What is God? A Magdalene Path Perspective
Introduction by Cole Goodwin
Welcome to the Spiritual Roundtable, an interfaith roundtable featuring a diverse range of spiritual belief systems in the Gorge Community.
Each week, spiritual leaders and learners will share their take on some of humanity's biggest questions, starting with: What does your spirituality mean to you? And ramping up into discussions about the nature of existence, the soul, the divine, and of course…a question as old as time itself: why are we here?
Roundtable writings will be published each Saturday and Sunday of the month. So look forward to new installments every Saturday and Sunday morning!
Take a deep breath… Meditate for a moment…And when you’re ready…keep reading to explore the diverse faiths, belief systems, and philosophies that exist in our communities.
This Month's Question: What is God (collective consciousness, deities, the divine, the beloved, the source, the sacred, the mother, the father, the world, the one power)? How can we have a relationship with this power? What does this power want/need/desire?
About Claire Sierra: Claire Sierra, MA, LFT, author/founder of The Magdalene Path, is an Expressive Arts Therapist, Soul Alchemist, Spa Priestess, and Reiki Master on the path of awakening Feminine Soul since 1989. She shares intuitive, creative, spiritual practices through the lost wisdom of Mary Magdalene. Claire sees clients on-line and at Spa Sanctuary at the Balch Hotel, an elegant, award-winning inn in Dufur, Oregon, where she lives with her hotelier husband.
Learn more and access free resources for Feminine Soul at MagdalenePath.com. She can be reached at Claire@MagdalenePath.com
A Magdalene Path Perspective
by Claire Sierra
Pondering the essence of the divine is serious navel gazing. Such a vast concept, exploding the imagination, making words seem petty and insufficient. After 33 years of study and exploration, down more spiritual tunnels and religious pathways than I can count, there are so many ways to express who or what Spirit is. (*a note on pronouns: to avoid the ponderous “he/she/it,” I’ll use “they” in a singular, not collective sense of the word)
Ideas about spirit vary by culture and tradition. Coming up with one answer eludes concrete terminology. And it’s a very personal experience for anyone who’s cared to look. (Which makes sense, in a way.) Western culture teaches that God is a he; and yet creation, birth is feminine. So I tend to refer to God as Divine, or Source. You use whatever words spark your soul to light.
How to express the infinite without bumbling into left brain concepts? Poets express it better with their images and essences. (See: Rumi, Mary Oliver, Sappho, Rilke, Maya Angelou) From what I’ve gathered and experienced (because that is the only true way of knowing the Divine) this expansive emanation of love and light hums through the cosmos and is the Source of all being.
It is the creative spark of creation. The energy and essence within and behind all things. (Now using poetry makes more sense, doesn’t it?) It’s both what made us (and everything) and what we are made with. (Confusing, huh?) The divine is the spirit or energy of matter, as well as the form it takes. Scientists in quantum physics speak of matter as waves and/or particles. This starts to sound similar.
Source wants joy, love and bliss everlasting. It wants that for us all, as the ground of our being. Every day. Connecting with Source is like tapping a living river of love. And it’s always free. But we need to remember it, and go there. From this an awareness, understanding and relationship develops.
Having a relationship with Divine is as unique as each soul. Just as human relationships vary widely, our relationship with Spirit does also. Source is fully available for relationship, but we are the initiators. This is where spiritual practice comes in, as a means of direct access and connection. Some paths don’t encourage this, but it is the tried-and-true way of the mystic, in all religions.
The simplest way to engage with this benevolent creatrix is through conversation, aka Prayer. And for listening, meditation. There are countless ways to pray but remembering to ask for help is a key.
Spirit cannot help without our permission, it’s divine law. We need to expressly ask for what we need. Many people think, “but it’s so obvious what I want.” But really, is it? How clear are you on your heart and soul desires? How often do you change your mind, or truly ask for what you really want, instead of what you think you deserve or are willing to settle for?
God cannot be expected to know the hearts, minds, and desires of everyone 24/7, that would be impossible. But this power wants us to connect. It’s a huge untapped gift, just waiting to be unwrapped.
In a free will universe, we need to ask in our hearts for the presence and support of the Divine. And it comes, freely. Not always in the time or way we expect, but often with far more grace and magic than we expect. This power wants to flow love, light and divine goodness to us. It’s just waiting for our go-ahead.
If this is something you want to explore more of, explore ways to get support, access free resources and join our upcoming Magdalene Path Program at www.MagdalenePath.com
Want to contribute to the Spiritual Roundtable? Read this first.
The Roundtable Mission and Vision
The goal of these roundtable writings is to:
Bring the spiritual community together.
Share ideas that elevate the human spirit.
Elevate the conversation around the spirit.
Embrace what is universal to all, while honoring what is special about each spirituality.
Center inclusivity and equity.
Promote our collective enlightenment.
Nurture civility and friendship between those with diverse belief systems in the Gorge.
Engage readers and spiritual seekers.
The Spiritual Roundtable IS NOT…
This is not a place for arguing about dogma.
This is not a place for ‘hating on’ or putting other belief systems down.
This is not a place for excluding, discriminating, or promoting fear or violence towards other people based on their race, color, ethnicity, beliefs, faith, gender, sexuality, ability.
This is not a place for hatred.
This is not a place for fear.
The Spiritual Roundtable IS..
This IS a place for hope.
This IS a place for joy.
This IS a place for comfort.
This IS a place for big questions.
This IS a place for learning.
This IS a place for sharing.
This IS a place for caring.
This IS a place for sharing what is special about your beliefs.
CCC News reserves the right to not publish any content that breaks with our mission, vision and values.
If you are interested in being included in the roundtable please email cole@columbiacommunityconnection.com
