Spirit Quest

Spirit Quest Essay

Reverend Stephen J. LaJoice

Spirit Quest is a program that allows you to take a good look at yourself.  It provides tools to help overcome obstacles for a more fulfilling life. 

I was raised Roman Catholic.  I was educated in the Catholic School.  I ate, slept and lived Catholicism until I left home at 18.  

The question I ask myself is "did it make me a better person?"  In many ways it did and in some ways it did not.  While I have a solid foundation of Christian upbringing through a Catholic education I came to understand the vulnerability of living ones life within the strict confines of a structured religion.  I do have a deep acceptance of God and an understanding of the complexity of how everything in life in connected. I am generous and compassionate. I am also stuck with the "guilt "complex that needs constant work.    

I learned early in my life that religion and religious practices are molded to fit the needs and causes of man.  As man changes so does religion.  In some cases religion has a tendency to divide, promote intolerance and narrow ones focus away from the world.

In my high school years I was introduced to the art of Judo and the study of eastern spiritual philosophy.  I found practices and beliefs that helped to cultivate the spiritual aspects of life.  I learned how one understands oneself through meditation and self-reflection, how to achieve inner peace and become more tolerant and understanding of others.

I came to understand that spiritualism is a way of living.  It is traveling through life in a natural and harmonious way.  I came to understand that all things are connected, how one tug on the web of life can be felt by all creatures.  I came to understand that animals feel just as humans do. I came to understand how my actions affect others.  Say a cross word to your spouse or a friend and they feel it.  Say a cross word to your dog and the reaction is the same.  Spiritual understanding enhances ones ability to understand ones self, get along with others and to greater experience the moment.

In my early 20's I came across a poster of the Deserata written in 1692.  Its advice has been my guide for a lifetime and a mainstay for living spiritually.  It starts "Go placidly in the noise and the haste and remember what peace there may be in silence".  In today's busy world of dead lines and pressure silence is the pathway to mediation.

God has made us in his image and likeness and I believe we were put on this earth to enjoy ourselves and to nurture all we come in contact with.  A life of conflict and desperation was not in Gods design for us.  Moments of quiet reflection are needed to recharge our battery.

In the world today we are continually challenged.  Our day can be filled with stress, of the unexpected and the expected.  We balance our lives against the wants and needs of others as well as what we expect of ourselves……and there are moments when we began to feel enough is enough.

Within ourselves each of us has the desire and the need to feel inner peace.  It is the time when we need to sit back, take a deep breath, close our eyes and just let go.  Many of us choose our own mediums, such as mediation, yoga or music.  However, we choose to get there the ultimate reward is worth it.

As a young man I was plagued with migraine headaches.  At that time doctors knew very little about curing them.  The method was a strong dose of pain killers and rest.  I realized if I was to rid myself of them I would have to do it myself.  I found the way through deep meditation, relaxation and biofeedback.  I was finally able to beat the headaches back and have not suffered for many years.

As I struggled with my cure I found myself in a quiet place close to God and away from the outside world.  It was there that I met myself and began to understand the working of me.  I was able to begin to shed the skin of negative thoughts and behaviors.  I was able to develop tolerance and have that greater understanding of those around me.

Living is a full time job.  It can and does wear you down, if you let it.  If you seek to find that quiet place you will truly find the heart of peace, you will find you.

Spirit Quest has been a restatement and reminder of those precepts I learned and practiced throughout my life.  It has been an enjoyable experience.

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Spirit Quest

Essay for Spirit Quest,

By Stuart J, Malkin, D.D., Ph.D.

Spirit Quest is an excellent distance learning course, rooted in the fundamentals of Right Action. Here are my thoughts on the subject, as seen in the light of Spiritual Alchemy.

The Alchemists of old worked over many years ... centuries ... in their quest to turn base metals into gold. At least that is the popular notion. In fact, alchemy is a blend of science and philosophy. It has been so since before the Common Era, when the ancient chemists did attempt to turn inexpensive metals into expensive ones ... but always with the underlying thoughts that their work was also symbolically related to the perfection of life.

Alchemy started in China and India, then the Egyptians developed it to a high state. They postulated that earth, air, fire and water could be combined into anything ... anything at all! That concept is translated into the notion of Spiritual Alchemy, which is that we can transform any part of our negative thinking or our unworthy deeds into something more valuable. It is a way of looking at Good, Right Action and Positive Thinking.

