Spiritual Practice and the Invocation of Powers

In order to form communities of compassion and intelligence, not only socially and psychologically, but also spiritually, requires one further ingredient. When traditional Western religious orders were established, they formed around a so-called Rule. The Rule described the order’s way of life and its spiritual, contemplative and ritual practices. For instance, wherever the Benedictines were, be it in Europe, the Americas or Asia, the same Rule of St. Benedict required five to six hours of liturgy and prayer, five hours of manual labor, and four hours of scriptural study. Each Benedictine monk knew the Rule and lived by it. The liturgical practices were performed at certain prescribed hours of the day. In other words, not only did the Benedictines share outer lifestyles, but they also shared religious practices, practices of the spirit, that were common to all of them. One can ask, What is the effect of such common practice? What does a common practice create by way of a spiritual substance that connects one individual to others? I believe that a common spiritual culture arises through such shared spiritual efforts, one whose importance should not be underestimated. We are no longer in the Middle Ages. The specific rules and forms of the monasteries, while instructive, are no longer suitable for most of us. Nonetheless, I believe that the spiritual principles that underlay the development of these common practices are still pertinent.

The question: As we form communities of freedom, how can we come together inwardly through spiritual practice, a practice not imposed by a rule, but undertaken because of a shared aspiration? How do we contribute to the life of the collective, not only outwardly, but also inwardly, even when separated by distance from other members of that community? In other words, there is an exoteric aspect to the formation of the collective, but there is also, shall we say, an esoteric, or spiritual set of considerations that are equally or perhaps even more significant.

For over twenty years the Protestant theologian Walter Wink has articulated a view of social life that recognizes not only visible structures and forces but invisible ones as well. In his recent book The Powers That Be he writes, “Every business corporation, school, denomination, bureaucracy, sports team – indeed, social reality in all its forms – is a combination of both visible and invisible, outer and inner, physical and spiritual.” Wink uses the biblical language of “powers and dominions,” that is, of over-lighting spirits who inspire groups. One finds such language in all spiritual traditions, from Asian to the indigenous peoples of the Americas, from stories of the Grail community in Europe to stories of guidance experienced by the Hopi during their migrations. In all these traditions the community is more than a mere assembly of people. Through common ritual and practice a “harmony of spirits” is achieved, and a higher Spirit is invoked whose character reflects the intentions and qualities of the community. If however the collective of today rejects the fullness of the individual then, in Wink’s language, a “domination system” arises that displays an oppressive intelligence all its own. Here we should pay special heed to Ken Wilber’s concept of the “pre-trans fallacy.” Namely, as we form collectives today, are we really transcending the previous traditional social form to create a new form better suited to our time and our experience of solitary consciousness? Or are we reverting to an old tribal group consciousness? If we find solace in reversion to the older form, then we can be assured that the threat of domination is nearby. I think the treasuring of human freedom within the collective will be a guidepost in navigating our way to healthy collectives well-suited to our time. In those groups where individuals are required to sacrifice themselves for the collective we run the perennial risk of reverting to an old form, as opposed to discovering a new. To truly have a community of freedom we must sense the authenticity and individuality, the full scope of our neighbor in the community. It will only be in such communities of freedom that a true ethic for the future will be formed and that insights can be gained that are larger than those any one individual can bring forth. To undertake an endeavor recognizing freely those with whom we are to work, to place ourselves fully within that collective, to treasure the diverse gifts within that community, and to work inwardly and outwardly to create a sheath, a body or organism that can become an organ for insight, and an invitation to a higher over-lighting spirit, is a powerful guiding imagination for me as we approach the question of collective wisdom. BLESSINGS OF LOVE & LIGHT
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