Hi Ramahlbuddha
Welcome to the AYP forums, where you can find accurate information on kundalini, and thanks very much for your comment. I have discovered the field of Transpersonal Psychology in general to be another good resource for accurate k information. But it still takes someone good at research, such as yourself, to get at the essential facts. From my perspective, it is vitally important to have current up-to-date facts derived primarily from contemporary personal accounts. I think many of the Transpersonal Psychologists are drawing from both their own k awakening experience as well as those of their clients. Hope to hear more from you.
love
parvati
COMMUNICATING WITH ONE’S SUBCONSCIOUS AWARENESS
Symbols and Metaphors
It was through online research - attempting to discover more resources for accurate kundalini information - that eventually the field of Transpersonal Psychology was encountered. If it hadn’t been for recently engaging in extensive online research, related to the topic of this OP, I may not have realized the valuable contribution that (primarily Western) psychologists, philosophers, sociologists and therapists are making to the accurate perception of spontaneous kundalini awakening. Throughout the majority of my own k awakening, either I was clueless or the emphasis has been on making sense of the experience via Eastern oriented religious context. It has been slowly dawning on me that the religious context is no longer necessary. (Usually) helpful yes, necessary no.
In light of this newly developed understanding, I now see how it may be more beneficial for some individuals to approach their k awakening from a religion-free perspective. With the emphasis on guiding the experience towards healthy authentic personal, emotional and psychological transformation.
It may therefore be both viable and sensible to discuss one’s k awakening in completely non-religious terms. In view of the OP question - How do Christians Deal w/Kundalini Awakening? - it may be helpful to remember that the general discussion may take place on the psychological level, as opposed to bringing in references and concepts sourced in Eastern religions and practices.
Several years ago I came across a basically unknown book that has been simply sitting on my bookshelf unused - in spite of the fact that it is a very valuable resource for understanding subconscious mind dynamics. At this point it will only be mentioned. However time permitting, later there will be more discussion on the book and how it is especially relevant to k awakening.
The subconscious mind, or subconscious awareness, powerfully affects every realm of our lives. To a certain extent, it dominates and controls our lives, although by definition in a hidden way. Once kundalini awakens, we usually achieve greater access to these unconscious reservoirs. The language of the unconscious mind is SYMBOL and METAPHOR. Dream symbols are often very instructive in understanding what is going on in our subconscious awareness. So are metaphors. Any metaphor we spontaneously use to describe our perception, experience or behavior may be analyzed for the symbolically coded information it reveals to us.
The book is by James Lawley and Penny Tompkins.
METAPHORS IN MIND: Transformation Through Symbolic Modelling
love
parvati
Some highlights from Stephen Dinan’s outstanding Consciousness Timeline. Goes up to 1999. For me this was helpful and interesting. So it is being included here b/c others may also find it useful. However it is much more complete, this is only a sample, link below.
1900 … Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams
1912 … Carl Jung, Psychology of the Unconscious
1934 … Carl Jung, Archetypes of the Collective Unconscious
1946 … Paramahansa Yogananda, Autobiography of a Yogi
1957 … P.D. Ouspensky, The Fourth Way
1961 … Thomas Szasz, The Myth of Mental Illness
1965 … R. D. Laing, The Divided Self
1967 … R. D. Laing, The Politics of Experience
1968 … Carlos Casteneda, The Teachings of Don Juan
1969 … Fritz Perls, Gestalt Therapy Verbatim
1971 … Gopi Krishna, Kundalini - The Evolutionary Energy in Man
1973 … Chogyam Trungpa, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism
1975 … Stanislav Grof, Realms of the Human Unconscious
1975 … Thich Nhat Hanh, The Miracle of Mindfulness* (see note below)
1976 … Lee Sanella, Kundalini: Psychosis or Transcendence?
