Spirituality
The things and events of time and space... the stuff that's surrounding you now, your memory of recent events, all simply reveal where you've been, not where you're headed.
My own spiritual beliefs are not so much beliefs and more a strong pull in one direction, that direction is reincarnation. I have a deep internal pleading to explore this more and so I have for some years done research on the topic. One of the ideas that I have adopted is the idea of young and old souls.
Awareness of soul age can be abused. It is easy for some people to look down on the younger soul ages and deem them to be of less value than someone of a mature or old soul age. However that is not true and people doing this are often younger mature souls who have developed enough awareness to know that the possibility of a soul age exists but not enough awareness to know that every stage of learning and development is significant. It is worthwhile understanding soul age simply because it makes sense that people are at different stages of development through lifetimes in the same way that they are at different stages of development in one life. If we know that someone is a child then we can appreciate why that person is behaving in a particular way and it is easier to understand them instead of judge them.
I avoid putting people into neat groupings and I do not try to label everybody or guess there soul age but when someone is obviously acting in a way that tells me that they are a younger soul I have far more empathy and understanding for there actions. I am more likely to talk to them and try and understand them, or help them learn a different way than I am to sit and judge pretending I am above them.
Brief run down of souls and soul age
There are 5 stages,
Infant soul age – not unlike infants or children, they do not no much about life because they are in the first stages of spiritual development. There needs and drives tend to be primitive and elementary and they are in desperate need of guidance. It is likely that they only make up about 1 percent of the population and often there is a certain innocence about them that lasts a lifetime. They are rarely interested in the meaning of life or they will simply adopt the views of those around them without giving much thought. They are gullible and do not have enough depth of personality to recognize a silly idea or suggestion, this can leave them susceptible to outlandish absurd beliefs or ideas. This does not mean they are intellectually defiant. They may be university graduates. It is there perceptions and awareness that defines them as infant. An appropriate motto for the Infant soul is, "Let's not do it". They do not know how to confront the world effectively. They view sexuality and sex in an animalistic way, not really getting any deeper as an older soul may do.
Baby soul – Baby souls are more advanced than infant souls. In my opinion this would be better named child/teenage soul age. They are no longer like children but there is still a lacking of understanding of the world around them and can often develop a teenage no it all attitude. They borrow simple concepts of right and wrong from the rules of society, or better yet, what they perceive to be the laws of God, and then stick doggedly to them all their lives. Baby souls tend to avoid eye contact with others — or any other kind of contact. They do not feel comfortable with physical closeness, affection, and honest sexuality. Baby souls cannot easily deal with conduct outside their own narrow channel. Baby souls tend to follow the “moral majority” and do not feel comfortable confronting social norms or being different. If they could they would impose there strict narrow world view on others who do live in there limited comfort zone. Baby souls most likely comprise of around 22percent of the population. Baby souls expect others to be like them, and are surprised and bewildered when this proves to be incorrect. They do not know how to deal with the differences in other people.
Young soul - Young souls are at the height of vigor with respect to material pursuits. There are more Young souls in this nation and on this planet than any other soul Age. Between 40 and 45 percent of the population are Young souls. Young souls have somewhat of a hang-up about normalcy. They want very much to be considered normal themselves, and they want everybody else to be what they consider normal. They tend to adhere to all social institutions and cultural norms, such as marriage, religion, law, politics, education, and family. Young souls find it distressing when Child souls or Old souls do not follow society's rules. Young souls still have fairly simple perceptions about life. They rarely get introspective enough about themselves to question their motivations. Since they value material success so much, they usually ignore emotional, psychological, and spiritual considerations within and without themselves. The great majority of television shows are produced by Young souls for Young soul consumption, paid for by Young soul advertisers. The "soap opera" is Young soul entertainment fare.
Mature Soul - Like people in the fifth and sixth decades of life, much of their experience is behind them. That is, they have subconscious access to depths of experience not present in younger souls. Consequently, their perceptions are fairly advanced. Rather than look forward and outward like younger souls, they look backward and inward. They constantly evaluate whether their life goals are being achieved, and what they would do differently if they could start again. They have a strong tendency to be introspective. This incessant self-evaluation can lead to psychological difficulties. Mature souls are in a searching mode all their lives. There is an itch to "find themselves" and "express themselves". Personal fulfillment is their constant quest. This they never quite achieve to their own satisfaction. The problem is that Mature souls are complex — the most complex of the entire cycle. There is so much going on in their psyches which other people cannot fathom, and they themselves do not understand. The Mature soul age is the most challenging of the Ages. Mature souls are agitated, sensitive, and touchy. They are working through emotional blocks. They are the most likely of the ages to need and seek psychological counseling for their emotional difficulties. The majority of people who go to psychologists for counseling are Mature souls, and the majority of psychologists are themselves Mature souls — and they probably have a lot of psychological churning that they themselves are working through. Mature souls are psychologically attuned to other people enough that they empathetically experience other people as they experience themselves. This is not true of people in the younger Ages. As a result of this intuitive perception, Mature souls are touchy about who they deal with. They are easily upset by the "vibrations" of people that they are not in harmony with. If there are uncomfortable feelings with another, they will likely leave if they do not feel some obligation to stay. It is unusual for a person younger than Mature to experience true love for the mate. Mature souls want someone to whom they can relate meaningfully, rather than just someone to fulfill the stereotypical role of a mate ordained by Young-soul society. Mature souls are the avant-garde of society. It is they who make the genuinely novel contributions to the advancement of culture. They are the inspired visionaries. Whatever field of endeavor you might name — whether scientific, religious, political, technological, artistic, philosophical, humanitarian, or economic — it is the mature souls who are in the forefront, at the leading edge, on the frontiers. Mature souls often campaign for reforms in society.
