The Integral Message

The Heart of Relational Spirituality: Attitude

 

The heart of Relational Spirituality is an interior state of mind. It is not found externally by sensory sight, nor calculation of the mind, although both are always engaged in the integral consciousness. Rather such non-dual awareness, the prime trait of Relational Spirituality is an interior state of consciousness, whereby one has discovered the rhythm and harmony of ones own interior experience, to use Panikkar’s expression. It is where one has learnt to reconcile the vast display of seemingly opposites that make up the complexity of the human mind. This is the stated goal of Jungian individuation. In a word it is not to ignore the variety of experience or differences that contribute to who we are, but to know that all is working together to enhance the whole. It is spoken of as a wholistic knowing of oneself as a highly complex organism in a highly complex creation.

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The inner knowing of one’s unity provides the consciousness to perceive the world in similar fashion. All is a unity of being from the sacredness of the material to the holiness of the mystical, for they both manifest ‘being in its becoming’ again to use Panikkar’s expression.

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At heart we manage our participation within this great created mystery via the gift of ego, which has matured in attitude to openly engage with the world, both internally and externally simultaneously. Granted the responsibility of free will, through the daily venture of conflict, friction and opportunity we are transformed toward the holiness of being. The ego matures though the self-serving wilful to altruistic willing. In relationality we mature from the ego-centric or selfish, to the ethnocentric or care, the world-centric or universal care and divine-centred or integrated care, the progressive stages Carol Gilligan lists.

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