1989 … Deepak Chopra, Quantum Healing
1998 … Stanislav Grof, The Cosmic Game
[*I substituted The Miracle of Mindfulness which wasn’t found in Dinan’s Consciousness Timeline for “1966 Thich Nhat Hanh arrives in U.S…”]
www.enlightenment.com/media/essays/consciousnesstimeline.html
love
parvati
(edit/ typos)
Parvati,
Have you ever thought of writing the book? I have no doubt that you are capable of it 
Hi Jonesboy
My research skills are halfway decent. At least better than writing. Thanks for the comment though 
love
parvati
~ my opinion ~
Admitedly I don’t know much about the Grofs who were instrumental in originating and/or pioneering very important developments in Transpersonal Psychology… which seems to be the primary branch of contemporary psychology dealing with kundalini awakening and other issues of spiritual and psychological transformation/ awakening. Indeed, it appears that transpersonal psychology is all about consciousness evolutiion in terms of higher states of awareness - both psychological and spiritual.
Three Greats in the History of Psychology - since Carl Jung
In addition to the Grofs, there have been three other pioneers in the field of psychology who have made outstanding contributions in terms of consciousness evolution. They have each offered extremely valuable (imo) viewpoints and techniques for understanding UNCONSCIOUS MIND DYNAMICS.
These three are: Fritz Perls, David Grove and Michael Brown. Briefly a summary of each of their approaches.
Fritz Perls originated and developed Gestalt Therapy. Perls was a psychiatrist and genius in deciphering DREAMS as a method of the unconscious mind communicating its structure, secret code and mysterious organizational system to our conscious awareness. Each element in the dream is an outpicturing of something the unconscious mind wants to convey to us. And the language it communicates in… is symbolic. It is in code. The code is the dream symbol, the relationship between the various dream symbols, and what they mean to us humans both personally and collectively. Every detail in our dream is us. By having the dreamer consciously become the dream element, and act out that role, the dream code is broken down so the dreamer can understand it. And therefore utilize the information for the resolution of emotional issues and consciousness evolution.
David Grove was a brilliant therapist who originated Metaphor Therapy. He recognized that we employ metaphorical language and symbolic ideas as code for connecting us into the deepest realms of unconscious thought processes. By paying attention to these METAPHORS, communicating with them, and guiding our awareness through them - we may find our way out of emotional dilemas. We navigate our way along a pathway provided by these symbols. What I learned from Grove is to pay attention to the precision of the language used in representing an emotional issue/ crisis, and delve deeply into what those symbols may mean in terms of resolution. Lawley and Tompkins book Metaphors in Mind is one of the better known books on Metaphor Therapy, but for the layman it is somewhat difficult to understand. Online comments indicate that a background in NLP - neurolinguistic programming - may help in comprehending psychological issues explored in ‘Metaphors in Mind’.
Michael Brown has developed a procedure and authored a book called The Presence Process which is virtually a miraculous tecnnique for effectively cutting through all the tricks and nonsense which the unconscious mind and ego throw up to limit our awareness and lock us into cycles of misery. Imo it is a shortcut to emotional and spiritual transformation. A great tool for consciousness evolution.
Hoping the readers find this information helpful in the navigation of their spiritual paths…
love
parvati
Hello Parvati9
Thanks very much for the information with regard to Transpersonal psychology. I have been reading Carl Jung and you now have provided me with some further reading material to follow. Have you read the ‘Red Book’ by Carl Jung? At first glance this appears to me to be the writings of someone going through a Kundalini experience. He says that it was the insights gained during this time of his life that were used as the basis for his life’s works. I personally have very strong dreams and at times they contain useful symbols for me as well as other people. Since my K experience many of them have been premonitions which early on was almost too much for me to integrate into my day to day life, I was freaking out. They have recently slowed down and become easier to deal with.
Hi Ramahlbuddha
Thanks for your comment. Carl Jung’s Red Book reminds me of a confusing, convoluted and oppressive version of Alice in Wonderland, although the beautiful color illustrations, supposedly by Jung himself, are magnificent. While others may find his work useful in sorting their k awakening, I certainly cannot recommend it. Nevertheless if you are benefitting from the book, perhaps you would expand on how it is helping to put your energetic awakening in perspective.
