151. The phenomenon that we know as sanity is the further product of our conscious juggling limiting
our physical experiences to the norms of our cohabiting physical entities. Even
when an experience outside this realm exists or occurs, it is quickly reduced
by our shared inhabitation of the physical world—to the prevailing “norm of
experience.” (4, 64)
152. What we refer to as insanity
is a complete experience of phenomena that falls outside the “norms of
experience,” accompanied by a breakdown in our cosmic juggling process.
153. Thus, it is most frequently from the mouths of the “insane”
that we are accosted by undisguised truths that frequently take years more to
be recognized by the “sane.”
154. It seems that there must be some reason that our
infinite consciousness voluntarily limits our existence to a time/space
relationship. Perhaps experience of emotion can take place only in these
confines and in order to maintain an appropriate balance in our cosmic
juggling, we must have the experience of emotion available only in time/space
relationships.
155. The word spiritual
has as a root the word ritual. It can
frequently be seen that a person’s spiritual growth and nature is based upon
the type/form/content of that person’s rituals.
156. If a person is a Sunday-morning-church-worshipper, the
rituals of that church will be a source for spiritual growth (if the spirit can
be said to “grow”); and far more so than the “message” of the minister. But
what will surprise people is that the daily rituals that we perform (bathing,
shaving, morning cup of coffee, glass of wine with dinner, nightcap, etc.) are
more profoundly influential to our spiritual development than the act of
Eucharist.
157. The ritual is the means of engaging the spirit.
158. The spirit is engaged (as in put in gear) with the
universal conscious (god, goddess, etc.). It is, then, the source of motive
power for life (13-16). That motive power provides us with means for living
within our physical limitations—or beyond them.
159. To ask if one believes in the spirit (universal
conscious, god, goddess, etc.) is much like asking if he or she believes in
stones. You may build with them, throw them, carve them, shape them, break
them, or ignore them. They are not a subject for belief. That is irrelevant.
160. In the same way, the spirit may be bent, shaped, built
with, etc.—used—or ignored. But it is not of the realm of belief. Religion, on
the other hand, is a system of beliefs and is irrelevant to the spirit.
Editor’s Note: As noted in the previous ten, the first four
verses above are part of the “brown” section of the second hundred. Wesley’s
experience, falling outside the norm of humanity, left him constantly
struggling to affirm his sanity—sometimes successfully. The latter six verses,
returning to his standard black fountain pen, contain Wesley’s most vehement
indictment of “religion” as “irrelevant to the spirit.”
This is my favorite one yet. Thanks, Wesley.
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