Our true identity is spiritual

THE EDITOR: So someone infuriates you, calls you a racist and you naturally respond in a somewhat violent manner. Someone embarrasses you, mispronounces your name or heckles you in extempo calypso and your natural response is to get physical. But that’s OK, such reactions are to be expected. It is normal to lose your cool; after all, “we are only human.” What an erroneous statement! Although we often use this phrase to explain why we have responded impulsively to some trigger that has threatened our physical or psychological well being, every Christina knows that, according to Christian doctrine, we are certainly not only human. Christians believe that we are made in the image and likeness of God. If God is spirit, then we are created in God’s spiritual image. We are first and foremost spiritual beings with all God’s qualities stamped on our spiritual DNA. Our spiritual nature is our true identity.

We are spiritual beings having a human experience. We are spirit, soul and body. Our spiritual self cannot express without the body and we all know that our bodies can do nothing without the spirit. We are not our bodies; we have a body. Sometimes what living a spiritual life entails is not clearly understood. People often say, “I live a spiritual life,” but what they really mean is, they go to church regularly or pray daily or read the Bible often. In other words, they do these things religiously. They are into religion and not necessarily spirituality. Spirituality is the awareness and acknowledgment of one’s self as a spiritual being and living from that awareness. Religion, on the other hand, involves the rites, rituals and ceremonies that we practice religiously in order to develop our spirituality. These rites and rituals are merely tools and vary from church to church. Spirituality is not confined to church and church practices. It is not something we do on Sundays only. Spirituality pervades every aspect of our lives.

I heard the CEO of a popular talk radio station say that spiritual leaders have their heads in the clouds and cannot seriously think that spirituality is the solution to our national problems. As a spiritual leader, I disagree. I believe that if man strives to be his highest self at all times we can create a more peaceful environment. We must be aware that our spiritual selves are with us wherever we go; at work, at home, in Parliament or even at a fete. Why is it impossible to combine spirituality and politics? Even as they serve, politicians have the opportunity to express their innate, divine qualities of love, creativity, wisdom, zeal, strength and power in the form of devoted service, goodwill, fairness and kindness to every creed, race and colour. When our leaders and representatives view their positions of power from a human vantage point, they fall into the trap of exerting power over others.

However, when a spiritual mindset is used, they are always conscious of the fact that the people they represent or lead have given them power to act and accomplish goals on their behalf. Unparliamentary, theatrical outbursts, made with the intent to insult or defame character, violent responses to picong, blatant misuse of power are the results of the choice to operate from the human self instead of the spiritual self. And, as we condemn, criticise, and vilify those who have done so, we too have chosen the typical human response! Matthew 5:22. The good news is that, as we journey through life, conscious of these choices, we can choose to practice taking the high road. When this becomes a habit, we would never again be reduced to saying, “I am only human.”

REV CHERYL HERNANDEZ
Inner Centre of Inspiration and Truth