01 August, 2015

Our Long Journey with Mystery-Conclusion

Our Long Journey with Mystery
Summary on our Six Faith Traditions


Our duty as men and women is to proceed as if the limits to our ability did not exist. We are collaborators in Creation’  Pierre Teilhard de Chardin


This is the last  in a series of personal reflections on Spirituality and Religion. They have looked at six of the world’s major Faith Traditions and set out to  chart the  important part  that spirituality has played in our human story and our long journey, over hundreds of thousands of years, in search of the Mystery that lies at the heart of creation. In this search, we have looked through the 'lens' of  six Faith Traditions; three from the Eastern Tradition (Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism)  and three from the Western Tradition (Judaism, Christianity and Islam). 

All six  Faith Traditions have arisen in the past 5 or 6 millennia and are , in a sense, different cultural and historical  attempts to understand, explain and express the Mystery that is beyond all religions. Each tries to shine a light on the Mystery or Absolute Reality  that existed before time began and  is a Reality that is experienced   as both  Immanent and Transcendent.  

All six  Faith Traditions acknowledge this Immanence and Transcendence  but arguably the East focuses more on the Immanent nature and the West emphasises the Transcendent Nature of God.   These aspects are neither  an either-or  distinction  nor  an assertion  that one is better than the other. Such false distinctions are totally man made and can, if not challenged, lead us to design a God made in our own image.  

Buddhism and Daoism advise us about using our understanding  'to tie God down' and remind us that ;' The finger that points at the moon is not the moon'.  All Religions merely attempt to express the inexpressible nature of God. Each tries to 'highlight' aspects of the God , Mystery or Absolute Reality that have been experienced and thus can prove to be very helpful. The Mystery is way beyond our human understanding but the Faith Traditions, and their collected universal spiritual inheritance, can be a useful and helpful support on our journey back to the Source ,  the Mystery of all life.

Throughout our long journey, humanity has always pondered some deep questions, such as  : Who made all this? - Who am I ?  What is the purpose of life ?  and many others. The mystics and sages, of all Traditions, have advised us to seek the answers to these questions at a deeper level.  This is a level beyond mere human senses and intellectual knowing. It is one that requires us to be open to the Presence and the Grace of the Indwelling Mystery. Those who have experienced God at this level, suggest that  there is a deeper Mystery at the heart, or root, of all creation and that it is wise  to journey inwards in search of this Mystery . If we do, then our human family will find a more authentic, safe and surer, peaceful and more joyful  evolutionary path. 

For Mystics this  is a path that leads towards union with both  the Mystery and each other. It can provide us with a way out of the  many current crises that threaten us, our planet and our soul.  One of the root problems  is that  we have lost sight of the  underlying unity and oneness of our one human family . We share the same Source and live, in this  body psyche,  on our small  planet Earth.  This sense of unity and oneness is found at the heart of  all  Faith Traditions.  Perhaps this  is best expressed by the following quote from the Hindu Vedas - the Isa Upanishad 

  ' The one who sees all beings in his own Self, and his own Self in all beings,  loses all fear. When a wise one sees this Great Unity and his own Self has become all beings. What delusion and what sorrow can ever be near him?'. 

This sense of oneness is echoed by St Paul , a Christian Mystic in Galatians.

 'There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.' 

The great Faith Traditions have so much in common. We are not in competition with each other. False competition leads us down the path of discord, disunity and conflict . We are created for co-operation not competition by the Unity that unites and enfolds all Creation. This Unity is the Great Mystery, or  Great Spirit of the Aboriginal peoples , that the Mystics and Sages have shown us. Their path  leads inwards. This is an ancient path of contemplation that people of all faiths and none can safely follow. However, it is a path  that requires  courage, patience, wisdom and , above all, grace which is a free gift from God .

I would like to end these reflections with a blessing from the Celtic Christian tradition, a tradition that underpins my personal journey of Faith. Celtic Christianity shares much with both Hinduism and Buddhism, it sees and senses God's Presence in every situation. This is a prayer for 'New Beginnings' and is adapted from John O Donohue's  book ' Benedictus

New Beginnings - A Blessing 

'In out of the way places of the heart. 
Where your thoughts never think to wander.' 
This beginning has been quietly forming. 
Waiting until you are ready to emerge....    
Awaken your spirit to adventure; 
hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk; 
Soon you will be home in a new rhythm. 
For your soul senses the world that awaits you'.    


 As Jesus says :  'On that day, you will know that you are in me and I am in you'  . John 14:20.


Our human family stands  on the threshold of a new beginning and the Faith Traditions have so much wisdom to offer us which essentially is:

Be still and know that I am God the Mystery  (Psalm 46:10)

Peter Creagh