This essay continues a sequence. Read the previous one here.
Behold the fowls of the air:
for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns;
yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.
Are ye not much better than they?
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
And why take ye thought for raiment?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow;
they toil not, neither do they spin:
And yet I say unto you,
That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven,
shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Therefore take no thought, saying,
What shall we eat? or,
What shall we drink? or,
Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:
for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness;
and all these things shall be added unto you.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow:
for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.
— KJV, Matt 6:26-34
There is a level of being higher than thought...
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In Part 1 of this essay we explored how the unconscious naturalness of non-human species allows the Laws of Creation to support their development.
We explained that naturalness for the human being is to consciously listen to and act according to the dictates of his inner voice i.e. that take no thought calls for present-moment spiritualised focus.
In Part 2 we contrasted that with the norms of our unnatural civilisation, which does not deliver the universal peace and harmony that it is supposedly designed for.
The Proof Is In The Doing
Since it is so foreign to us, “take no thought” takes practice and sacrifice. Creation does not reward us with blessings the moment we start trying to listen to our inner voice, as if all our existing bad habits and the harvests from our old bad seeds will suddenly disappear.
But if we commit ourselves to it, the resulting experiences will mature us (ref. “Act To Experience To Know“). We shall also gradually secure forgiveness for past misdeeds (ref. “Judging You, Judging Me“).
Is This About Meditation, Etc?
Now, the present-moment spiritualised focus that The Word demands is not the “present-moment awareness” that is the object of popular practices like mindfulness, emotional awareness, self-enquiry, deep listening, etc.
These and similar practices take the human brain and body as their starting point, and explore thoughts, feelings, sensations, emotions, etc. in a bid to provide “spiritual” insight. But these are actually material realities, and the spiritual volition resides completely outside. It can manifest in these expressions (ref. “Creating Is Perpetual“), but it cannot be “investigated” via the “dust” of the material.
Whatever insights the individual gains may be useful to him, but they are not deeply spiritual.
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We cannot meditate, brainstorm, or research our way to the “take no thought” demanded by The Word – it requires activating the spirit right from the very beginning.
Finding The Inner Voice
But seek ye first the kingdom of God
Our inner voice is “discovered” through selfless love, as severally discussed (ref. “Love: A Certified Spiritual Seed“, et al.).
The Kingdom of God is both a spiritual reality (Paradise) and a concept (a state of collective human perfection). The only tool we have to seek it (i.e. to strive to align with it) is our inner voice.
So, seek ye first the kingdom of God is an Instruction to connect with our spirit/our inner voice/our sense of perfection/selfless love before we take any action (note: thinking and speaking are included in act-ing).
This connection lets us perceive what is right in every situation, which is often different from the dictates of our brain and popular opinion, and more far-sighted.
Our spirit naturally inclines towards perfection (ref. “Perfection Can’t Be Illogical“), which is inseparable from the Laws of Creation. Our spiritual sensing must overcome the baser influences that prompt most of our imperfect behaviour (e.g. distrust, selfishness, ego).
…and his righteousness;
True righteousness means acting out of pure love (ref. “Blessed Are They That Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness“). It is not enough to perceive what is right – we must act accordingly. It is the act-ing that causes the experiences that provide spiritual insight (ref. “Act To Experience To Know“).
Change Begins With Me
The earthly manifestation of the Kingdom of God requires the cooperation of human beings. It is built brick by brick from loving decisions taken by individuals who are spiritually alive to the present moment. The fruits of these micro-decisions unite through the Law of Attraction (ref. “Law of Attraction: Pseudoscience or Fact?“), coalesce into a new way of thinking, stimulate new social norms (ref. “Blessed Are They That Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness“), and gradually give rise to a new and healthy human civilisation.
In such a world, take no thought will be a basic norm of civilised behaviour, and the intellect will be a faithful servant of the spirit.
The extent to which we carry out the dictates of our inner voice every waking moment determines the quality of our contributions to the Kingdom, our affinity with it, and whether we have a place in it.
Today’s Resolution:
- The present is all there is. Let us be the best we can be here and now.
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