From my experience, k awakening helps us make peace with the unconscious aspects of our lives, and our life purpose. Through the k awakening, one may gain insight and command of problematic issues that were previously beyond resolution and/or confusing. However one needs a positive or neutral attitude toward the energetic awakening, as well as the purification it entails. Otherwise the experience can become oppressive. There is a learning curve in the attunement and refinement of necessary skills developed in partnering with the divine. It is rather imperative to cultivate patience if one is to successfully integrate a spontaneous k awakening.
love
parvati
Thank you 
Hi Anima Deorum
Your response is also appreciated, thank you.
love
parvati
Now that it has been seen how Christians may occasionally choose to view their k awakening from a secular psychological orientation, it may be advantageous to return to the religious vantage point. It is wise to consider all the available options as well as to be flexible in one’s approach. The psychological viewpoint allows for the establishment of a broader base and the possibility of a more wholesome positive context in which to anchor one’s energetic awakening… Thus effectively removing it from the narrow confines of a more fundamentalist religious perspective.
Nevertheless one’s faith is the number one priority. No matter how one chooses to present the awakening to friends and family, our inward faith must thrive. So we will now move from the secular mode to the faith strengthening mode. As always, this is only my opinion on the matter.
THE FOUR PILLARS
Imo the four pillars of faith are: The Word, the Spirit, the Cross and the Name.
The Word
The Word is both external and internal. It consists of a book whose existence we can verify, as well as being written in our hearts. Spiritually and religiously oriented people are often comforted by having specific doctrines and scriptures on which to rely for support in their beliefs and actions. So three scriptures will be provided as evidence of the fact that God’s word is written inside us, in our hearts and in our minds.
Jeremiah 31:33 (KJV)
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts: and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Hebrews 10:16 (KJV)
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord. I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them.
Romans 2:15 (KJV)
Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts…
God gives us the external word in order to confirm the internal word. For me personally, when people try to force an interpretation of the word that doesn’t resonate, I reject it. The reason it is rejected is because I trust my own heart. And the bible, itself, declares that God’s truth and laws are written in our hearts. It may prove useful to know that.
The bible informs us that the Word constitutes the Sword of the Holy Spirit. It is very helpful to know how to use this sword on one’s behalf.
The Spirit
The Holy Spirit is also called the Spirit of Truth and the Comforter. But more than that, the Holy Spirit is our Advocate, the paraclete who walks alongside us and remains with us in times of trial, crisis and distress. The Paraclete is a Counselor. Now counselor has two meanings and it is the second of these that is perhaps the more significant.
The first meaning of counselor is that of providing guidance, instruction or advice. The second meaning of counselor is Legal Counsel, as in lawyer or attorney in a court of law. The Holy Spirit is our unfathomably powerful defense against the ‘accuser of the brethren’. Until one experiences the power of a k awakening, one hasn’t a clue how powerful the Holy Spirit really is. The Comforter is possibly the most powerful force in the universe. And guess what? He’s on our side and he will remain by our side - no matter what we are up against. Ponder that daily and it will undoubtedly build up your confidence.
You may absolutely depend on the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will never ever let you down or leave your side. And in a k awakening, you receive one-on-one tutoring from this awesome manifestation of the divine. Jesus has told us that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things. At first, some of these things you may not want to learn. But in time you will see the necessity. As the veil of illusion and conditioning collapses, you will begin to understand the world through the divine’s point of view. Which is clarity, love, joy, peace and freedom.
The Cross
The cross has always been a symbol for the intersection of the spiritual and physical planes. Or the place where the divine meets the mundane. But with Jesus’ incarnation, significance of the cross was expanded, amplified and elevated. Not only as a Christian symbol, but as a symbol which theoretically has power over the conterfeit divine. If the cross has power for you, then you should use it on your behalf.
