We can feel soulful...without a soul

I enjoy feeling spiritual. But I don't believe in spirit any more.

I know what it's like to be soulful. But I don't believe in soul any more.

I like to talk to God. But I don't believe in God any more.

I'm not crazy. Nor at odds with myself. Nor out of touch with reality. I'm just a normal human being, living a normal human life. 

As noted in my previous post, the brains of Homo sapiens' have come up with all kinds of amazing concepts. We are creative thinkers. Unlike other mammals (so far as is known), people can come up with ideas about abstractions that don't exist in the same way tangible stuff like trees, rocks, and water do.

So "spiritual," "soulful," and "God" are meaningful notions, even if those words don't point to anything objectively real.

Being spiritual can mean a commitment to experiencing life as deeply as possible.

Being soulful, much the same -- throwing oneself into living with abandon, intensely feeling, sensing, communicating, loving.

Being a God-talker doesn't require a divinity who listens, just a desire to express one's awe at the cosmic mysteries lying beyond our understanding.

Us agnostics, atheists, and who-the-hell-knows'ists can enjoy the tasty frosting of religion's belief-cake without gobbling down entire unhealthy dogma slices. There's no reason to divorce ourselves from any and all cultural influences which emanate from religious origins.

(As if we could.)

Like most children, I was taught to say prayers before I went to bed. My mother didn't believe in God, but apparently she believed it was good to act as if you did. At times, at least.

So I remember "Our father who art in heaven...," "If I die before I wake...," and a few snippets of other prayers. Once in a while I still like to get down on my knees before I climb into bed. For old times sake.

I talk to God. I don't believe God hears me. I don't believe God exists. 

But I feel awesome awe when I ponder unfathomable mysteries. Existence, existing. Evolution, evolving. Life, living. 

I have no idea how or why the universe banged itself into being some 14 billion years ago. No one does. Neither do I know whether "how" and "why" are anything more than meaningless human concepts when applied to the existence of everything.

Much of the time I go about my life routinely, doing what needs to be done, experiencing what comes along. 

Yet, like everyone else, I have my moments. Moments when the veneer of life's ordinariness cracks a bit, offering up a peek into... who can say? I sure can't. It just feels like More. More what? I'm clueless.

That's when words like spiritual, soulful, and God come in handy. They don't really express what I'm feeling, but when I use them, I'm able to communicate something of an inner sensation that otherwise couldn't be communicated at all.

Yes, almost certainly I'm talking to myself when I talk to God spiritually and soulfully. But, hey, I enjoy chatting in this way now and then. No harm in that.

(Check out my "An atheist meditation that pleases God.")

Comments

[Skeptic]

I agree. And I think we disrespect the power of the brain and the mind when we attribute the mysteries and magic we experience to God. More and more research demonstrates the power of the mind to heal ourselves and the power of the placebo effect. This incredible power leaves me in a wonderous sense of awe that wouldn't feel if I believed these miricles were caused by some external being.

[777]

Brian said ;
But I don't believe in God any more.

After my explanation that it is 100% NOT
possible that you exist
so, you don't exist

you didn't react, . .
others only did some low IQ name calling

I can try to explain with other words ?

777

[Brian Hines]

777, I think what you mean by "name calling" is that other commenters point out that you never give any reasons or evidence for what you say. Mostly you just repeat Sant Mat dogma, like the devoted religious person that you are.

I'd appreciate it if you'd start commenting on the content of a blog post, and not simply "preaching." That gets tiresome, especially since this blog is aimed at people who are tired of preaching. They've been there and done that.

You must be getting something out of reading these churchless posts, or you'd be spending your time in meditation, or whatever, rather than exposing yourself to non-religious ideas. That's great. The more you open yourself to fresh ways of looking at the world, the better the chance you'll realize what reality is all about.

However, repeated preachy comments show me that you're still locked into old ways of thinking. I understand: it's hard to break out of habitual patterns. That's how the mind works. You believe what you believe, and you can't believe there is any other way of understanding reality.

Believe me, there is. I'd even call it genuine "spirituality." One day, perhaps, you will get a glimpse of it.

[tAo]

Well I am glad that you finally did something about this fellow 777 and his stupid and preachy comments. It's been getting tiresome.

His often rather condescending and dogma-laced comments have been ever so boring and tedious for months now. His comments are also sometimes difficlt to decipher due to his inability to write intelligible standard english composition.

For awhile I've been wondering why no one has objected to his dogmatic preachiness, and his conceit and hubris. I suppose that perhaps folks were simply ignoring 777's comments, like I've been doing for quite sometime.

It's quite obvious that 777's interest and intention is primarily about being an apologist and an in-your-face promoter of Mr Gurinder Singh and his (snicker) supposed holiness and divinity, of his predecessor Charan Singh, and for the RS Beas cult in general.

I find his prechiness and condescension and 'know-it-all' attitude to be rather annoying and even downright disgusting.

There is also another fellow who is perhaps a bit similar to 777, who goes by the name of Juan. This guy is also always promoting "Don Gurinder Singh", Charan Singh, and the RS guru-cult and guru-divinity myth as well.

Why are these people even here? They are not here because they are interested in the articles posted here.

If the readers of this blog were desirous of RS satsang or reading/hearing RS dogma, then they would simply go attend an official RS satsang meeting, or read a a book of RS techings.

But the readers of this blog are NOT interested in having RS dogma preached to them... they are interested in the information, the articles and the meaningful subject matter that Brian, the author of this blog, presents and publishes here.

Its high time for these people to go elsewhere and find some other blog or message board or venue that is more suitable to ply their religious dogma.

[Moongoes]

I was there at the beginning with opposing 777 but i am finding in life the less i talk the more i do works for me better.,I came to a point in life where i don't fell the need of telling other people how many asanas i do how many push ups i do or ,meditation,or anything elese if i am not asked than i don't talk.I am now thankfull to life for life.
Salute
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEp8yJPjedU

[the9thGate]

That was a nice and much needed post Brian. Thank you.

[777]

-
There is this wonderful sweet tiny sweet musical tone, tangeble audible,

behind our forehead that all people of compassion can hear !

It is your Soul
Listen and She brings you upstream
to where y'r referring to

It was always there without our attention
but it will become a sweet hurrican
bigger than all galaxies

Then y"ll feel the love

<3

ps
and death is no more ! - a real win win situation

Brian
Alsmost no scriptures talk
as you asked : Only private experience

Tao?
How many languages do you speak dear Tao ?

[Gaz]

Brian,

777's comments are eyesore, if his/hers comments keep on continuing you're going to have 0 traffic to your site.
I know 777 doesn't approve of me because of that turn I made against RS back in December 2012.

[Brian Hines]

Gaz, don't worry. I gave 777 a last gasp comment. If the preachiness continues, his/her comments won't be published. I'll put up a post soon that explains how I feel about religious people preaching in a forum like this.

[the9thGate]

Regarding the 777 situation:- every Superman needs a Lex Luthor. Every Batman needs a Joker. Every Sunny needs a Cher.

[Sandra]

Interesting to observe the behaviour of 777
and other religious (better: brainwashed) people
(I have some of them in my immediate proximity).
They don’t move one millimetre from their way of seeing and thinking.
Is it possible that they really aren’t able to see the obvious?
How can somebody’s mind be blocked like that?
Even though 777 has the very best possibilities here on this blog,
to think over his perceptions
and develop a new view,
but no, it’s as if he is wearing blinders.