Being born of the spirit--who knew?

   I've had a deeper understanding of what it means to be born of the spirit--i.e. to be reborn.  Our first birth is as a delimited being and then we accrue all sorts of definitions of that, essentially temporary self that become fixed by the ego and as the "ego."--the part of the mind that identifies our self by separation (according to A Course in Miracles).

     Kind of like a "fixer" in photography, if you have ever developed photos from negatives.  the fixer "fixes" the image so that it stays permanent.  But it is locked into that time/space two dimensional image.  The ego is a two dimensional self and when we are reborn, we realize that we are unfolding as a three dimensional self (at least). In other words we have the potential for increasing the depth and range of expression that the third dimension offers--that third dimension being the presence of living unqualified eternal being-ness that we are invited to explore, contribute to, and harmonize with.

     And what we contribute is our unique point of view, which , if we are growing, is constantly evolving. It's like evolution, as we know it, provides the foundation for taking off into the infinite. And that is how evolution as a measurable process that proceeds through time and space can work with the eternal presence. Essentially, there is a dialogue between evolution and Presence that is going on within each of us and our relationship to each other and to life.

     But to be reborn is to transfer the locus of one's being to a different context.  The irony is that we have always been in that context--that of being one with unending love, but there comes a point at which we "wake up' to that reality and begin the process of adapting ourselves, our thoughts and our behaviors to the context of love/spirit and all that characterizes it, in contrast to the duality-based ego consciousness that we mostly live our lives as and through.

     To be reborn then is to realize that we are part of that larger context--that we are swimming in it.  This context is mostly invisible to us to the degree that we "fixate" on the finite and accept it as the impenetrable essence of everything and confine ourselves to the duality that it presents.

     In addition, fear of losing that finite identified self keeps us both locked into it and unaware of the infinite self that is eager to be released and expressed.  This is why it is imperative, if we are to continue to grow and realize our amazing potential, that we learn to recognize whenever the ego self is clutching to us and to release it through forgiveness--the process of recognizing that that clutching is just a spasm (as Thomas Merton described it) and it needs a good massage, which is what forgiveness provides.  Forgiveness then provides the means, by engaging the resistance, of releasing it through acceptance and love.  Kind of how phagocytes or white blood cells work in the blood stream.

    At the moment of rebirth then, we might exclaim,  "Oh my, I am an expression of a coordinated and infinitely flexible and adaptive universe that is constantly giving birth to more and more of itself all in the"image" of the Creator/Source of being. That image, ironically, is no image other than the patterns of relationship continually birthing new aspects and offspring of the relational Self.

     So there is no fixing of the self as anything that can be measured.  That is what Jeshua meant when he said that "He that shall seek to save his life will lose it, but he that gives up his life for my sake will have everlasting life."
     And what is his "sake?"  "Sake" is just another word for purpose. So what is the purpose of evolution and the Divine context? To create more and more variegated aspects of reality ever diversifying through an endless process of new and surprising relationships and patterns grounded in Spirit that provides the support and foundation for all the "playing around" that the universe through evolution is up to.

     So, here's hoping that if you haven't' had your "Rebirth-day," you have it soon.  Whenever you have it, Here's a Happy Re-birthday to you! Mazeltov!

     Time to make a wish and blow out the candles!

Think on't
Andy Rumi