I personally believe in the protective power of the cross. It seems to me that the counterfeit divine is repulsed by the cross. Good. That’s exactly what I want. However, the bottom line is what works for you.
The Name
Arguably the most powerful tool we can use to protect our spiritual path as Christians is The Name of Jesus. How is it that this Name is so powerful against the counterfeit divine? If you have ever been in a bind and had to use His Name to free yourself from the grip of the adversary, you will be acquainted with its power. When I was a drug addict I had to frequently use His Name to break free from temptation. If it works for you, then use it. For me there is nothing in heaven nor on earth that provides strength and comfort like the name of Jesus… with the possible exception of my love for Him.
The reason the counterfeit divine fears the name of Jesus is because the Lord has no doubt and no fear. Rather He is pure righteousness and love. Perfect love casteth out all fear (and doubt). The counterfeit divine may be able to trap us, but it cannot trap the Lord. And when we remain close to the Lord, He covers us so that it is impossible for the adversary to gain influence over us.
In Summary -
The Word, the Spirit, the Cross and the Name have been given to us so that we may be strong in our walk with the Lord. And so that we may stand firm in our faith. For me, it’s all about faith and how to stay strong in that faith. It is hoped that you will consider using the four pillars, along with your intuition, to assist in the successful processing of your kundalini awakening.
love
parvati
~ my opinion ~
We will now consider one of the most helpful scriptures in the entire bible as being beneficial in enabling spiritual grounding and strengthening in a kundalini crisis.
The 23rd Psalm (KJV)
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
Through faith in the Lord, all our spiritual needs are met. We are kept safe from deception both internally and externally. Jesus is the One who alone made a stand against the adversary, and the fallen angels, in order to protect us, his younger brethren from spiritual harm. Jesus restored the Covenant between God and His people. Which had been broken by the deceitful serpent in the Garden of Eden. By trusting in the Lord Jesus, we are enabled to remain free from the snares of the counterfeit divine. In order to remain close to Him, our faith must be strong. This psalm helps tremendously in the building up of our faith. As well as the spiritual grounding of our k awakening.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul.
Lying down on the natural earth is literally the most obvious and effective from of grounding in a k crisis. Imo water works even better to mitigate and manage the fire and heat often generated in a k awakening. Being led beside the still waters means that our inner turmoil is quieted and cooled off. The stillness of the water helps to soothe our discomfort on all levels. We are enabled to become peaceful and serene - even while experiencing immense discomfort. When the psalm says - He restoreth my soul, it means our authenticity is protected and we are kept safe and well on all levels of our being i.e., we are shielded from the adversary. And we are told how to relieve our discomfort by attuning/ abiding with the stillness and silence within each one of us.
He leadeth us in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
It has been discussed at length how powerful the name of Jesus is. Theoretically, if one is liable to think that demons exist, they will either bow or retreat when The Name is invoked. It’s sort of like an antidote for the tricks that the adversary uses to destroy our faith. God is pure righteousness and through being personally tutored by the Holy Spirit in a k awakening, we are instructed in the ways of righteousness. Which are sacred and holy. This psalm makes it obvious to me that David knew all about k awakening. It was Righteousness that reversed the will of the serpent and restored God’s covenant with us.
Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for THOU ART WITH ME. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
The divine remains with us in times of crisis, distress and discomfort. Please remember that, it is vitally important. In the beginning of a k awakening, we may not trust the divine awakening within us. However once the energy is moving, the divine remains. It is not very likely that we will be able to coax kundalini back to sleep once the energy has awakened. We are dealing with the dynamic energy release which results when the divine awakens within us. For Christians the Godhead Trinity is relevant, and in this psalm we are told that the Lord Jesus remains with us in times of distress and crisis. The Father and the Holy Spirit also remain with us during these times. We are disciplined and corrected, as well as supported and encouraged. This is so that we may become free of illusion and false conditioning i.e., our spiritual chains fall away.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup runneth over.
