The Relevance of Spirit

Today is Easter, a religious holiday for Christians worldwide. The Spirit of God is critical to the lives of all believers. But what about those who don’t believe in God? Is Spirit relevant to their lives? That is the question I address in this week’s post. 

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It could be said that life is simply the sum of our relationships.

Our bodies are constructed of vast biological relationships; less than half of our body’s cells contain our DNA. Beyond biology, conscious relationships bring us the experience of life.

Every relationship contains energy. Sensory relationships involve physical energies, while social and emotional relationships are fueled by conscious energy. 

Spirit is the term I use for the energy content of those relationships. This inclusive definition is broader than the religious context to which Spirit is often applied. Think of it this way: We pass people on the street every day and feel nothing. So, what makes someone a friend, a lover, or an enemy? The answer is the energy content of our relationship or how their Spirit manifests in our consciousness.  

Few things are as important as the connections we make in life. Yet, they just kind of happen. The energy content of those relationships often goes unnoticed. People may go to church for years and never feel God’s presence. 

Becoming strong in Spirit involves bringing the energy that’s implicit in relationships out of the shadows into the realm of direct experience. A felt connection with God might be the ultimate life experience for a religious person, but how is Spirit, as I use the term, relevant to the lives of non-believers? 

The answer is that energy is implicit in all relationships regardless of belief. One’s choice not to believe in God doesn’t destroy the energy in their relationships. 

Here are some examples: 

Have you ever visited your hometown or perhaps a family vacation spot after being away for years? 

Connective energy is in the air. Walking down my childhood street feels worlds apart from strolling down any other avenue. 

Sometimes, a song I haven’t heard for years puts me in the very moment I first heard it. In the same manner, the scent of fresh summer rain on hot pavement transports me back to the summer breaks of my childhood. These experiences are steeped in connective energy.

Connective energy brings richness to our lives. In using the term Spirit, I am referencing the multi-faceted energies implicit in our relational experience.  

Let’s examine that more closely:

A life well-lived involves three key elements: Joy, meaning, and belonging. 

Joy transcends circumstance. 

Meaning tells us how the world makes sense and where we fit in. 

Belonging informs us of whom we are a part of.

What do these elements share in common? They describe how we relate to life. Spirit may have gone unnoticed, but it is implicit in every relationship. Becoming conscious of that energy strengthens our connections, which balance the energies of our ego. This is crucial to everyone’s life, regardless of beliefs.

Let’s dig a little deeper. 

The body ages and eventually betrays us. The mind fades and becomes less certain. Energy, however,  is conserved. Relational energies transcend physical boundaries, including time. Everyone has felt this. For example, the feeling of “Me” inside doesn’t age like my reflection in the mirror.  Spirit energy remains in our hearts. We feel this in our connections with departed loved ones.  

Nature is imbued with Spirit, as are fleeting moments of bliss that defy explanation.

Relationships are personal, and the manner in which Spirit transcends the ego-centric Self is likewise personal. Religious people resonate with the Spirit of God. A scientist, on the other hand, might feel energy in the beauty of fundamental physical laws. A Mystic may experience Spirit energy in the universal “One” of existence.

Union is experienced in “Being.” Spirit energizes our “Being.” It is therefore critical to nurture Spirit’s energy in our lives, whether that occurs in nature, with each other, or in contemplating the unfathomable mysteries of existence. 

It truly is miraculous that we share our energy across the boundaries of “Self.” This is the “Miracle of We.” What one chooses to call this energy, or what one chooses to believe, is quite beside the point. What is important is the felt energy of a relationship, whether that be with God, humankind, or nature. 

In this context, Spirit is critical in the lives of everyone.  

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