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2.2.4 Spiritual approaches <strong>to</strong> the ‘Self’Spiritually, the self <strong>is</strong> an intangible being, formless <strong>and</strong> <strong>time</strong>less, which <strong>is</strong> on a journey <strong>to</strong>moksha (See RE-Net 2006 15 ), salvation (Lk 9:25), nibbana (See RE-Net 2006), Valhalla(Lindemans 2002), depending on the spiritual tradition in which it finds itself. In each tradition<strong>here</strong> represented the self <strong>is</strong> accompanied on its journey <strong>by</strong> a body. Separation of the two <strong>is</strong>impossible even though, h<strong>is</strong><strong>to</strong>rically, divergent sects within each tradition have attempted <strong>to</strong> doso 16 . Certainly anything which separates mind from body <strong>and</strong> spirit <strong>is</strong>, in Chr<strong>is</strong>tian theologicalterms, <strong>here</strong>tical. <strong>It</strong> <strong>is</strong> perhaps, t<strong>here</strong>fore, more appropriate <strong>to</strong> argue that <strong>to</strong> describe a self orselfhood <strong>is</strong> <strong>to</strong> promote a deeper underst<strong>and</strong>ing of an integrated <strong>and</strong> whole self w<strong>here</strong> body, soul<strong>and</strong> spirit are as one.One of the character<strong>is</strong>tics of the human condition <strong>is</strong> its inqu<strong>is</strong>itiveness <strong>and</strong> sense of curiosity. <strong>It</strong><strong>is</strong> th<strong>is</strong> that has <strong>take</strong>n personkind out in<strong>to</strong> space <strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong> the depths of the ocean. Journeying orquesting like th<strong>is</strong> <strong>is</strong> commonplace in the lives of many. Spiritual journeys or pilgrimages can befound in the narratives of the founding figures of the principal religious traditions of the UK. Inthe Semitic traditions, Abraham, the common ances<strong>to</strong>r of Jews, Chr<strong>is</strong>tians <strong>and</strong> Muslims left Urof the Chaldeans in search of truth <strong>and</strong> selfhood <strong>and</strong> crossed out of ancient Mesopotamia <strong>to</strong> al<strong>and</strong> flowing with milk <strong>and</strong> honey (Gen 11-12). In Jew<strong>is</strong>h foundational texts, later canon<strong>is</strong>ed <strong>by</strong>the founding fathers of Chr<strong>is</strong>tendom (e.g. Ireneaus of Lyons who <strong>is</strong> credited with the assemblingof the Bible at the beginning of the 2 nd Century of the Chr<strong>is</strong>tian Era), Moses crossed the Sea ofReeds <strong>to</strong> escape persecution <strong>and</strong> slavery (Ex 12-14). Jesus of Nazareth, the itinerant preacher ofChr<strong>is</strong>tianity, <strong>to</strong>ured the <strong>to</strong>wns <strong>and</strong> villages of Israel on an inexorable journey <strong>to</strong>wards Jerusalem,15 <strong>It</strong> <strong>is</strong> <strong>to</strong> be noted that th<strong>is</strong> term <strong>is</strong> used in both the Hindu <strong>and</strong> Buddh<strong>is</strong>t traditions that emerged from the Indian subcontinent.16 By way of illustration <strong>here</strong>, it <strong>is</strong> necessary only <strong>to</strong> talk of the Gnostic sects of early Chr<strong>is</strong>tianity that reinforceddual<strong>is</strong>tic approaches <strong>to</strong> the self, like those whose thought inspired the apocryphal Gospel of St. Thomas (See.http://www.friktech.com/rel/canon/thomas.htm)55Simon Hughes Ph.D. Thes<strong>is</strong> (Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 2012)

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