I’m going to pass on giving a detailed interpretation of this scripture except to say that in the bible, OIL is a TYPE of the Holy Spirit. The OIL on our head, PLACED THERE BY THE DIVINE and flowing over - means that our mind becomes the Mind of Christ i.e., spiritual enlightenment, Christ Consciousness. From there one can go further and interpret the passage to mean a great deal more… but that is a personal and sacred journey for each one experiencing k awakening.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the lord forever.
This is a benediction and sealing of the psalm, as well as a promise. The promise is that we belong with the divine, in the arms of the divine, and in the house of the divine i.e., we are safe and secure. It is through our FAITH that this promise is guaranteed.
It is hoped that Christian readers of the thread will find The 23rd Psalm a practical aid for sorting and grounding their kundalini awakening… and for putting the whole experience in perspective.
love
parvati
Just how significant is SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT? Do only some of us get that all important gift from the divine?
… Well here we are on Earth where the rubber meets the road, experiencing what might be referred to - from the evolutionary and spiritual vantage point - as a rather significant transition. Just how much do we want to survive this transition spiritually intact? … by INTACT meaning to remain in possession of our souls. Or that which characterizes each of us as unique and individual facets of the divine manifestation…
How are we supposed to recognize DECEPTION?
According to the Bible, or the way it is normally interpreted, spiritual discernment is a special kind of gift which only some of us receive from Spirit. I don’t believe that at all. Rather I feel that virtually every genuine seeker possesses the gift/ ability/ aptitude of spiritual discernment… albeit it is more highly developed and refined in some and less so in others. It seems to me that most people have this ability, to a certain extent, regardless of their religious/ spiritual inclination and affiliation. Or lack thereof.
However it is vitally important, at this extraordinary time in Earth’s history, to develop and refine whatever spiritual discernment we do have.
Think about it for a minute. What if we can’t tell the difference between truth and falsehood, between right and wrong? How are we supposed to navigate our way through the vicissitudes of life (especially at this critical time) without a compass and map? Discernment IS our compass and map. God would not have left us bereft of these all essential navigational tools. Would He?
Ah… consider this. Who or what benefits from having us believe that only some receive the ability of spiritual discernment? That such discernment is not a common and widespread ability available to most of us? Wouldn’t such a belief significantly disempower us - if we bought into it? Wouldn’t it serve to annihilate our self confidence and increase our confusion?
Fortunately for those with an awakened kundalini, this isn’t a concern. When the opportunity is provided to learn how to dance with the Holy Spirit, it leaves no room for doubt. We perceive that which the Holy Spirit perceives. And the Holy Spirit misses nothing… especially not something as vitally necessary as perceiving/ discerning between the authentic divine and the counterfeit divine.
~ to be continued ~
love
parvati
Hi Parvati,
Could you quote where the bible says that spiritual discernment is a gift that only some of us receive?
Thanks and Happy New Year,
Jeff
Hi Jeff
1 Corinthians 12:1-10
Thanks for the question/comment. Could you please state more explicitly what you mean, as it isn’t clear what your point is. From my experience of several years in various Christian denominations, the usual interpretation is that spiritual discernment is one of the gifts, as is prophecy and speaking in tongues. Obviously we don’t all speak in tongues or have aptitude for prophecy.
I’ve also come across several Christians lamenting the fact that they don’t have the gift of discernment, whereas I felt that they did, that almost everyone has this ability to some extent. And that ability can be skillfully developed through faith. One of the reasons I’ve found it difficult to affiliate myself with Christianity is this tendency to embrace disempowerment as a substitute for true selflessness. Has your experience been otherwise? Wishing you a Happy New Year also.
love
parvati
edit/ typo
Hi Parvati,
I guess I had just been confused with your term of spiritual discernment and the meaning that you had meant in your post. The gift/skill of the Holy Spirit that you have quoted in found in verse 10 and is a very rare and “high level” manifestation of the Spirit.
To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: (1 Corinthians 12:10 KJV)
The “discerning of spirits” is the gift of knowing when a spiritual being is a true agent of God (e.g. Angel or saint and not a negative being). With it often comes the ability of connecting with such higher beings.
