The initial awakening to the Kingdom of God – also called Unitive Awareness or Nondual Reality - can happen suddenly, but it can take years to reveal all its dimensions. It feels like layers of a veil are being gradually taken away. It is like a flower bud gradually opening up to the sun. It is like eyes are slowly adjusting to the light, after coming out of a dark room.
It is an ongoing process of waking up to the new reality and integrating it into human life. We wake up from more and more of the illusions that have occupied the mind. In recent months this change has happened in the area of politics.
In this episode I explore how we can see the drama of human history as a dream, yet it is also be involved in a relative sense. We can engage with life on the social and political level while knowing it as ultimately unreal. We do not get lost in a political ideology or a political party. Nor do we partake of the suffering that comes from that. But we live in compassion and decide by spiritual sight.
The initial awakening to the Kingdom of God – also called Unitive Awareness or Nondual Reality - can happen suddenly, but it can take years to reveal all its dimensions. It feels like layers of a veil are being gradually taken away. It is like a flower bud gradually opening up to the sun. It is like eyes are slowly adjusting to the light, after coming out of a dark room.
It is an ongoing process of waking up to the new reality and integrating it into human life. We wake up from more and more of the illusions that have occupied the mind. In recent months this change has happened in the area of politics.
In this episode I explore how we can see the drama of human history as a dream, yet it is also be involved in a relative sense. We can engage with life on the social and political level while knowing it as ultimately unreal. We do not get lost in a political ideology or a political party. Nor do we partake of the suffering that comes from that. But we live in compassion and decide by spiritual sight.
Waking Up From the Political Dream
The initial awakening to the Kingdom of God – also called Unitive Awareness or Nondual Reality - can happen suddenly, but it can take years to reveal all its dimensions. I have been witnessing this unfolding in the past few years. It feels like layers of a veil are being gradually taken away. It is like a flower bud gradually opening up to the sun. It is like my eyes are slowly adjusting to the light, after coming out of a dark room.
It is an ongoing process of waking up to the new reality and integrating it into human life. We wake up from more and more of the illusions that have occupied the mind. In recent months this change has happened in the area of politics. Politics has been a source of suffering for our nation and for me, especially in these last few tumultuous years during which American politics seem to have gotten more divisive and polarized.
I see the pain and suffering of fellow humans. My response has been compassion and trying to do what I can to stop the suffering, death and injustice. That includes being involved in political and social issues. What happens in human history is relative and in that sense unreal. It is a dream that our minds have created. To try to change this dream world is like waking up from a nightmare, and then trying to go back into the dream to set things right in the dream.
Yet on a relative level it feels real, with its drama of right and wrong, good and evil, joy and suffering. I play my role in this drama, while at the same time knowing it is ultimately relative. As a character in this drama of history, suffering arises. I can at times get lost in the dream so that I temporarily forget that I am in a dream. I lose sight of what I really am - my timeless nature. It is like that twilight zone in the morning between sleep and wakefulness, where you are partaking of both. Recently something has shifted. Politics is seen clearly as a dream. But most Americans are hopelessly and unconsciously enmeshed in the dream.
In 2012 a church member accused me of preaching politics because I mentioned Mormonism in a sermon. I don’t even remember exactly what I said. I might have had to do with theology or that Mormonism was based on faulty view of Native American and Jewish history. At the time Mitt Romney (who is a Mormon) was running for president against Barak Obama, and she took my comment to mean that I was expressing opposition to her preferred candidate. I assured her that my comment was not political. Her response was so striking that it still rings in my ears a decade later. She replied, “Everything is political!” Her family subsequently left the church.
She was giving voice to an unexamined American mindset. For many Americans everything is political. Many Americans are completely lost in a political dream world, and they think it is reality. Every comment, position and stance is seen through a political lens. That lens is magnified through talk radio, news editorials, and social media. Every statement is considered political. Wearing a mask and getting vaccinated are seen as political statements rather than health precautions. The hyper political environment that Americans find ourselves in has distorted the way people see the world. It is like everyone is hypnotized or temporarily insane. People are lost in a nightmare and do not realize it isn’t real.
