Yesterday, I attended a brilliant performance of the opera, Tosca, during which I had a re-awakening that touched the depth of my spiritual beingness. The source of this stirring was a simple gesture from a supporting performer. To explain, allow me to set the stage.
Tosca is nothing short of “high opera”. It is musically complex, characters and storyline are intentionally dramatized in a manner which often repels average audiences away from opera, in general. The story is culminates to a scene leading to the execution of an innocent man whose final request is to be able to write a letter to the woman he loves. He makes his request to the prison warden, offering his last possession, a gold ring in exchange for paper and quill and a moment in which to write the letter. After the letter is written and handed to the warden, the accused takes his ring and offers it in payment. At this offering, the warden raises his hand in refusal. Here is the gesture that reawakened that place in my spirit.
The character of Tosca is portrayed as one who has done many great things in the service of those in need. The character of her lover, Cavaradossi is portrayed as one who offers his life for the greater good of his fellow men. There are other characters who do righteous activities and others who perform treachery, and yet it is the simple gesture of humanity from the character mere prison warden that stirred me.
There are examples of simple humanity in every day and personal narratives, in spiritual texts, and throughout history. Sometimes they are portrayed in glorious ways and sometimes fictionalized. I felt the power of the simple gesture in the film portrayal of Ben Hur as Jesus offer a drink to Judah Ben Hur as a prisoner. I thought about the notion that the real person of Oskar Schindler was not even characterized with philanthropic intentions in the film Schindler’s List, and yet his decency in a few hundred instances amongst the backdrop of millions of deaths during the Holocaust has garnered the distinction by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations.
To be clear, this is not an argument for or against methods of salvation or commentary on belief for or against divine intervention. It does bring me personally to a spiritual realization that has meaning and allows me to continue my life as a “spiritual being having a human experience” one moment at a time.
@hakima saidThe nature of that human experience, and the degree to which it involves and impacts others, both in its general sweep and 'one moment at a time', I believe, depends very heavily on the moral and emotional character of each person's unique spiritual being.
It does bring me personally to a spiritual realization that has meaning and allows me to continue my life as a “spiritual being having a human experience” one moment at a time.
@fmf saidWithout imbuing false modesty, I don’t see myself as particularly moral (I’ve done some pretty sh* things in my life) nor do I characterize myself as emotionally stable, however I do find my spirit stirred in moments when I allow myself to be present and vulnerable to my humanness. Perhaps that is a beginning to the morality and emotional character that you mention.
The nature of that human experience, and the degree to which it involves and impacts others, both in its general sweep and 'one moment at a time', I believe, depends very heavily on the moral and emotional character of each person's unique spiritual being.
My admittedly lengthy OP was intended to point out that in my focusing on being a more authentic human, I am better able to feed my spiritual beingness.
@hakima saidI mentioned the moral and emotional character of each person's unique spiritual being
Without imbuing false modesty, I don’t see myself as particularly moral (I’ve done some pretty sh* things in my life) nor do I characterize myself as emotionally stable, however I do find my spirit stirred in moments when I allow myself to be present and vulnerable to my humanness. Perhaps that is a beginning to the morality and emotional character that you mention.
By "moral character" I simply meant the overall cumulative effect of the decisions we make on others ~ and therefore the substance of our identities in the eyes of others and in our own eyes too ~ and so, by "moral", I didn't necessarily mean virtue or righteousness, which is all subjective anyway.
By "emotional character" I was referring to the implications of gut feelings, instinct, personality, the intuitive and not always rational ways we interpret and react to our own narratives ~ and how that shapes our identities.
They are intertwined of course, but they are both things that make us tick, and the 'ticking' elements within us, I think, are at the very core of our spiritual beings, and our spiritual beings are at the very core of the unique personhood each of us has.
Ultimately, the most crucial aspect of "humanness" is the uniqueness and inimitability of each person, in terms of their perspectives, reactions, decisions and the experiences they have lived through.
@hakima saidBeing receptive to spiritual awakening is already a spiritual awakening.
Without imbuing false modesty, I don’t see myself as particularly moral (I’ve done some pretty sh* things in my life) nor do I characterize myself as emotionally stable, however I do find my spirit stirred in moments when I allow myself to be present and vulnerable to my humanness. Perhaps that is a beginning to the morality and emotional character that you mention.
My admi ...[text shortened]... hat in my focusing on being a more authentic human, I am better able to feed my spiritual beingness.
@hakima saidThere is a great power to doing small acts of kindness, whether 'warranted' or not. I'm not sure how it works - maybe by making us feel more connected to fellow humans? ...but it's intriguing.
Yesterday, I attended a brilliant performance of the opera, Tosca, during which I had a re-awakening that touched the depth of my spiritual beingness. The source of this stirring was a simple gesture from a supporting performer. To explain, allow me to set the stage.
Tosca is nothing short of “high opera”. It is musically complex, characters and storyline are intentionally ...[text shortened]... allows me to continue my life as a “spiritual being having a human experience” one moment at a time.
Once Satan and his demon sidekick were walking down the street, closely watching a man 20 yards ahead who was on the verge of realizing the Supreme Truth. The demon grew worried, and began to nudge Satan, but Satan looked quite calm. Sure enough, the man did, in fact, soon realize the deepest spiritual Truth. Yet Satan still did nothing about it. With this, the demon nudged Satan harder and, getting no response, finally blurted out, “Satan! Don’t you see? That man has realized the Truth! And yet you are doing nothing to stop him!” With that, Satan cunningly smiled and announced, “Yes, he has realized the Truth. And now I am going to help him organize the Truth!”
@whodey saidPlagiarized.
Once Satan and his demon sidekick were walking down the street, closely watching a man 20 yards ahead who was on the verge of realizing the Supreme Truth. The demon grew worried, and began to nudge Satan, but Satan looked quite calm. Sure enough, the man did, in fact, soon realize the deepest spiritual Truth. Yet Satan still did nothing about it. With this, the demon nudged Sa ...[text shortened]... and announced, “Yes, he has realized the Truth. And now I am going to help him organize the Truth!”