Light is essential. Light is energy. Energy is the capacity to do…. Without light, without energy, there is no “doing.” Life can and does exist without light, particularly in deep oceans, caves and underground. Such organisms use chemosynthesis to get energy by oxidizing chemical compounds.
Considering the vital nature of light for doing, it is important to know that just in our solar system that:
At the outset, let me state that this is an exploration and not propounding any specific premise. Neither is this Ancient Wisdom series an academic or unquestionably accurate series of articles. These articles ARE reasonable for consideration, pondering, and meditation.
With this in mind let’s start at the beginning. I asked our modern AI “what is the oldest faith in the world?” It pointed me to Hinduism with “written texts dating back some 3,000 years”, according to Britannica.com. Yet when I asked “How long have modern humans been on the earth?” The response is “Homo sapiens have been on Earth for approximately 300,000 years.” It further notes that complex tool use and “behavioral modernity” emerged between 50,000 and 65,000 years ago.
So then, what was the faith of humanity for the 45,000-plus years before the first written texts concerning faith were generated. We may never be certain, but in the DSU article Insights to Humanity’s “Nature Religions” we may gain some insights. The genetic history of the people reported in this article extends back some 40,000 years. For the details, I recommend the article linked above, but allow me to summarize what I believe some of the earliest human faiths incorporated.
The word Divine is derived from deity, which is derived from Deus.
The PIE *de means “in the direction of.” The word us, or eus, is from a Greek word indicating “good”, originally from *es meaning “to be”. Thus the word de-(e)us, is the word for god. It indicates “in the direction of good.”
The word Deus indicates “in the direction (of being) good”. What is good?
Elders serve as vital knowledge-keepers, community leaders, and teachers who pass on traditional teachings and values often playing significant roles in spiritual practices and community decision-making.
Elders are repositories of a community's history, traditions, spirituality, and practical knowledge providing guidance on important community decisions, serving as spiritual and moral leaders, embodying traditional principles and living by example.
A website is a collection of webpages that are accessed with a single domain name or URL. It includes all of the individual pages, multimedia details and files stored on a web server.
A blog focuses on informing and engaging readers through articles and comments, whereas a website is typically structured around transactions or providing foundational information about a business or organization.
Divine love is more than just a fleeting emotional feeling or romantic inclination. It's a deep, abiding commitment rooted in Divine character, emphasizing action, sacrifice, and loyalty.
Spiritual Love is unconditional; this selfless, sacrificial love is given freely without expecting anything in return.
Brotherly affection, often referred to as "brotherly love", is a deep, familial love and affection that should exist among those who are of the family of the Divine.
It is feeling such a love and respect for others that one considers almost everyone a "part of the family." It's a reflection of Divine love and is characterized by compassion, care, and mutual support, mirroring the natural bond between siblings.
Godliness refers to a life that is pleasing to God, to the Divine.
The Divine has standards characterized by a commitment to living according to divine wisdom and with reverence. It involves both an inward devotion and an outward expression of that devotion through righteous behavior.
Essentially, godliness is about being like the divine in thoughts, feelings, desires, and actions; a mighty tall order for mere humans.
Spiritual self-endurance, often discussed alongside perseverance and patience, refers to the ability to withstand trials, hardships, and temptations while maintaining faith and integrity.
It's about remaining steadfast in one's commitment to the divine and divine teachings through difficult circumstances. Spiritual endurance is not merely enduring hardship.
This characteristic helps spiritually faithful to resist temptation and avoid harmful behaviors. It involves making conscious choices to align one's behavior with the divine's character. It extends to thoughts, feelings, and internal states.
Have
you ever wondered what allows us/humanity to come alive?
What if.... all the answers we could ever want were right here within our awareness? How might this be possible?
As I desired to know more.... I have been guided to understand and interact with the “unseen” world. First.... through metaphysical books and spiritual authors/teachers and then through studies of mediumship (communicating between the seen and unseen worlds). I have discovered through personal experience that there are many things that are not visible to our human eyes.
It's not merely conscious awareness, but also an experiential spiritual application of truth in daily life. This knowledge is often gained through personal experiences, meditation and prayer, and studying wisdom literature, history and scripture. It involves discernment, perception, and the ability to apply truth to life situations. For instance, knowing that a tomato is a fruit is knowledge, but wisdom dictates not putting it in a fruit salad. True knowledge involves understanding what to do with information.
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What now? As we look around.... listen carefully.... and become aware of a deeper realm within us that calls us to forgive ourselves and others, decide a new direction, and choose methods, concepts, and skills that promote and perpetuate a healthy foundation built on Integrity, Truth, and Divine Love.
Goodness is a core attribute of the divine, reflecting a character of love, kindness, and generosity. But spiritual goodness goes beyond simply feel good emotions or presenting an image of goodness to the world; it involves actively choosing and doing what is right, both in terms of behavior and character.
Using AI, the following spiritual definitions and characteristics are explained and expounded for your consideration.
All eight characteristics will be shared over the coming weeks and will be linked together for your reference.
