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My spiritual orientation has been most influenced
by the New Thought movement, which originated
in the mid-1800s, as I explain in Chapter Three -
New Thought Positive Spirituality Yesterday and
Today, of my book available free of charge on this
blog.
New Thought owes its existence to the American
Transcendentalist Movement, sparked by
the genius of Ralph Waldo Emerson - following
the philosophical lead of Kant, Emerson strived
to construct a fresh and innovative philosophy for
the newly democratic America that was unfolding:
emphasizing the divine in nature: the value of the
individual and of human intuition; focusing on
a spiritual reality that “transcends” sensory
experience, providing a better moral and life
guide than purely empirical, logical reasoning;
or the existing alternatives - faith-based or
otherwise.
Emerson argued that the divine is in each of us,
a soul-based connection expressing divine guidance
through our intuition, and this intuition provided
direction as to how, individually, we should best
live our lives. Not a new idea, but surely a very
radical idea for the 1800s in colonial America.
In this effort, Emerson was joined by a collection
of the preeminent thinkers of his time, who formed
the Transcendental Club; published the most
forward-thinking and popular journal in America,
The Dial, as they, individually and as a group;
fueled the social change efforts to reform religion;
abolish slavery; push for women’s rights; provide
for more effective education, and even experiment
with new communal ways of living, such as Fruitland.
These early innovators included Henry David Thoreau,
Margaret Fuller, Dr. William Ellery Channing, Amos
Bronson Alcott, Theodore Parker, Frederick Douglas,
and later, Louisa May Alcott, Elizabeth Peabody,
and Walt Whitman.
I review all of this to help put in perspective
the guidance I share, to remind readers
why I use an intuitive style of “listening”
for the still small voice-based in a practice
of meditation, and to encourage others
to experiment using this technique
for recording their own spiritual
experience and guidance.
I consider my approach intuitive, because
as long as the guidance I receive is positive,
I record it word for word without editing.
Occasionally, I try to direct the topic, as I did
on the day in September when I asked for
a sign that I was still headed in the right
direction.
Below is the response, which I have titled, The Sign.
In this brief passage, I receive a response to my
question, and although I am not given a sign,
instead told to look for a sign, by focusing on the
dots rather than the whole picture along with
looking into the harmony linking what is.
So you may assume, I have not as of yet uncovered
the sign, since I am not noting any direct revelation,
but, as is my practice, I will continue peering
until I do.
Thank you for reading.
THE SIGN
Waiting near is a sign of our commitment,
the source of our enduring partnership
in this existence, look beyond the obvious,
the commonplace, through the expectations,
the tried and true, into the harmony linking
what is, the backdrop providing the reality
screen, the appearance of tangible existence
with your consciousness, know what is isn’t,
it is an appearance, seek the dots that create
the picture, each dot the basis of all existence,
the brick, the building block of what appears
permanent, solid, impenetrable, a world of dots
aligned for a purpose, with a meaning, a substance,
a mission. Peer deeply within and see the sign.
NOE G. 9.12.2014
For those who are interested in a
more in-depth discussion of
Transcendentalism than I cover
in Chapter Three of the book, I
suggest an online visit to the “web
of American Transcendentalism,”
linked on the right-hand sidebar
under Related And Supportive Websites.
WITH LOVE, G.
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