Old Souls - They have access through the subconscious to a great wealth of experience. Often they become teachers to pass this knowledge and wisdom on, but to a limited number of students — there is little desire or effort to release their understanding into the world in general. In fact, in the last Levels, some Old souls can be so world-weary that they are ready to just lay down and die. Like a person in the last decade of life, the Old soul is "winding down" so to speak, or "in retirement", preparing for death, settling the estate, and tying up loose ends. In terms of the theory of reincarnation, the Old soul is clearing the way for the final break with the physical plane. It is rare for an Old soul to make a great contribution to society or culture. The reason for this is that they have largely given up on the world. It just does not seem worth the trouble to spend a lot of energy for things that do not last. They are a rare breed, comprising about eleven percent of the population. They generally shun heavy entanglements with other people. When they do get involved, it is because there is a strong spiritual bond. By this is meant that either there is a karmic attachment (past-life association). It is difficult for Old souls to weld unions with people that they have not been together with in numerous past lifetimes. Old souls have very few psychological problems to deal with. Presumably, these have been worked through in previous lifetimes. Their subconscious access to depths of experience means that there is very little they do not understand about what is going on, both out in the world and within themselves. But Old souls do have one significant problem, and that is that they are subject to psychological depression. The reason for this is that, to them, life seems heavy and boring — "life is a drag". They perceive that it is all a game, a contrived situation, and they no longer want to play the game. They feel like they have seen it all, so what is there left to live for? But most Old souls do come around to the understanding of reincarnation at some time in their lives, even in countries where this is not taught as a dogma. It is possible for a person at any age and Level to have an appreciation of this metaphysical tenant. To most Old souls it seems intuitively obvious. This is one of the perceptions that are inherent by reason of the depth of contact with the subconscious present in the Old soul. Because of their advanced perceptions, Old souls are inherently ethical in behavior, feeling, and thought. They do not have to be taught right and wrong by parents or society. There is some socializing to be done when they are children of course, but the programming for decency, honesty, and integrity is inborn. It is as if they are grown-up even when they are children. They always feel like they are older than their chronological age. What the Old soul seeks in romantic relationships is a "soul mate" — someone to whom he relates on a soul level. This might be someone else with whom he has spent many lifetimes, or another soul in his own Entity. The drive for this is so strong that it could be described as a compulsion.
I do not believe in a God in the traditional sense. I do not claim to know what will happen to me when I finally reach enlightenment – or die. I just believe that this life is not the only life I have had or will have and that I am on a journey. I do not yet know where that journey is leading me but I am not meant to know these things, when I am ready to know then my path will lead me to that knowledge.
I believe strongly that we are linked to other people through lifetimes and this ties in with the idea of a soul mate, or soul mates. There are a few people in my life that I relate to on this level. It is possible that we make agreements with people before this lifetime begins to be a part of each others journeys and there are people that we will have relationships with on many different levels through many lifetimes. This ties in with my relationship model of polyamory because by opening myself up to be loved intimately by more than one partner at a time I am allowing myself the opportunity to experience more. Life is about experiences more than anything else. Many people assume it’s about finding happiness but happiness is just one state of mind. Currently I am happy on many levels and dissatisfied in others. If I was not aware of what goes on under my own subconscious then I may believe myself to be happy and neglect striving for more understanding. As it stands I can see clearly the things I do have in my life to be thankful for and I can see where I need to work to resolve my own issues. My goal is to grow and fully experience the good and the bad.
We must go through many different experiences through many different lifetimes and not all experiences are enjoyable. The difficult and times of utter despair are just as important as the times of contentment and happiness. I believe we have some choice in what will happen in each lifetime and this is a useful way to look at life because it means I am less likely to blame other people for my problems. The times that I have felt that what is happening is too me is unfair I remind myself that I chose this path for this lifetime and that my inner self knows that I have the strength to deal with these things. Some lifetimes are harder than others but in the end if I believe in Karma eventually it will balance out.
I read a book a few years ago that gave a list of basic guidelines to live by and I have written these guidelines in my diary every year since. They are not always easy to follow and I fall short a lot. I am still only 26 years old and I have not yet mastered my emotions but these are the things that I strive to do;· Always look for the gift in adversity
· Never indulge in self pity
· Never blame anyone else for your problems
· Cultivate an attitude of gratitude
· Do not judge your condition or that of others
· Avoid sentimentality
· Recognize that disease is not a punishment
· Seek opportunities to serve
· Learn to regard death as healing
(I cannot remember what this book was called it was lent to be a few years ago and I really wish I had bought myself a copy so if anyone can tell me the author please do let me know)
I have a long way to go on my own spiritual path but I find the entire subject fascinating. I am sure of very little except that I do not wish to be part of any organized religion with rules that go against what feels right for me. More than anything I believe that people should listen more to there intuition. My life and views are not static I rarely stick to one thing because I am always challenging myself. The things I am exploring and passionate about now I may have moved past them by the time I am 30 but that does not mean that the experiences where any less valuable.
