Seeking spiritual help in very difficult times is common. But in this time of fear of the corona virus, while many people have moved away from religion, some are trying to find words and links that could offer support and encouragement.
Spirit of life and fear of coronavirus
Compassion, wisdom and virtue are found in everything that is truly human. For example, I think of patience, generosity, forgiveness and tolerance. This universal spirit of life has an infinite capacity to do good things amidst the chaos and rage of world events. The beauty of nature, the vitality of healing and growth, and the vastness of the starry universe also come to mind.
According to the authors of spirituality, we can experience a higher state of transpersonal consciousness in which we feel connected to this cosmic spirit of invisible and formless life.
It permeates everything and is interpreted according to specific cultural contexts. The Jews call it the name Yahweh, the Christians the name of Christ, the Hindus the name of Krishna or Shiva, etc. However, all of them share the awareness of an invisible spirit that is present throughout the universe and somehow transcends the physical universe.
Materialists reject such an idea of higher origin. For them, the basic explanation of human characteristics and evolution is a random accident with no underlying purpose. The atheistic evolutionist has no difficulty explaining pain, hatred and evil. These are woven into the fabric of the theory of evolution. He believes that selfless kindness is nothing more than a natural instinct. The one who protects you and your loved ones to survive.
However, there is a small puzzle for those outside of religion who intuitively feel that there is greater oneness outside of us. The question is how to connect with this spirit and ask for help regarding fear of the corona virus.
Image of the spirit of life
It is easier to refer to our spiritual source if we can see it in our eyes. If it has a naturally conceivable shape. We need an image that we can hold onto. Otherwise, it would be a vague abstraction for us.
In a vision of the inner vision, a mystic wrote about what he believed to be his divine source. It appeared to him as a sun, similar to our own sun in the sky, well above man. He felt its warmth and its light, which he interpreted as a warmth of love and a light of wisdom. He claimed that it was the divine origin of the goodness of compassion and the truth of wisdom – all that is good and true.
If we are afraid of the coronavirus and want to communicate with the universal spirit of all that is good, we need an image that works for us.
Human male deities
The Roman gods had a human form. The God of the Jews was a human figure who spoke to Moses. The Hindu gods have a human form. The idea that there is a human divine source is at the heart of the Christian message. God the Father or God the Son, make your choice.
Not just human, but generally masculine. Not a pleasant image for us, who believe in gender equality. In the past, society was organized around male figures, which led to injustices for women. And culture still tends to prioritize the male point of view in many places.
This notion that our divine source is a man is naturally what prevents many people from religion. The negative connotation of traditional religion is a male symbol of control. Maybe an angry punitive figure. We cannot consider enlisting the help of an angry checking judge in the sky that is often seen in the context of sexism, war, racism and environmental exploitation. How could we wish for a personal relationship with such a being? Hence the increase in spirituality and the decline of religion, especially in Western Europe.
However, many Christians today have a new and different concept of God. For example, although the Bible appears to have a male deity in Christ, many believers regard him allegorically rather than literally as a male figure after his death and resurrection.
Christ inside
18th-century spiritual philosopher Emanuel Swedenborg wrote his books from the perspective of the Christian tradition