So, each day, each moment, reflect on how you can change the world by changing your reaction to the everyday things that confront you. Use Spiritual Alchemy! Turn any little unhappiness into happiness ... by seeing the good in everything that you possibly can!Turn greed into charity ... instead of viewing the benefit of something to you, consider the benefit to others.

Want for others ... especially those in greater need ... rather than wanting for yourself. Turn ego into admiration for others, rather than for yourself. Turn anger into contentment, by realizing that the poison of the mean spirit will do more harm than good, and that by recognizing the good in another, you are making the world a better place.

Chaos can become order, through alchemy. Using organization and doing what is right can bring sense and dignity to almost anything! It is easy to write these words but not so easy to accomplish. But, if you have the desire to bring order and beauty into your life, it can be done. And even if you do not succeed at first, you will have enriched your self-esteem and, even in some small way, energized the condition in a positive way.

Turn brutality into kindness. There is no small deed and no kindness that is insignificant. A kind word, holding the door open for someone, complementing another, thanking another or easing the pain or the effort of one who may be infirm ... all of these, no matter how small or no matter how little effort is used, are a gift to the Spirit and all make for a little more peace on the planet.

Through the power of the Spirit and Positive Thinking, do your best to disallow depression ... turn, instead, to happy thoughts. Look for the Light, the Ògood sideÓ of an issue. Visualize a happy and positive outcome of whatever it is that is causing you some mental grief. I promise you that if you think positive thoughts, they will manifest into the reality, in ways that will surprise you.Be considerate of others rather than inconsiderate. ÒRoad rageÓ is a product of our fast paced existence and it is a dangerous phenomenon. Be considerate of other drivers ... give in to the impulse for aggression ... relax and let the other car go first, even if that driver is in the wrong!

In our lives we see many opportunities to curb aggression, to be gentle and caring. Many times we see someone 'crashing' a line of people waiting for one thing or another. They do not wait their turn because they are rude, inconsiderate, self-serving ... in other words, of mean spirit. Don't be one of them! You be the one to stand aside and let them push and shove ... you be the one of good Spirit who is turning lead into gold.Jealousy can become admiration. Admire the accomplishments of others ... learn from them.

Don't envy them, emulate them. Be happy for the achievements of others. Be happy that those you know are contributing to the good of the planet. Love the idea that others are successful.The ÒSeven Deadly Sins,Ó anger, envy, gluttony, greed, lust, pride and sloth can all be turned in a good thing, as we have discussed above for some of them. But whatever the negative or mean-spirited event is that you might encounter in daily life, work the wonder of Spiritual Alchemy and bathe in the positivity that you will produce!Everyone wants to do the right thing ... it is born in us.

It is a basic element of the human condition. It is only through the learned dogmas and extremist distortions of 'what is right' that we have come to this dangerous world of ours. Even the Islam murderers believe that they are doing the right thing! The problem is that the right thing is not always defined as it should be. LetÕs explore that.The early Avitars had it right. If you compare the Ten Commandments with the Eightfold Path of Buddha, for instance, you will see the amazing similarities. And so it is with most of the early religious and mystical thinking. Actually, the precepts of Right Action are contained in all of the early religious and mystical writings. There are many more similarities than there are differences.Even the Koran speaks to the similarities. Again, it is the contemporary disciples and the learned hatreds that create the dissension and violence.

If Mohammed were alive, he would rebel against the extremists who rape and murder under his flag. And so would Jesus.So, if we understand what is really right ... and if we breathe it and live it and teach it to our children, then we have a real chance to change things. And what is really right is actually easy to understand:' Do nothing that will harm another.' Try to be as helpful as you can to others. (This makes you a 'nice guy'... or girl ... and it is one of the best contributions towards making this a better world!) Work well at what you do ... be the best you can be. See only good in all things and all people. (Some days that can be a contest! But do your best to try to see only good. In trying, you will be a better person.)

You may recognize that these ideas are similar to parts of the Ten Commandments. Don't be surprised. All of the early Avatars had good things to say!It does not take a genius to see that what is really right is easy to define. And it is easy to see that what the extremists today are doing in the name of their God is not right. Right is right; it is not subject to interpretation.The modern alchemist needs to transform behavior that is not right into behavior that is right. A daunting task for today's world, I admit. And a Utopia worth pursuing.

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