Enigmas of the Spiritual Life

There are a lot of things that can be said about spirituality and how it might or might not guide us through life. But here are some seeming paradoxes that might serve as guides into a deeper and fuller encounter with transcendent realities. I offer them here to be pondered . . .

• You will never again be the people you previously were, neither can you fully anticipate the people you will become, yet the person you fundamentally are will always stay the same.
• The person you are is a gateway to the infinite, but to get there you must daily confront your limitations.
• Bringing the infinite to bear on your limitations is a tried and true way of becoming more yourself.
• Encountering the infinite will never eliminate your limitations, but it will reveal how your limitations can be gifts received by yourself and others.
• In relation to the infinite, limitation itself is a gift because it allows the infinite to be encountered in finite forms.
• All finite entities convey the infinite, if only we have the awareness to perceive it.
• Reality is often a matter of perception, because the realities we perceive are the realities we experience.
• To experience reality’s truth we must hone and refine our capacities for perception.
• Truth always transcends perception–this is why the work of change and transformation will never be complete in this life.
• Because of all this, you will never again be the people you previously were, neither can you fully anticipate the people you will become, yet the person you fundamentally are will always stay the same.

Disclaimer: The advice and suggestions offered on this site are not substitutes for consultation with qualified mental or spiritual health professionals. The perspectives offered here are those of the author, not of those professionals with whom readers might have relationships as clients or patients. In crisis situations, readers are encouraged to contact these professionals for appropriate support and treatment if needed.