But as the gospel goes on to say, we all have different gifts…
But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:11, 12 KJV)
Also, as we have discussed in the past, I would agree that the message of Jesus is often lost in many of the institutionalized forms of Christianity.
Love,
Jeff
~ it’s only my opinion ~
continued from above…
Here’s the problem as I see it. Many people are disenfranchising themselves b/c they’ve forgotten how to listen to their hearts. And since they don’t listen to their hearts, they’ve lost their direction and their purpose. We must follow our hearts. For if we don’t, we lose our way and become vulnerable to spiritual predators - wolves in sheeps clothing. Jesus called these spiritual imposters posing as genuine teachers and leaders - vipers or snakes. Jesus called their bluff and exposed them for what they were and are. He said they serve what I’ve termed “the counterfeit divine”, the demons. The Pharisees haven’t gone anywhere, they’re still with us. Still leading the people astray.
When we’ve forgotten how to follow our hearts, we actually have no way of connecting with Jesus. Our passion is in our hearts. Jesus is in our hearts. Jesus is our passion. But…if we mentally disconnect from our hearts, how are we to have a genuine walk with the Lord? Spiritual treachery is alive and well in the 21st century. Most Christians know that. What they may not know is how they’ve become accustomed to habitually disenfranchising themselves. Through listening to false teachers and/or failing to honor their heart’s longing and its counsel.
Jesus is the Truth. And the truth is not some theological discussion. God lives in our hearts and advises us from there. No one has the authority to over-ride the Jesus that dwells in our hearts. No one.
My experience is of course not everyone’s. However, of the 8 or 10 different denominations I’ve tried and the 3 or 4 with whom I’ve done serious Bible study…all without exception have told me that I must not listen to my heart, that my heart is the source of deception and delusion. Rather I must listen to what they tell me because I have to be trained in order to know what the truth is. One denomination told me I was unteachable. Imagine that. Unteachable.
To me, this is bogus. And those who experience k awakening will learn to separate the truth from the false soon enough. Because the Holy Spirit won’t tolerate us embracing spiritual garbage spewed from the likes of the Pharisees. It’s a cakewalk for the Holy Spirit to cut through the lies. But it’s not easy on us to purify from the delusion. Not easy at all. And the more we fight it, the worse we make it for ourselves.
Most of those willing to discuss their k awakening will admit that it was quite uncomfortable, or worse, at the start. But it gets better. Then it gets even better. And then it gets so good, you can hardly believe how you’ve progressed. Through purification.
Our suffering is transformed into pure delight. Well not all the time, but quite a bit of the time. Truly we are brought out of the darkness and into the light. But it takes time. Lots of time usually. And we have to be patient with the process as it unfolds within us.
The Holy Spirit teaches us all things. No exceptions. We are taught to be resourceful, independent, wise, compassionate and to respect the divine at all times and in all ways. That includes the divine within. For if we don’t, our purification turns into a riptide. Those who have found their way to this thread, I hope you will take advantage of the opportunity to explore these forums. Because you will find ample testimony addressing the nature of this purification. No, it isn’t easy. Yes, it takes time. But as you gradually make the necessary adjustments, your life will become amazing, even miraculous.
The Holy Spirit will show you how to be still, to experience the inner silence, and the peace that passes understanding will reveal itself to you. For most of us, we have to make those adjustments a little at a time. Then maybe take a rest before we engage a little more. Patience is necessary. And we have to relearn all over again how to properly love ourselves, the divine way.
love
parvati
edit/typos
This is why I sometimes don’t know how to reply Jeff. Whereas before you seemed to be challenging my representation of the status quo… Going by the above, you now appear to be in total agreement with the status quo. So it’s not easy to figure out where you’re coming from.
