Sensational Spirituality of Awareness

Lately, I've been reading a book called Awareness by a Jesuit priest, Anthony De Mello (1931-1987).  It is a collection of different facets of spiritual life.  De Mello was known for his view that we are asleep and that we need to awake in order to live a fulfilling life. 

Since he was from India, he had a habit of using both Eastern and Western spiritual traditions in order to illuminate his points.  He was considered "controversial" precisely because of the blending of different traditions.  But frankly, I don't give a damn.  Life's far too beautiful and important to limit my learning because of one thinker's controversy. 

If there is something to be learned from De Mello, then I will gladly accept it with an open mind and an open heart, and with the freedom that - guess what?! - I actually don't have to agree with him on everything.  And I think given his approach, he would totally welcome that.

De Mello's controversy and whether he was a "good" or "bad" Jesuit is not of my interest here.  I do not intend to argue theological points.  And I have some trepidations about a total detachment or the loss of self. However, I'd like to look at one aspect of his spirituality, namely this whole idea of being asleep, waking up, and how does all of that relate to our bodies.

Anthony De Mello, S.J. (1931-1987)

We rarely think about our bodies when we think about the word "spirituality."  Being in touch with that aspect of ourselves was very important to De Mello.  I agree with that: we ought to be aware that there are sensations that are both ours and others'.  This focus most definitely stems from Eastern spirituality, and I think it contributes greatly to the development of the whole spiritual person.

When we are incapable of making any metaphysical growths, the best place to begin with is our bodies.  What do we feel?  What are we touching?  What do we smell?  This is also a big part of an Ignatian spirituality in which one pictures oneself in a Gospel scene and explores one's relationship with God.

As De Mello repeatedly said, there is no formula or programming for spiritual life.  We do have to find our own paths to God and to ourselves.  However, there are guides out there that can be helpful in times of despair, despondency, lack of energy, or lack of love of life.

Each human being is unique, and each will react differently and have a different experience in an act of spiritual exploration.  But, I think, there is one commonality - we would like to be happy.  Let's look at this word "be."  Can we really "be" happy?  What does that mean anyway?  Perhaps we are merely experiencing happiness for the brief moment.  The trouble lies in the fact that we get attached to that experience and then when it's gone, we lament its loss, we grieve.  But what have we really lost?  If I do not attach my being to either being depressed or happy, then the loss or gain of one or the other won't affect me.

Of course, De Mello is not advocating being in some unreal space.  If anything, he is saying that you have to wake up and truly see reality.  To be aware is to be aware of everything: that the world is a joyous and a beautiful place, and that it is also a vale of tears.  Look, we are imperfect.  An imperfect being will have shortcomings and flaws, but we needn't wallow in them.  Accept them and move on.  Live a life that allows you to always have an opportunity to be a good human being who does not depend on others for happiness or does not pile up grievances and wastes time on making a list of who wronged you.  Guess what?  You're not that important!  I'm not that important. 

And yet I will also not allow myself to disappear into the absurdities of society, living a life of quiet desperation, resentment, and self-imposed voicelessness.  I may not be important, but what is important is what I do, how I relate, how aware I am.