many people viewed it as proof of my heresy; people had seen me as such ever since I left the church and began living life as a mystic. Though, to clarify, a mystic is simply one who goes to The Source for guidance and belief. And in that respect, everyone practicing contemplation, meditation, and prayer are mystics. I describe them as practical mystics.

There is nothing particularly unique about my story--most "spiritual but not religious" (SBNR) people have been judged, even shunned, by those who follow the tenants of organized religion. For centuries, religious institutions have claimed to be the moral compass, guiding society to the high road, and anyone who does not follow their rituals is less-than in the eyes of the Creator. "Your actions speak so loud," I have heard from more than one righteous churchgoer, "I can't hear a word you're saying." This statement is a way of expressing judgment against those who do not "tow the party line" with regards to particular religion.

And indeed, religious organizations and their members have contributed a great deal of good to the world; it has never been my intention to imply otherwise. I simply make the point that they have not cornered the market on kindness, or spirituality, for that matter.

It my experience, SBNRs are often confused with atheists; however, this is not the case at all. Religious folks hear their "New Age" lingo --such as referring to the Universe as opposed to God--and think that it represents an absence of a belief system. (Please note that I am making no judgment about atheists or their views; I am simply pointing out the distinction between them and those who have foregone organized religion to walk their own spiritual path).

Indeed, the rules, regulation and judgment are the only things SBNRs have turned away from. Like me, they live their spirituality each and every day; they are motivated by a true passion for serving humanity, not because they are seeking a ticket to heaven.

This brings me back to a main point of The Two Agreements, which is that there is nothing we can do--or not do--to separate us from the Divine. This is so regardless of how we serve--be it in a church, a charitable organization, or simply by bringing the smile to another's face.

S.L. Brannon on DBSA Life Unlimited web site

http://bit.ly/1kEBzlZ

The Two Agreements fb page

http://bit.ly/the2agree