Well no, the Bible doesn’t precisely say “we all have different gifts”, as you’ve assumed. That’s how it has usually been interpreted, according to the status quo. However, we probably do have different combinations of these gifts. I especially do not buy into the disempowering belief that spiritual discernment is “a very rare and ‘high level’ manifestation of the Spirit”, as you claim. And I don’t find that the Bible clearly states this either. It may have been interpreted that way because it disempowers us, making us dependent on the oh-so-wise pastors and elders of the church to discern for us. And they get it wrong a lot, even though they want us following their example of refusing to listen to their own hearts, and thus the divine within.
It’s an extremely serious point of contention.
Nine gifts are mentioned. We may not all be prophets or wise or knowledgeable. Nor are we all healers or performers of miracles. Not all possess extraordinary faith, speak or interpret tongues. But most of us can tell the difference between God and a demon IF we listen to our hearts. A huge IF. Enormous IF. And who benefits from us NOT listening to our own hearts? As has already been shown in this thread, the Bible itself tells us that God’s truth and laws are written in our hearts. Imho it is only the Pharisees, and those like them, who benefit from us NOT listening to our hearts.
So once again, dear Jeff, it appears we must agree to disagree. But as I still don’t know what you’re on about, it’s rather difficult to be specific regarding that disagreement. Do you really support the status quo on this and did you read my last post?
love
parvati
~ my opinion ~
You are the only one who can determine what spirital gifts you have.
It is realized that this subject of spiritual discernment can be controversial, perhaps upsetting. The reason this particular issue has been brought into the discussion is because of the anticipated likelihood of its arising relative to a k awakening. No one (other than you) can really know for sure what your spiritual gifts are. A friend or acquaintance can say they think you have a certain spiritual gift and not another, but how would they know? They may not even know what their own gifts are, let alone yours.
From my perspective, it is obvious that the person best suited to properly evaluate what their spiritual gifts are, is the person themselves. Not some friend or family member. Isn’t this something between you and the divine anyway? It doesn’t seem to concern anyone else.
Nevertheless, well intentioned people may provide unsolicited advice such as: You really have no ability for spiritual discernment. So who is to decide on the matter - you, them or God? Perhaps you can talk it over with Jesus and get a better idea of just what your spiritual capabilities are. I would put more faith in the answer to your prayers, than in unsolicited advice, no matter how well meaning it is.
I believe spiritual discernment is part of a complementary trio of capabilities. The other two are common sense and integrity. If you have a high degree of those other qualities, chances are you also have a high degree of spiritual discernment. And even if you are lacking in all three qualities, they can be developed with a little perseverance and commitment.
The purpose and use of every spiritual gift is to glorify the Lord. To become the hands and feet of Jesus, to become an expression of His love out into the world. If you pray for a spiritual gift so that you can use it to help others, chances are the divine will show you how to develop and refine it. But don’t be too quick to believe that you lack a gift just because it is considered to be rare and available only to a few. I find no evidence in the Bible for this contention, and frankly it makes no sense whatsoever to me.
Keeping in continual prayer contact with the Lord is the very best way to reinforce your faith. Whatever your spiritual gifts are, and how you decide to use them in service to the Lord, is between you and Him. It really is nobody’s business but your own.
love
parvati
Hi Parvati,
I definitely don’t think that I am a status quo Christian. And I was not attempting to support any institutionalized position that limits anyone’s potential.
If you are wondering what my personal perspective is… It is that we are all “children of God” and have the same potential as Jesus to realize “oneness” with God. We have the potential to be “co-creators” with God. The only limits that we have to things like the abilities you describe (and way more) are the one’s that things like issues and fears that obscure us from realizing the truth.
Specifically regarding the gift of “discerning a spirit”, we may disagree as to what the gift is and what the term means. While I agree that the truth is found in the “inner heart”, such clarity as realizing that level is very rare. As long as one “operates” at the level of mind/3rd eye, one can be misled by various beings.
As Buddha was known to have said… “If you see me on the road, kill me.” He said this because seeing and hearing is of the mind, not of the inner heart.
Happy New Year and best wishes,
Jeff