December 30, 2023 -A

What are we doing?
What do we think we are doing?
What keeps us going?
Where do we think we are going?
What does it matter?
To whom does it matter?

Native American spirituality,
Celtic spirituality
and Taoism
all recognize the significance 
of seven terms:

Balance and harmony,
integrity, sincerity, spontaneity,
original nature, 
innate virtues/attributes--
and the importance of living in ways
which integrate them into our life.

I am interested in 
these three spiritual expressions
having these seven terms at their core,
and I find there the possibility
that all three originate 
from the same 5 to 10,000 year old source.

Shamanism has been around for at least that long,
and serves as a grounding influence
upon religion world-wide.

Spirituality has been with us 
from the start,
along with the need
to explain/control
the circumstances and events of our lives.

We need a hedge,
a buffer,
between us and the bitter realities
of existence--
help in dealing with what 
we have to deal with
from birth to death,
with death being the biggie.

We have to tell ourselves something
to make it all manageable.
And so, religion.

And so, balance and harmony,
integrity, sincerity, spontaneity,
original nature,
innate virtues/attributes.
The grounding, orienting aspects
of life against all odds.

How do they express themselves 
in your life?
How do you honor/serve them 
with your life?

Where would we be without them?

–0–