Think about it for a moment. What are political parties and philosophies and ideologies? They are just ideas in the mind and that is all! They have no reality outside the mind. The same with economic theories and cultural values. What are socialism and capitalism but castles in the air? What are culture wars fought over but ideas? What are nations and races but ideas? Ideas are literally nothing! People fight over ideas and kill over ideas and hate over ideas. Families get angry and divide up over ideas - imaginary mental structures.
People have been led to believe that only politics matters when it comes to governing our country. We must choose between liberal or conservative, blue or red, Democrat or Republican, socialist or capitalist. Even when we declare ourselves to be “independent” or “undeclared,” people assume we harbor unconfessed political bias that must be ferreted out, so we can be put in the proper category. It is assumed that everyone and everything is political. It is binary thinking.
Recently I woke up from this political dream world and saw clearly what it is. Nothing is political. There is no such thing. It is illusion. Maya. Samsara. The Cave of Shadows. Vanity of Vanity, all is vanity, Ecclesiastes phrases it. Jesus called the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. He was not talking about an afterlife, but a present reality. People are caught in illusion, like schizophrenics caught in bizarre world of their own making. I have no desire to enter back into that illusion.
That does not mean that I will not play my role. I will vote. As I always I will vote the person and not the party. I will voice convictions about the ethical and social issues. I will support and oppose leaders and government decisions based on ethical grounds. But I will not make choices based on ideology. From now on I will follow the teaching of Jesus and decide on spiritual grounds. You do not see Jesus waving a political banner, joining the Zealot party or the Herodian party. When asked he said his kingdom was not of this world.
I am a Christian – albeit an unconventional mystical sort of Christian. Jesus is my Spiritual Teacher, my Rabbi and my Lord. My sole criterion in decision-making is “What Would Jesus Do?” When discussing refugees on the United States’ southern border, I ask, “What would Jesus do?” I answer that question by examining his words and actions in the gospels. When discussing the sale and use of handguns and assault weapons, I ask, “What would Jesus carry? What would Jesus sell?” When it comes to sexual morality and the treatment of those whom establishment religion considers “sinners” I ask, “How did Jesus treat people?”
Politically minded people may insist that is too simplistic. “What if everyone did that? What would happen to our country?” I respond, “How wonderful if everyone did this! The whole nation living in unconditional love!” What is wrong with that! Can you imagine if every American who professed to be a Christian suddenly did as Christ taught? If they lived in unconditional love, forgiveness, nonviolence, and grace? Can you image 200 million Martin Luther Kings and Mahatma Gandhis? Can you image if Christians lived up to our name and followed our Lord without compromise? Can you imagine the impact that would have on the world? The Lord’s Prayer would be answered! God’s kingdom would come, his will be done on earth as it is in heaven!
People will argue that ay approach is not practical. It is too idealistic. We can’t love our enemies. We can’t be a nation of Good Samaritans. The bad guys – whoever we consider them to be - would run all over us, so we better grab our guns and build our walls. People say that Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount cannot not be used as a blueprint for national policy. I reply, “Why not? Because the politicians say so?” Why listen to them over Jesus? Why not give Jesus’ Way a try? Obviously very few of those who call themselves Christians take Christ’s teachings seriously. They are just playacting at their religion. Their hearts are really with worldly leaders and philosophies and kingdoms.
I say let’s trust Christ. Trust the King of Kings more than politicians. I reject the idea that following Jesus is impractical. And so what if it is? Why not be impractical? As the apostle Paul said it is better to be a fool for Christ than a so-called wise one of this age. Jesus told his followers to drop everything and follow him; that includes dropping our political identities as well as our fishing nets.
No one can serve two masters. I cannot serve both Christ and Caesar. Jesus said, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's.” I am Christ’s – body, soul, and spirit. I belong 100% to Jesus Christ. No part of me belongs to Caesar. I am not beholden to any political party or national ideology. For that reason I will make every decision based solely on the guidance of the Living Lord Jesus Christ. For some people everything is political. For me nothing is political; everything is spiritual.